Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-02-21

sCot et NuC osCaec. " w on ofe'shaooNh
Executive. IL ought not to excite our surprise tina
the trainers ofths Consttu,ion wise at p,trio,ie
they were, fell into this A separation OF III
Coloaies from the mother country had been aehiev
ed-that great question settlej-the Unite
States were to take their station amongs, the M
tons Of the earth. Another great question re
NAMED TO be seled-Shouli the form Of governmt u
he changed Bosn and educated under NOR arch y
they had been taught from their earies, youth, tia
the British model Was the most perfect that had eve
been devised 10y the wit otman; proposition which
up TO the period OF the American Revolution,
| ly admitted of doubt. The influence OF the senii
| ment is manifest throughout the whole proceed
| iugs OF the Convention.
Governor Morris thought that ono great obi
OF the Executive should be "to control the Legisla
ture;" that the Executive Magistrate should be 18th,
GUARDIAN OF the people against legislative tyranny
| Alex'r Hamilton said, "rhat the members mos
Tenacious OF repubitansm were as loud as any ia
decl,imins against the vices Of democracy. Thi:
progress of the public mind led him 10 anticipate
"the time when others well ns himself would
"join in the praise bestowed by MIR Neckar on the
British Constitution; namely, that il was the only
Government IN the world, which united public
"suensth wi h individual security. As TO the
Executive, 1t seemed to be admitted that no good
one could I've established on Republican principles
"Was not this giving up the merits OF the question:
For can there be a good Governmcn; without q
"good Exeeuiivci The English model was the
| only good one this subject"
MIR Madison thought the preponderencc of the
Legislature cnlcny 10 Oc yuaFuel against" MS
he said twas the real of danger to the Ame-
rcan Constitutions" And he seemed willing to Sc
cure the independence cfthe Executive. even at the
expense OF President, for life, or during good be
hiviour.
| Edmuud Randolph, although h. objected ito be-
sing governed by the British Government as our
prototype. lid not mean to throw censure on that
excellent fabric. II we in situation TO copy
1T, he did n0t know thit he should be opposed TO
al; but the fixed genius Of the people OF America
Hrsrulrfl n different farm of (.nvernmrn'u
Johd Dickersor considered "a limited monarchy
| "is onc OF the bss: Governments in the world -
"li WAS not certain that the same blessings were
1 "deriviblc from any other form. IL was certain
shat equal blessings had never yet been derived
"trom any of the Republican iorms,-n limited mo-
"nsrehy was, however, out Of the ques,ion-The
"spirt OF tue times the state of our AFT Ts, forbade
"the experiment, 1t 1t were desirable. But though
"a form, tn mos; pegcc, perhaps, be uriltaina5e,
eve must not despair. Ii ancient republics have
''been fourd to flourish for 4 moment only, and
then vanish forever, 1t only proves that they were
GLADLY Constituted, and that ou.h, 10 seek for
every remedy for their diseases. Such EIecu
"tivc as some seem 10 have IN contemplation was
''not consistent with Republic"
The value OF the representative system, the dis
covery of modern times, as 4 remedy for the dis
eases Of Republics, had not then been fully tested
IL is surprising, therefore that the Fedora, Goa
otitutinn was made TO apprc Iima,e the British mo-
del as nearly rs "ihe genius OF the people, the spi
rt OF the times, ard the state OF our affairs would
permit" and in endeavoTing TO avoid the "vces of
Democracy against which the members most Ia
vorabe 10 a Republic were as cloud as any IN de-
claiming" that they went far to establish the worst Of
all MoIarchies, an elective Monarchy.
The condition Of the country at that time had It's
inAuence-The confederacy crumbng TO pieces;
some OF the States were versing towards Hnar-
chy IL might require strong hand TO bring er
on, OF this confusion the fears OF many jealous Re-
pIblicans were doubtless Quoted by the reflection
that Washington was 10 be placed at the head OF
affaiIS.
