Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-12-04

soaoe Vi ssch idle hope would not better become yor
and ell Of en6eayof TO the evil to It's ROOT
freely spply the kni!e' Is not such, emphaicay, tie
grcI duty the great obligation CT tts gertra.ion to-
wards preserving from destruction ous free ard h.Ipy
| Rspub ican institutional
Il the purpose of this address aid in pointing cot
the root Of the evil alluded 10, suggest remedy, and
then insist uuon the aid OF your ooues talents and dis
tnguished reputation towards Influencing the na ion ~
allow its application. Ii is not hoseyer alone because
OF the authority OF your ell constitutional cues
ona that your aid will be earnestly enlreattd bu. ss
the leader OF ali that class CT scattered throughout
the nation. holding those political tenes ccmmonly
known Federal and because OF your sufpo,ed fecr'
influence all such So difficult Is IL TO procure sn
amendment Of the constitution, that in the opinion oi
some, no material amendment will ever be made. Any
smsnduen Of vital importance such as that ABOUT 70 Do
uggsted will necessarily require the aid OF large ma
joty Of all the nlegen, Of all political persuasops.
The general tenor OF your Richmond speech has induced
Cue belief that you would lend your aid towards convn-
cling those yous own seot Of the proprety OF such IN
amendment As it locks a mcsi essential cur.ameut
Of the power Of the important officer Of the govern
ment, difficulty Is anticipated IN convincing those OF
the opposite teres. The Democracy has always been
ready theoretically g: asI to curtsil political poWsT-
wiling 10 add another 'rc and another rider 10
the ierce"
In that sperch you say that in your Judgment Il has
cone to be true "in the actual working OF govern
inert, that the Executive has decreased its fu.
eGce Gni patronage such degree that may coun-
tesact the WEI OF NIL )ft %, peop.e
chat the power snd patronage Of the Executive not on
y has incr.Gsejs Increasing hut 10 be dimin-
ished" Again you say, Perhaps it romans to be seen,
whether the friends oil the constitution had not better
haye given less power to the Executive and taken ell
the irconyenieace sriing from the want Of H. rather
thai hazrd lhs granting OF 60 much night prove
dngerous rot only to the other departments, buEto
the slieIy and freedom Of the c1udtTy az large"
All this. might vel be treated 0y those OF Us who
have received our political teaching from the Democrat
10 fathers OF the Republic distinct aud most datter-
ing ackr rowledgment Of their superior sagacity up9n
this sdtJect. Bat be candid, do no know that we
can, IN fairness, treat j; as such an ad-
mission. For to tell the whole truth, neither
the old Democrats or federalsis suppOsad
that the President could acquire such tremendous power
be possessed lts practical Developments are 20
infinitely beyond their theoretc portrayal IN the Con-
stutio0 thai Is but Justice 20 B trainers 10 suppose
them all 10 have totally mcoocsived and msfepresented
the practical operation Of this department OF the govera
ment. Even General Hamilton, we're hs now living TO
witness the dsp,sy Of those powers would confess that
they greatly transcendsd his ideas OF stronS govern
melt aud would concur with you in saying they ought
| 10 be diminished
| You say, thar sin the formation Of the Constitution
the greatest difficulty s framers encountered, was with
reg ard to the Executive power. The great aud perper
ing question was how TO limit aud regulate be EItcu-
tive power In such manner, that while II defended be
country it should no. be able endirger cv liberty
TDis was doubt perpexing quest OF; but with due
defer nce tue history OF the Convention proves that
alo the most difficult and perpleIing question, how
70 provide Executive head for the Cover lment There
was other subject upon which the opinions OF tho
Convention sppea TO have undergone such repeated and
radical change It 6rss resolved by VOC OF eight
States against two that the election OF President should
be given TO Congress- having previously regatived by
the same vote proposition TO have him chosen by elec-
tors elected BY The people, aud by vote OF nine 10 enc
mother to have hin chosen dinsctly by tho people
Upon reconsideration !. resolved eight 10 three,
that he should be chosen By electors appointed by the
State gislatures. By subsequen. vote Of seven 10
cu- il again resolved the election should be given
70 Congress. The plan adopted was ultimately carried
BIZ vote OF nine to two but without any member
appearing have then, any fixed or settled coI
dence in the plan. They merely agreed TO propose II
experiment. b.ug the best scheme they could de-
| wise.
So slso upon O candid review OF institutions and
the history Of their operation, will BE- found that here
the great error was committed, aud not In the amount
of power conferred the President. II is BY means
necessary concession, yet remains to be proved that
he has too muyh porer given him by the constitution
provided he properly appointed The excess lis5
not there but in adventitious and urancpated power
that has grown cut Of and resulted from the mode OF -
appointment. Since the frs. formation OF national par
ties Mr. j. Q. Adams Il the only President we have bad
who was not elected as the head Of party During his
time there was Just Of complaint Of the excess
of Executive power. During bis whole term be did al.
most nothing and could do nothing, becauSe OF the want
of power l. might with much prcpriey be said,
therefore, that the history OF the government thrs far
affords no evidence whatever TO prove that the President
has had much power granted to him. provided he Is
not elected tie head of party. Indeed, IL yet re-
mns be proved that even the obnoxious, and per-
haps n,erpoated power OF removal from ofce would
b. improper and mi f0us la any other than the hands
| o. A party President.
| beg YOU beware, sirl how you hastily and unsd-
VS. div lend you powerful sid to the curaing Of arycf
the essential powers OF that department You need not
be told that power taken from gore for ever;
Il. liza
ty it will never be re-grauted. Though not Of those
who ascrihe perfect wisdom 10 the trainers of our
.uiop or perfect inislllbility TO anything
merely human, yet l participate in that pro-
found reverence, common TO NEST ot our couu-
tryrea for their far reaching sagacy and that strong
repugnsrce to touching of their sacred work With
the hand Of Innovation except upon the clearest and
most uudoubtipg conviction, after foil experiment, that
hey committed error. When the increased sfrs
the sGgPy and PPSn porsSs
ing energy would it not b. madness to enascnato that
department upon the energy Of which the efficiency Of
the whole so essentially depends.
The champion Of the Constitution before be iayssside
his conservative armor lead the hagrah sgans tbs
powers of the Prrsdent would Go vel 10 bethink him,
whether Il were not better give bis aid in directi gthe
rtform movement towards the mode Of his appointment.
rather than against the powers Intentionally conferred
unon him by the trainers Of the Constitution II ho
power you wish to restrain then look well 10 the rode
o. bic sppoinuent for it coners upon him, powers far
greater than all those granted By the Conssut.on com
bned, and produces evil, far more deetsricus and
dangerous than those that b. rSced to the mere
ercise of any or all his.powers By Only pruning tho
Constitutional gran. OF powers leave the creates; of
all his powers untouched By leaving the ncde of his
sppoiptuent nnaerei, yonr remedes WI prove icca-
cic'ous pasves bccauFe you never reach De Scct Of
dc j,ssse In Government 60 tssntisy caa o. pEb-
c opinca es cuTs the fact Of his beirg elected by d.
rect Of the whoe nation gives him practically moro
poEsr thar eli tho express grants combihcd In otter
n .l.w.N rr,al
his powers as head Of the no. political party that put
him In oica. Indeed, tie Tos unsnsvera5lo objection
to that mode Of selecting him IA, that vtei go elected
hc will necessarily have too much power.
Bat even ali tbs excess Of power not be OF the
evil erosDg ont Of the mode OF his election, entirely e1-
traneous from auy nero exercise Of his powers Il IS
true that TO be elected he has TO become the bead Of
party he has to be party President bis administrator