New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-05-26

ssid 10 amount in fact 10 a change in the Consusu-
ton. since in il. natural operation 1t Will trans
fer from Congress TO the Executive the power and
respo. sitilty Of aking war upon foreign n'uoh''
II is true that making war is one OF the Preros%
tives Of the British crown; but the power winch
this BIZ would give to the President IS Vastly
greater than that which the King Of England pos
se+ses. Though the power of dealing with foreign
natioIs ia nomiDaly in the crown, no action can, Id
fact, be taken, or, at lesst, persisted in, except
with tie concurrence Of Parliament The crown
acts only through ministers, who hold their places
at the discreticn Of Parliamentary majority, and
who may be forced, BY avOte Of censure OF Oh want
of cof fdence, to resign at any moment, to be sue
ceeded by new ministry, who will adopt 'o'aiiy
opposite course of policy. There is DO such means
With us Of c. ntroIliDg the Presidential prerog,tve
The President is in for four years, and during that
time csn pursue any course he p,eases, no matter
how objection able in the eyes Of Congress and the
country. He might 60 on, urder Mr.. Douglass
bill, employ ing the navy aid army so as inevitably
to embroil us with foreign powers and that, too in
spite Of the opposition Of both Houses of Con-
cress; or would there be any other way of stop
ping him, except the desperate resort of refusing
the supplie.
There is undoubtedly great convenience, so far
e pIompttude Of action is concerned, in tie power
po-4esstd by the British Crown. But to attempt,
as NJ. Douglass bill does to give The same power
Of prompt action to the President, il greatly to
oyershoot the mark. Where an agent can be dis
possessed of bis authority at any moment, it may
be comparatively cafe to vest him With almost M
limited powers TO act for you; but power of at
toney, irlevocabe FOR a fixed period-and such is
The natuIe Of the Presidents authOrity-must OF
course he carefully guarded The decided tend
eDcy Of things seems to be to convert the Presl-
dent into despot for four years. nor does it at all
mend the matter that this despot is selected for us
at the discretion of pIetoIian cohOrt of pOlti-
Glars and officehoders, who take care to look out
for some weak person whom they may be able to
bully and control. The authority which Mr.. Doug
lass bill takes from Congress and confers
on the President, will be apt to be exercised, not
By the President at his own discretion, and with q
single eye to the good Of the country, but We
apprehend by the President acting at the dctation
of party wrep uers and back stairs advisers with
patty objects in view. Csucuses and other party
organizations and nstrumentsties, totally un-
known to the Constitution, and never dreamed Of
BY its trainers, have come already to exercise a
very potent influence. The effect of Mr.. Douglass
bill will be, should pass to be enacted, to transfer
the question of peace and war from Congress to
Presidential Conventions and party cques With
all the faults of Congress- and the predomiuating
influence even in that body of selfish and party
views, We greatly doubt whether this change would
be for the better.