The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-08-14
THE EXECUTfVE--THEI INTELLIGENT
GER.

THE EXECUTfVE--THE INTELLIGENT
GER.
We find ourselves most unexpectedly assailed
by the National lntelligencer, and accused Of
Z odious pretensons." For what? For pro-
pounding certain truIsms on the constitutional
distribution OF powers in our Government We
openly avow ourselves the defenders of the in
dependence Of each Of the respective branches
of the Government acting within their legitimate
spheres. Is not Congress independent in its
sphere of action? Is not the Judiciary equally
50 7 and permit US to inquire, in all seriousness,
II the lntclligencer is prepared TO say that the
Executive is nothing but cipher2 Suppose
Congress were delivered up to spirit of faction
and broken into dozen inveterately nimical
parties, to which OF these, we would ask the In
telgencer, would ii have the Executive authority
delivered as plastic instrument Of factious vio-
ence Are we assailed because we avow the
abstract doctrine that the cabinet should be a
lrhoie-a unit If it be not what becomes of
the unity and efficiency of your Executive 2
How can there be any general system Of admi-
nlstratlon without that united and harmonious
action which we have advanced as the true rule
according TO which its members should walk ?
Would the Inelligencer have the Executive d-
vided into six or seven opposite wills, pulling in
different directions, and striving for variant OBJ
jects? Is thsthe reading the Inteigencer gives
the constitution of the Executive What have
we said, but 10 suppose any material discrepan-
cy of opinion on fundamental principles incom-
| ~ la Nth inJa ,a, AZ,
charge OF Executive duties When we see
an obvious disposition in more quarters than one
to throw the Executive out Of its proper sphere
of legal action, we have thought it right that the
public, and all concerned, should be reminded of
the true theory Of the Government as to the d-
vision Of powers II was precisely to resist any
pretensions to supremacy" Of any one depart
ment over another, that we invited public atten-
ton to governmental trusms, and common
sense principles, There will b. time room and
disposition enough to defend the independence
OF the Legislative and Judiciary departments,
whenever dangerous encroachments upon them
are made or threatened
We therefore rc-asser the propositions laid
down IN our lasrpaper, as being not only true
and proper in themselves, but founded in and de-
irving their existence from the Constitution and
the laws
In the Convention which framed the Consti-
tuition, the question arose whether the Execu-
tive should be Of single or plural character
II was decided, as is very well known, in favor
of the former and the express words Of the
Constitution are, the Executive power shall
be vested in a President of the United States
of America" The Departments were alluded
TO, but the Cabinet was not created by the Con.
stituton; the Departments they represent
were instituted by the law, and appointed as
aids TO the Executive, with heads selected by
him aud removable at his will However ma
ny different Executive Departments and bu-
reaux therefore may exist, they form consttu-
tionally and properly but one single homogene-
Gus power. This is no 'odous Jacksonian
pretension upon which the people set their seal
of condemnation at the Presidential elections"
is the true theory, and the necessary practice of
the Government, which must flourish in the
atmosphere of this free Republic" as long as
the Constitution endures. If il be "odous" to
the people, we do not doubt they would have
long since amended the charter which gave 1t
being.
We would further fortify our position, while
we refresh the memory of the Intelgencer by
reference TO the laws of 1889 creating the
State the War, and the Navy Departments. Ii
is there prescribed that each of the heads of
those Departments, "shal perform and execute
such duties as shall from time to time. be en-
joined on or entrusted to him by the President
of the United States.n
II the Intelligencer will 90 with us, also, TO
the fountain head, and take lesson from the
Father Of the Republic, 1t will discover that our
doctrines were neither strange" nor aston.
ishing" at period when the political "atmos-
phere" was quite as free and pure as now