Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1841-10-26
From me Ph,Iaseiphia Ledger.
AFFAIRS AT WASHINGTON

Specuialioas II Partisan Presses Thar Ignorance
# our Sysfem - The Braish Practice D.ferof
from ours-.Harin that the kiDg can do WroHg
Ills Pcrsouai Righh-Th cause ofa Res,gaa-
ton II Brt'ish .na4isf,y - our E1ecufre Re-
sPonsbie- Uherem our System d.Drrs from tie
Brush
We are exceedingly amused a the specuations
OF the PARTISAN press about tie proceedings at
Washington and their probable Consequences We
gravcy told by these oracles that tins or that
bill before Ct ngress Is a Cabinet measure , and that
II II be- rejected by the President. the ministry
,esign : that tor ~nnt 81 harmony between the Pro-
dent and hs advisers. they will BE- utterly unable
20 conduct The government All tins is entirely
inappllcahle o. our political system, and EXHIBITS
among those who use such language. deporable IL
norancc 81 that system. But whence such ignor-
ancc! The wonder Of our readers VIII cease when
they learn that most paragraphs containing such
expressions written by Engli-hmen. English
editors or assistants are tO be found most OF the
partisan papers IN cities and IN writing upon
politics, they very naturally use the technical
ties applicable % the BRUSH Government. and to
which, oi course they have been accustomed. SUCH
language alone applicable to British politics aud
BTitish institutions ~ their mind, these winters
u correctly But applying II 10 our institutions,
they enormously. tor such 1t IS totally map
pllcable.
Under the British government, the members OF
the cabinet the cxccutive officers, the and
assistants OF tire crown the executive department
OF the government are not only eligible To the House
Of Commons bar Il !ecrs are entitled 10 seats ~
the House II L,'ris and practice, the prncl pal
officer oi the ablnct Is invariably member q one
the other House. aud IT. leader. Al the prncI-
pal measures If public policy, and especially all re-
lltIg 10 taXatOn aud the TcteHGe. are proposed
aBd uge. ~ TIE cabinet, and Iaid before each
House cabinet measures. llcuce an Britain. tne
term cabinet mcasufe has definite meaning; II
s,gntiIe- "a measure proposed by tue executive the
servants OF the crown ~ cabinet council vi this
mode Of proceeding. the late proposition to modify
the laws example. Ii was proposed
and arranged the cabinet, by tie ministry IN the
cabinet counci and laid before the House of Com
mons by Lord John Russell, member OF that House
by popular election, and member OF the cabinet by
executive appointment, and therefore 1t Is called
cabinet mcasuTc-
Under tie BRUSH government, the king or queen,
the wcarcr ct the crown gespotsb bic officer.
\ Fundamental maxim Of the British constitution j,
that tie king can do torong. THIS maxim has
been egregIously misunderstood by some OF our
stump orators and writers Tor political newspapers
they supposng To mean that the king Is nallible
a human beng, and that the executive power
may do any thing with IMMUNITY, because Whatever
1t does is right. We understand, however, that
this ridiculous mistake is generally made by for
cIgners born and trained under the very gov
eminent whose fundamental principle they thus ms
understand. We have never seen an American law
yer who misuuders'ood IT f; and this because they
profess onal studies The meaning Of the maxim Is
that the Of the crown Is not personally re-
sponsbc for any public act Its sgnihcauon Is
entirely political Official. and not personal
Hence u the hlng should commit political crime,
he could not be- impeachcd. But he i.as person
al rights, he j. liable Tor personal wrongs. Among
MS personal rights, which are the same as those OF
any subject. that OF suffrage and the late AIug.
William ~. was recorded among the voters oI
Windsor under the name OF William Guelph. hing,
nc. DC. Among ms personal liabilities Is That OF
being sued for a few years snce London paper
continued account OF fine imposed by mag
Istrate of London for the obstruction OF side walk
or violation Of some municipal ordnance o! London
with market cart belonging TO the King, and
marked with the royal arms. II the hing should
commit murder or robbery, the throne would b.
declared vacant, and afterwards the individual thus
6cposed could re prosecuted for the crime. Ii the
King should commit trespass, he would b. liable
damages, individual, and not Il king and
the writ would DC ISSUED IN the name OF the King,
against George or William Guel ph. Thus the max
that TIE hiag do loroRg, merely means
that the wearer Ot the Crown IL not politically re-
sponslbc and IL object Is like that of the heredt-
airy succession Siabify ~ the erccHiee But as re-
sponslbihty n every branch OF the government Is
another fundamental prime pie OF the British constI-
tuition. for it is essential attribute OF freedom ana
the British nation Is tree, te members OF the cao-
met politically responsible for all executive mea-
surcs. They are appointed and removable by the
crown and merely its servants but As. Tor the
sake II The executive stability tin crown - ire
spoons bic, and executive >ponslblllty must eX-
st here, but these servants are lett TO
incur this responsibility. Another fundamental
principle of freedom. and consequently OF the Brit
ish constitution. that responsibility l. personal
and not ylcariOus or IN other words, that II must
be borne bs those who commit the acts involving
the responsibility, and by others Then as the
crown. for the reason already assigned, is not re-
spOnsIble and executive responsibility, necessa-
~ somewhere. attached To the cabinet, they are
considered, the British constitution, a. the advs-
ers OF the crown. Inc Ming or Queen Il thc nom
mai executive supposed 10 TO every thing oHlcial
under the advice OF the cabinet or ministry and
the cabinet n<try tie real executive, sup
posed TO advise the crown every thing. The sys
TEN l. complicated. tui reaches lis object,
tive reSpons bility and thus II the King DO no
wrong, his ministers can.
Inder the Brush government. the gnation Of
the ministry has usually followed tie loss oi Il
support IN tht iioust ct Commons aud tins results
from both the theory and Practice 81 that govern
meut. According It's theory. .he real executive.
constitutional advisers of the crown, and those who
are responS Die Tor Il, are members OF TIN gisa-
ture aud according 10 It's pracuee, the leading
measures Oi national poacy which are 4aid before
the eg stature. devised ana arranged by tue re
a. rssponsi bic executive. ana laid ~ them before
either House in their legislative capacity. TINS
makes the legislature and executive Identical. or
rather imposes upon them the necessity of concert
l. the House 0i Commons Viii no; support the min
stry, then the eg lslature al variance with the
executive, and important law can be enacted.
The only remedy Is resignation OF the ministry
executive officers, and the formation of some minis