The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-11-11

by It's failure, done much to disturb
the whole system, and to bring about
the present dangerous state of things.
$lndccd, it may be doubted.
whether the trainers Of the constitu.
ton did not commit a great mistake,
in constituting.a single instead Of a
plural executive. Nay, it may even
be doubted whether single chief
mayistratc-invcstcd with all the
powers rrol nrly arrcrtaining to the
executive department of the Gov.
crimcnt, as is tic President is com
ratiblc with the rcrinancncc Of a
popular government; especially in g
wealthy and roinlcus community,
with large revenue aud a numerous
body Of officers and employees.
Certain it is, that there is no instance
OF popular government so conSti,u.
ted, which las lon: endured. Even
ours, thus far, furnishes no evidences
IN It's favor. and not a little against It;
Tor, to it, the prcscn. disturbed and
dangerous state Of things, Which
threatens the country with monarchy.
or dlsnnicn, may be Justly attributed.
On the other hand, the two most dis.
tlngnishcd constitutional governments
OF antiquity, both i'll respect to rcr-
mancncc and power, had a dual cx.
ccutlvc. | refer to those OF Srarta
and Of Rome. The former lad two
hereditary. and the latter two clcc.
tive chief magistrates. 1t is true,
that England, from which ours, in
this respect, is copied. has a single
hereditary head Of the executive de.
partmcnt Of her government: but it
is not less true, that she has had MA.
ny and ardnous struggles, to prevent
her chief magistrate from becoming
absolute; and that, to guard against
1t ctlcctual!.i, she was finally com.
PEELED to divcst him, substantially. of
the power Of administering the gov.
sssr!s..m ssssIr!s..mcn', by transferring ii, practical.
;tss. ns res setssik!e niuis-
sssss s;s
'"'ffzsa 'e"Nn ctlrc- unless supported
hy majority or the two houses Of
Parliament. She has thus avoided
the danger Of the chief magistrate
becoming absolute; and contrivcd to
~, >
"''i'c substantially, single with a
l'nraI executive, in constituting that
''l"'''''ch' OF hcr government We
nave 10 s"ch guard. and can have
none s"ch, Without an entire change
!" me character OF our government;
an" ':' e""'hi'e o. course, furnishes
u" evidence IN favor OF a single
e"'r' magistrate III popular form Of
So'r''''""'t 'Ne onrS-whiIc the cx-
n"'lIes OF iorNer times, and orr own
'""s 'ar' lH?hSl strong evidence
's"''1,' i:
i''' J. Is objected that plural
NI'".N :. necessarily leads to intrigue
,,''' "'Sro'u among ITS members; and
s'''' y Is inconsistent with prompt
"'" ''"''cht acton. This may be
w. N"'' 'ney arc all elected by
VIC same constituency; and may be
S"'" reason WhcFc tins Is the case,
'oi 'ely'T'n2! single executive, with
az rs 1''rc'l'hS, to a plural cxccu-
~ i'"' 'Nc case Is very different
""''c '"'I are elected by different
,"''s,''"c"c'cS-'''''inS conflicting and
n .."s''.e i"'''cS'S ) rs would be the
Ii ~. y, '''t v'S' oiIrr consideration.
a'.; a','; Wv '"o ""'''" nave 10 act, con
~" MY ~ approving the acts oi
"'", separately, III the
r"'''' ~ ~, '"r,f i. rrSlcchvc DEPART,
"''"'S' ,S nc c''cc', III me latter case,
"o"'" h', 20 retain al the advan.