Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-04-07
Cabine, Officers nnd Co6xr..s.

ADMISSION OF the neadS or the differen
Executive Departments to seats on tn
hoor OF Congress. The design Is not h
give them the right of voting, nor of en-
gaging in general debate but TO requir
OF them, directly and personally, infor
nation relating to the special matters
under their charge, and so permit then
to participate in discussions respecting
their several departments. 1t is arguec
that this will result beneflcially, both in
bringing the Cabinet officers to strictel
accountability to Congress, and also in
enabling Congress, by means of the in.
formation thus derived, to discuss more
understandingly and advantageously the
matters pertaining to the several depart
ments. A practice similar to thatpro-
posed has prevailed elsewhere, and in
deed the exclusion of Cabinet officers
from the National Legislature, in the
United States, has been the exception
rather than the rule among governments,
both of Europe and America.
"iAhSi III tut NEW 1OTh llUlcS
thinks that the Constitution stands in
the way of the proposition, and that its
amendment would first be necessary
The editor of the Times does not agree
with its correspondent while a CORES
pondent of the National Intelligencer
disposes of this objection by bringing to
light fact which evidently had been
generally forgotten viz that a law
of Congress was enacted in 1889 by men
who were cotemporary with the adop-
tion ofthe Constitution, under which the
Secretary of the Treasury may be
called 70 appear IN person, in either
branch Of Congress, for the purpose of
giving information on all matters re-
ferred to him or, " which shall appertain
to his office" The Intelligencer's CORES
pondent says
Permit me to suggest that the ques-
tion of the constitutionality of the Sec
retaries of Departments participating
personally in the debates of Congress is
determined by the trainers of the Con-
SbiNutiob, ~ ttttSb III 81 idI dS Olt Ol I0p
acts of the first Congress, of which they
were the directing members, can go to
determine such question.
The act to establish the Treasury De-
partment, passed September I'd, 1889,
provides, among other things, that it
shall be the duty of the Secretary of the
Treasury to make report and
give information to either branch of the leg
tslatve, IN PERSON or in writing, as he
may be required, respecting all matters
referred 10 him by the Senate or House of
Representatives o. phieh shall appa'tais to
k8 Office
You perceive how pregnant Of mean
ing and suggestive is the language of
the act.
When required, the Secretary of the
Treasury is to appear before either House
of Congress and give information in per-
son, as distinguished from information
in writing, touching not only any mat
ter specially referred to him, but in gen.
eral any matter within the duties and
functions of his Department.
To give information a person is to
speak, in a word to debate, with limitation,
of course, in respect of pertinency to the
subject-matter, as all debate should be
limited.
Thus it is manifest that by existing
law the Secretary Of the Treasury may
now be called upon to enter the hall of
either House of Congress and there to
debate any question of the supplies, ways
and means, and expenditures of the Gov
ernment.
II, by act of Congress, he may consti-
tutionally do this on specific call, So by
act, he might be required or authorized
to do this according to general provis-
ions contemplating his regular atten-
dance on and participation in the flnan-
cial questions pending before either
House of Congress.
And if the Secretary of the Treasury
may constitutionally do this in virtue of
an act of Congress, so may the Secretary
of State, of War, of the Navy, of the In
terror, the Attorney General, and the
Postmaster General"
The New York Times says:
"There is not the slightest evidence
that the Constitution designed to pro-
hibit any such thing. On the contrary,
it makes it not only the privilege but the
duty of the President to try to influence
Congress for it says He shall mot
may) from time to time give to the Con-
gress information of the State of the
Union, and recommend to their consid-
Grafton such measures as he shall Judge
necessary and expedient." He can do
Una. IN writing or orally, just as he
pieases and in the early days of the
hepupiic II was the custom for him to
40 1t personally. II. the Constitution
allows him to do this in person, it is no
Violation either of the letter or of the
spirit of the Constitution for him to give
that information through his secre-
taries, in their person. II would he
simply realizing more fully that consti..
tutional idea; for the SECRETARIES If tbey
are worthy of their place, are far better
acquainted with the details than he nos.
sioiy can be, and can make that 81 ai,sor. p
Ina!lon lar more complete. The end
which the Constitution aims to secnra
t9r Congress is the " information from
tne Executive. The more elective ths
Means OF imparting that information the
DETER is the Constitution fulfilled"