Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1865-02-24

& q
ecutive Department, our advice wonld, be
resented as oficious.
If we had intended to embarass the
President or the Heads Of Departments by
an appearance of coustraint, we might
have invited members of otherdeleg cations,
known to concur with lis in opinion, re-
speeding the Cabinet, to unite with us in
action. We preferred to avoid such an
appearance, even at the hazard of render
ing our advice less influential, and Of sub
iecting ourselves to misconstruction.
1t can scarcely be necessary to state that
the members OF this delegation did not as
snme for themselves, or for the House of
Representatives, or for Congress, power
to compel the resignation of Heads OF De-
partments by any expression of opinion.
They had reason to expect that some
movement would be made in Congress
which might bring on collision between
the Legislative and Executive Depart
ments, Or constrain the Executive to make
concessions. We desired to prevent such
a movement, when we advised the Presi-
dent tor conform the composition of the
Cabinet to the prevailing sentiment in
Congress and the country. We confident
y hoped that such a change would, by its
effects upon Congress as we'll as the Exec
utiVe Department, make the action of the
Government, at critical period, more et-
fcient for. the public safety.
The delegation in advising the President,
| did not discriminate among the uoads Of
Departments, whatever were our individ-
nal judgments of particular officers. This
course appeared TO be the best suited to
all the circumstances, and especially to
the state ofpnblic sentiment, ifnot rec ur-
ed by sound political principle We close
to regard the Cabinet as body of coun-
sellers held responsible, IS a whole to
public opinion for the entire administration,
besides having each a separate response
bility as head of his own department.
Whatever may be the theory of our gov
emment, it had not occurred to MS before
the publication ofthe correspondence now
under consideration, that practically, a
body so eminent in our political system
could, through dependence on the pleasure
OF the President, become so insignificant
that change of the Heads of Departments
could not alter the ad administrative policy
Of the government in any degree. 1t
could not be presumed that a body of
statesmen in orr country, filing those
! high places, would contribute no indepen-
dent advice, information or influence to
the policy of the administration, or that
| they would long continue to hold office
either In complete subserviency to a single
mind or in defiance Of the general sense
Of their countrymen. Ofcourse, we were
aware that the President has power to dis
miss them-a power fit to be exercised fnr
the public welfare in a great crisis-and
that to him belongs a controlling authori-
ty, and the chief honor as well rs respon-
sibility of the administration. We did not
design either to abate the constitutional
authority of the Presidential office, or to
| take from our country the guiding infn-
ence Of a President in whom we greatly
contde and whom we have firmly support
ed.
1t is obvious that the general advice
suggested by this delegation to the Presi-
| dent-hased on q general reason. alleging
no fault and arraigning no individual
merely advice to be adopted, applied or
rejected by the President-might have
been substantially accepted without en-
| Gliding every particular II cad ola Depart.
| ment from new arrangement. We ex-
| pected and desired that at least one ex-
ception would be made. II would not
have been proper for this delegation to in
dictate to the President, when they volun
tecred counsel, the details of such arrange
ment; and, least Of all, wonld it have been
proper for us, as a delegation, to single ont
Secretary from Onr own State for Partial
action, highly as we esteemed the Virgin
ian then in office, and as much as we de-
sired our State to. be represented in the
Cabinet. Misconceiving the spirit of onr
proceeding, onr distinguished fellow-citi-
zen, Mr.. Seddon, without a general recon
strnctien of the Cabinet, resigned the Of
flee of Secretary of War. If we have I'M
Intentionally wounded his sensiblities, we
deeply regret that such consequence re-
shifted from our action or from his construc.
ton of it.
In a letter accepting his resignation,
the President declines to approve the pro-
priety of his decision to resign, because, he
adds " cannot admit the existence of
power or right in The Legislative Depart
ment of the government, or in any part or
OIobSiA vi lts W GULL vi llfO CuHlluUdUC6 III
office of those principal officers in each Of
the exec utive Departments, whosechoice
the Constitution has vested in the Chief
Magistrate" &c. He observes that the
circumstances which gave rise to Mr.. Sed-
don's resignation arc without precedent
In conceding just and legitimate infu-
ence 10 enlightened public opinion, he de-
mics " that the declaration of State dele
CATION, or even of one or both Houses, is
entitled to be considered as the authentic
expression Of shcL opinion or as requiring
concession from coordinate department
of the government"
The public can now judge how far the
discussion of such topics was relevant to
our action, and how justly or wisely the
publication of such correspondence, or
the spirit which pervades it, responds to
the proceedings and purposes of this dele
patinn That the friendly advina of q dele