Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-11-27

Cease, the great South Carolinan suggested
as remedy-the only remedy-the SINE
QUA NON. which nothing would probably
prevent dissolution ofthe existing Union:
an amendment Of the Constitution necessa-
ry as he intima.ed, to place the South on a
footing of equality with the North. The
precise character Of that amendment he
did not particularize. Ia an article OF the
National Intelgencer of the 25th of Janua-
ry last, however. it was stated that the
general understanding "that it proposed an
executive to be composed oftwo members,
tn be chosen from the two great geograph-
ical divisions, each to be check upon the
other. and both of them To exercise the
veto power, had been corroborated by au.
thentic evidence" We have at length
what may be considered official informa-
ton on the subject; tie evidence Of The
Senator himself under his own hand. We
copy the subjoincd exposition of it from
the Southern Standard" Of Monday last:
"The first volume Of Mr.. Calhoun 5
work on Government is now before the
public. 1t is an octave of four hundred
pages, well bound, in fine large type, and
on good paper. All the booksellers have
il for sale at two dollars.
The subject in this work for which we
looked most eagerly was the amendment
Of the Constitution. 1t is generally known
that this was Mr.. Calhoun's last PROPOSE
ton for the salvation Of the Union and the
security ofIhe South.
"As many Of our readers who may rev
er see Mr.. Calhpun's work are 10 doubt
anxious TO know the precise nature Of the
Amendment TO the Constitution which he
had in view. we lay it before thcm in bis
own words. from page 392 of his work
Just publishcd
How the Constitution could best be
modified, so as to effect the object, can on
ly be anthoriiariveIy determined 10y the IA
mcnding power. il may be done in vari-
Gus ways. Among others, it might be cf-
fcctca ihroucha REORGANIZATION Of the Ex-
ccurIve department.; 50 thar lis powers, in
stead of ING vested, as they nnw are, In
single officer, should he vested in two; to
he so elected as that the two should be con-
s'liuted The spccio! organs and representa-
lives of the respective sections IN TIE Exc
culive department OF the Government, and
requiring each TO approve all tie acts Of
Congress before they shall become laws.
One might be charged with the admins
trntion of matters connected with the for
cign relations of tie country and tie other
Of such as were connected with lis domcs-
tic institute ms; the selection to he decided
by lot 1t would thus effect, more simply.
what was intended by the original provi-
siops Of the Constitution, in giving to one
of the maloriiIes composing the Govern
ment decided prepondcrancc in the Elec
toral College. and TO the other majority q
still more decided Influence in the eventual
choicc--in case the College failed to elect
President. 1t was intended to effect an
equilibrium between the larger and small
Ter States in this department; but which, in
practice, has entirely iailcd and, by It's
failure, done much to disturb the whole
system, and to bring about the present dam
gerous state Of things.
"Indeed, it may lie doubted whether the
trainers of the constitution did not commit
a great mistake in constituting single in
stead of plural Executive. Nay, it may
even I've doubted whether a single Chief
Magistrate, invested with all the powers
appertaning to the Executive Department
Of the Government as is the President, is
compatible with the permanence off pop
ular Government, especially in wealthy
and populous community, with a large
revenue, and a numerous body of officers
and employees. Certain it is that there is
no instance ola popular Govcrnmct, so
constituted, which has long endured Even
ours, thus far, furnishes no evidence in its
favor, aud not a little against it; for TO- i
the present disturbed and dangerous state
Of things, which threatens the country with
monarchy or disuuion, may be justly attri-
buted. Ga the other hand, the two most
distinguished constitutional Governments
Of antiquity, both in csrect to permanence
and power, had dual Executive. | refer
to those of Sparta and of Rome The for
mcr had two hereditary and the latter two
elective chief magistrates. 1t is true that
England, from which ours in this respect
is copied, has a single hereditary head Of
the executive department OF her Govern
ment; but it is not less true that she had
many and arduous struggles to prevent her
chief magistrate from becoming absolute;
and that, to guard against it eficctually,
she was finally compelled to divest him
substantially of the POKER of administering
the Government, by transferring 1t practi-
cally to a cabinet Of responsible ministers,
who, by c.'ablished custom, cannot hold
Office unless supported by majority of
the two houses Of Parliament. She has
thus avoided the danger Of the chief mag
istratc becoming absolute, and contrieed to
unite, substantially, "a single with plural
executive, in constituting that department
other Government. We have no such
guard, am, can have more such, without an
entire change in the character Of our Gov
eminent; and her example of course far
nishcs no evidence in favor Of single
chief magistrate IN a popular form of Gov
eminent ike ours, while the examples Of
fofner times, and our own thus far, furnish
strong evidence aeaius; It.
Bat it is objected that plural execu-
tive necessarily Ieadsto intrigue and dis
cord ameng lis members, and thatii is in
consistent with prompt and efficient action.
This may be trae " hen they are all elect
ed by the same constituency; and may he
a good reason, where this Is the case, for
preierring single executive. with all its
objections, to a plural executive. But the
case is very different where they are elect
ed by different constituencies, having CON
ficting aud hostile interests; as would be
the fact in the case under considerations
Here the two would have TO act concur
ringly in approving the acts ofCongress,
and searately 10 the sphere oftheir respec-
tive,depaTiments The effect, in the latter
case, would be to retain all the advantages
of single executive. as far as the admins
frntinn nf the laws ,rern con earn. i. nd =,