The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-11-20


Sandwich Islands as half way house of COM
merce in time of peace and as a commanding
military station in the Pacific in times of war
The sovereignty over them if possessed by the
United States, would supply very essential
desidcratum to the commercial supremacy Of
the Pacific
MR.. CALHOUN HIS PosTHUMoUs WORK.
A volume of the expected work of Mr.. Cal
houn has made its appearances The following
is an extract from it, in which he develops his
plan of amending the Constitution in order to
secure additional guarantees to the South
" How the Constitution could best be modi-
fed, so as to effect the object can only be au-
thoritatively determined by the amending pow
err. 1t may be done in various ways Among
Others, it might be effected through Teorgon-
'zdt'on Of The ETeeuttre department : so that II,
Porers, instead Of beng rested. as they nor are,
IN a HHeie officer should be rested ia tlrO 10 be-
~ elected aS that the two should be constituted
the special organs and representatives Of The re-
r,r@c,,lT seei'0nS az tie Epe-iftee department o.
tAe GorcyRHsnt and requiring each 10 dPProre
~ tn - ? - - It'll G-c-,,y
q, - *. :,,-l-,., -. .:....,a a.'.o;i,-
-a---,.-,.li aG matters c1-,- 4,S Hsf H,,I--.
relations Of the country and the other of such
aswere connected with its domestic institutions
the selection to be decided by lot It would
thus effect more simply, what was intended by
the original provisions OF the Constitution, in
giving 10 one of the majorities composing the
Government decided prepouderance in the
Electoral College, and to tho other majority IA
still more decided influence in the eventual
chOice-in case the College failed 10 elect u
President il was intended to effect an equ-
lbrium between the larger and smaller States
in this department; but which in practice, has
entirely failed. and, by its failure, done much
to disturb the whole system, and to bring about
the present dangerous state of things.
Indeed, il may be doubted whether the
trainers of the Constitution did not commit "a
great mistake in constituting single instead
of n plural Executive. Nay, it may even be
doubted whether n single Chief Magistrate, in
vested with all the powers properly appertan-
ing to the Executive department of the Gov
eminent, MS is the President is compatible with
the permanence of II popular Government es-
pccially in II wealthy and populous community,
with large revenue, and II numerous body of
officers and employees. Certain it is that there
is no instance of popular Government 80 con
sttuted which has long endured Even ours
thus far furnishes no evidence limits favor, and
not little against it for to it the present DIS
turbance and dangerous state of things, (which
threatens the country with monarchy or dis
union, may be Justly attributed. On the other
h~U,I 49, 1892
pernlanence and power, had II dual Executive.
! refer to those Of Sparta and of Rome Tho
former had two hereditary, and the latter two
elective chief magistrates IL il true that Eng
land, from which ours in this respect is copied
has II single hereditary head OF the Executive
department of her Government but it is not
less true that she has had many and arduOus
struggles to prevent her Chief Magistrate from
becoming absolute; and that to guard against
it cffcctually, she was finally compelled to di-
vest him substantially of the power of admins
tering the Government, by transferring itprac-
ticaly 10 cabinet of responsible minister's,
who, by established custom, cannot hold Office
unless supported by majority of the two
Houses of Parliament She has thusuayoided
the danger of the Chief Magistrate Becoming
absolute, and contrivcd 10 unite, substantially
II single with n plural Executive in constituting
that departmental her Government We have
no such guard, and can have none such, with
out m entire change in the character of our
Government and her example of course fur
nishcs no evidence in favor of II single Chief
-
like ours, while the examples of former times
and our own thus far, furnish strong evidence
against it,
But it il objected that n plural Executive
necessarily leads to intrigue and discord among
its members, and that it is inconsistent with
prompt and efficient action. This may be true
when they are all elected by the same consttu-
ency and may be IA good reason, where this tx
the case for preierrng single Executive, with
all its objections, 10 n plural Executive. But
the case is very different where they are elected
by different constituencies having conflicting
and hostile interests rs would be the fact in
the case under consideration Here the two
would have TO act concurringly in approving
the acts Of Congress, and separately in tho
sphere Of their respective departments. The
effect, in the latter case, would be 10 retain all
the advantages Of single Executive, NJ far M
the administration OF the laws were concerned;
and in the former, TO insure harmony and con
cord between the two sections, and, through
them, in the Government For, az no act Of
Congress could become "a law without the AS
sent of the Chief Magistrates representing both
sections each, in the elections would choose In
candidate who, in addition to being faithful 10
its interests, would best command the esteem
and confidence Of the other section And thus
lle ITchlucntlul tlecllOllS, lnslcau Oh ulNlullR
the Union into hostile geographical parties the
stronger struggling to enlarge itspowers, and the
weaker to defend it, ghts-as is now the case
would become the means Of restoring harmony
and concord to the country and the Government.
Ii would make the Union Union in truth II
bond Of mutual affection and brotherhood; and
not mere connection used by the stronger as the
instrument Of dominion and aggrandizement
and submitted to by the weaker only from the
lingering remains of former attachment, and
the fading hope of being able 10 restore tho
Government TO what il was originally intended
to be- n blessing TO all
"Such il the disease, and such the chaSsncter
of he only remedy which can reach Il. In
conclusion, there remains to DO considered
the practical question, Shall il be applied
Shall the only power which can apply it be in
voked for tho purpose
"1he responsibility Of answering this solemn
question rests ON the States composing the
stronger section" &c.