The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-05-14
THE DAILY UNION


raj sense of the American people on this subject of
the tenure of Office and the power of removal; and
we are 10 look al it through all the departments po-
litically. How is il, then, IN the States! Begin
with the legislative department. There you find
that the authority which Is vested by the people,
according to the forms of the constitution, in
individual citizens, by which they are constituted
the Legislators of the States, Is IN every instance Inn
tied TO a period Of years. And Why Because
return of the power TO the body of the people, and
a passing in review Of the agents who exercised
that power before the great tribunal Of the people,
has been found from the foundation of the govern
ment to the present day. TO constitute the great safe
guard of the rights and liberties of the people
That is the case in State and federal legislation
How is it with regard TO the executive power, which
il the power now in question: In every single in
stance the executive power Is not only limited to a
term of years but to a very short term of years
And for the same reason as IN the other case, in
order that the agents who exercise that power may
be made to pass in review before the tribunal Of the
people in whose behoof and by whose auth rity the
power was delegated to them. Look TO the Judi
cary power of all others under the government the
one supposed by many, which ought to be passed
out Of the reach Of popular revision, and to be
made enduring and permanent How with that
power In the federal government II stands where
il was placed by the constitution Of the United
States-vesled for hfe-but in many Of the States Of
the Union, in which originally the judicial power
limited to a large number OF years the tenure
has been abridged by experience. In some Of the
cases. where the power OF elecung Judges vested
IN the legislative authority OF the State it has been
trunsfened-fw the purpose of bringing it more
Immediately under the revision Of the popular eye
to the people themselves. That's how il has been!
IL is great American principle II lies at the foun-
dation Of cur system. The frequent recurrence to
first principles is one great feature in our system Of
government, and the frequent recurrence to the
original source by which power is delegated is
another Sir, we have decided this question as
a nation and States. We have dreaded these fix.
lures which grow up into settled and independent
authorIty-an authority independent Of the people,
and which soon become in virtue Of that indepen-
dence essentially and Of necessity hostile to the
people We dread this sort Of corporate authority
to hold political power during the life Of an lndIvd.
ual Besides, our government, sir, is one that rests
upon the will OF the people. The great struggle
Of all good men ls TO interest the whole body of
the people IN the action of the government, by
keeping their attention constantly fixed upon its
action. And although IN this struggle we may in
woke individual selfshncss to participate more
fercely than otherwise in the political contests OF
the day, yet that very fact has its advantages as
well as dlsadyantages-and very great advantages.
The enjoyment of the public honors of the coun-
try is part Of the rights and fortunes Of the
American peoPe-lt is a part Of the honora.
bile nducement held out to them 10 be loyal
to free institutions. 1t is calculated TO elevate the
public mind, and the whole mass of the people to
let 1t be known distinctly that every is eligible
under the constitution to these honOrs and that Of
flee is accessible to all, IN consequence Of there be-
ing no privileged class IN the community who
entitled to enjoy office for life. Again everybody
knows that the moment man feels secure for life IN
his office he cutvates a feeling Of independence and
disregard to the people which rises TO a perfect con-
tempt of the people. Authority then comes to be
more appreciated than liberty. The man begins to
feel a taste for arbitrary power. He begins to talk
about the tumult of the masses. He begins to
dread the wholesome political excitement by which
the masses are interested in the affairs of the gov.
eminent. He sets himself up as a being created to
authority-as a curb in the mouth Of the masses
That's the feeling. 1t does not belong to one man
more than another, perhaps, but is lnseparabe from
the condition Of man placed in state where he is
conscious OF the enjoyment OF power and originates
in that disposition that is inherent in the human
mind to abuse power when 1t can be abused with
mpunity. | say, then, that the benefits resulting
from the principle which am defending more than
counterbalances the necessary evils. All this
idea proceeds upon the principle that the
people of the United States are induced by a
selfish excitement to take too much interest in
the affairs Of gevernment-that the man seeking
office goes about and incites the people to take too
much interest in political affairs. | deny this.
do not believe that such thing can occur | do not
believe that the mi nd Of this great nation ever is or
ever can be, too much excited about the public at.
fairs. believe that these excitements though they
may occasionally look scowlngy on the public
peace ye, constitute the only guarantee we have in
this country, or in any other, for the preservation
of popular liberty; and the moment the public mind
is lulled into repose-the moment that the eyes of
the people diverted from public affars-the
moment that they are lulled into belief that all is
going on WELL and that they need not disturb them
selves about public affairs, then public authority
will override public liberty This does not connect
itself with party or with the other in particu-
lar but exists in the genius and nature and consti-
tuition of the human mind. There are paymasters
in the army. They are money-hoders They are
intrusted, as discussing officers, with i'm
mense amount Of money, and It s proposed by
this bill to give them lease for life Of public au-
thority. They the very class of public officers
which Of all others should be brought most directly
in review Of the appointing power The President Of
the United States is required by law to administer
the laws. The constitution holds him responsible
for the manner in which the laws are executed.
When a law is wrongly executed, who is blamed;
The President of the United States is blamed.
Why? Because the constitution nrusts him with
the duty of seeing that the laws rlghtfully ex
ecuted How is 1t with the people themselves
Where is power more competent to pass judgmen,
to the evil spoken of, arising from party contests
for office, | should like to know how that would
be prevented by making life the tenure of Office;
Every oficeholder would have his relatives whose
preferment he would desire and would therefore be-
come just as much party man if liable to be
turned out.
Mr. MANGUM. Suppose the law passed, would
not the President have the power to see the law
faithfully executed, if necessary, by the removal of
the officer
Mr. ALLEN 1t might be that he would. But
it may be- notwithstanding, that he will have good
reason to adopt that kind Here, owing to noisy
conversation Of persons in the gacry-a constant
source of annoyance to the reporters-a few
fences were lost. This is one Of the nconve-
niences which grow out Of free institutions, owing
to the imperfection of human nature, and which
you can never avoid and preserve these institutions.
That's the ground that | take. | will ask where
is the power more quick in removing obnoxious
pubic agents.' Than that exercised by the
people themselves None, sir The Pres
ident on coming into power finds thirty
or forty thousand oficeholders entirely ad-
verse to his views and principles, and
hating him for his success How is it possible
that with them he could faithfully execute the laws
But am above all opposed to this life estate of po-
III a. Z a.