As we have been ut no loss TO select tie Execi-
tive department as the vicious part OF our system,
50 there is little difficulty in deciding that the
great instrument Of power is the patronage wi.h
which il is invested. Patronage was the cause Of
alarm and apprehension 20 the great statesman aud
patriot who led the opposition 10 the ituion
VIsinia.--Pa,ronSge was the power which he fore
told would work soFeiy on our necks "-Pa,roni 4
was one OF the causes Of alafm IN lT9S-PAtron
age was denounced by the Senate comm ttee Of 1895
| as power whose working will contamnate the
purify ot all elections, and enable the Fed "a Cfo
vernmenI eventually 20 govern, IN, oughout the
States, as etfectually us # they many pro-
vnces Of ono vast Empire."-a prophecy founded
upon an intimate knowledge of the workings" OF
our system, and which was on the point of fulhl
men; ny the laoours Of the sages who pronounced
u.
! II we look INFO the history of the country from
| which we sprung, the model Of whose governmen,
| we have so osely copied, we shall find that pa
| tronage has achieved what prerogative was unable
to accomplish. The struggle between priv eye add
prerosaive, IL IS true, brought one monarch IN Ia
block and expelled another from hls throne Bu
patronage in the hands Of a corrupt minister brought
Parliament 10 his fe-t. IL was by the patronage
proposed 10 be crea ed By the celebrated India H.
that the coalition ministers soust, to rule the ",
ton and the Monarch. IL is by the "workings" Of
this unseen and evef-actiye power, that the evils
! which we have suffered, and the dangers which
| we have escaped, have been brought up7n US. Il
he rrrlfa r.. kt,f
| a nong the branches" as the Senate committee OF
| 1925 recommended. The exuberant sap will again
shoot into wild luxuriance; and although we may
not lay the axe to the root, and utterly extrpae the
plant, we may remove part Of the rank soil whicd
nOurishes lis growth. This, the resolutions under
consideration, propose 10 DO.
The first resolution Is in strict conformity with
the lnclp'es OF our government The constitution
provides a separate organization for each of the
great Departments; and to quad the independence
Of the Executive tom he control nf the legislative
department.. It secures 10 the incumbent OF The for
nier, freI compensation for his services, which
cannot be either irers1sed or diminished, during
the term for which he elected; and to guard the
legislative department from the undue influence o
the executive, oil persons holding Office under tht
authority Of the Unred States, are excluded from
the aoor of Congrcss. These provisions, howcye
just and proper IN themselves, have not accomplish
ed the objects for which they were intended, willis
oDieeh,idsrs are excluded from the hal OF le2isa
tion office hunters ore admitted, and the ding,i
to b. apprehendcd IS even more imminent. To ei
iectIate the in'eLt OF the constitution, and make
I these two grea: Departments separate and dis,inc
from each other, not only in contemplation OF. la "
but m TACT, the exclusion must extend TO the latte
- class.
/ The second resolution recommends that exclu
/ sion. The State conventions Of New Yo,k, Vir
GINA and North Carolina, when they adopted tn
constitution, recommended amendments having III
object; but this resolution covers the groun
4 occupied by the second amendment, which pro
pose the further consideration OF u will be delerre
0 until that amendment comes up in order for dis
! cussion.
. The third resolution declares that the power m,
+ patronage now exercised by the federal eIeculiy,
are incompatible with republican institutions, and
that 70 mi'n,an the bi,sn,e Of the constitution ana
preserve TO the United States the blessings Of IRE,
{ government, they oughtio be diminished. Nothnl
need be said ~ rs fayor-noict need be nddured {,
sustain Il, no argument TO enforce IT.. Tie hs,or,
Of the las, thirteen yeir5 teens with Instructions
Bolh parties arc ngsCed upon 1.-THE pcoplc have
declared Tor T.. Tina, the objects indicated in III
preceding resolutions can only bs ene.,cd b.;
, amendments OF the constitution, rs the fourth reso
lutien declares, is self EVIDENT and shall therefor
, proceed 10 the consideration Of the amendment
, | which nre suggested.
The first amendment strikes directly Execut,v
power. II proposes the ins'igJilIy Of the Presi
dent second time, end thus 70 rtyive pfncipl
which WIS cherished by the repuJcan member
= Of the Federal COnventOn-onc for which tht'
long struggled successfJiiy, and which faIl'I
stricken out against The vote Of Virginia IL is no
deemed necessary to enter into an elaborate afgu