Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-02-14
SPEECH OF HON. J. 8. MORRILL,.

~ Ut iiOH5t ~ ItVTt5tHtWtpc5i uH INC FtaOhllOH
10 ddmd meinters Of the CabtneL 10 seats on the
floor Qfahe House:
Alr. Speaker, not having the time necessary to
prepare minority report, shall yet use ne ma
ietials gathered for thot purpose 10 the form Of
speech. The trainers Of our system of government
Incorporated so much that is wise and good froro
The British constitution steering lear, however 0!
ts aIstocfatc features be lights and liberties OF
the peopeoi 5o.h countries ere 50 similar save that
here they are multiplied and expanded by the
American sentiment Of uniyersautyi and the stat
Ies and legal literature Of the American and Eng
hh courts have so much IN common that il is not
wonderful to md some uatransporabie prescrip-
ticns OF usdlts, tolerable enough for Eugishmen,
but hitherto rejected by u.s. still exciting the I'M
gering regret Of some gentlemen whose democrat
&c shini.ies remlin unimepeachsb.e.
The project introduced by my friend from Ohio,
Mr. Pendleion,] that members Of the Presidents
Cabinet shall hold seats in the House OF Repre-
senistiyes, u s, perhaps, not unfair TO presume,
results from study and admiration o the British
example, as 1t could hardly be asked Of us 10 copy
from the rebel States or from Spain, Costa lsics,
or even lltytL lie proposes to modify the Gus.
tom by giving the Secretaries seats WITH power oi
speech, and 10 compel them to be present two
days Of each week 10 answer to resolutions and
lnIeuoga ria', Of which previous notice shall have
been given, but without the right Of voting
/, is obyl0u. that what may harmonze with the
British constitution might prove very iGoongrlous
and even nj ohiegcus TO that Of The aittd States
II mly be useful 70 point ont some Of the broad
distinctions, ihe ircompaubiijes, between the
two.
The Eng sh idea is TIE conservation Of moa-
archy, nobiy an established church. The
American idea &. 20 maintain The principle, Of
lilO, or that an men were e.clitd equal with
certain inaleuabls rights, including that OF wor-
shipping God according TO the dictates OF con-
science. The American Congress, though having
many similar functions, is very unlike tbe British
/ Parliament. The House Of Commons Is elected
/ for seven years. Here the House. Of Representa-
lives is elected lor two years only We have G
salary equai 10 a moderate support, and 10 man
is excluded on account q Bis poverty. mem
Der oi The House Of Commons draws little or 10
pay, is subjected to heavy expenses and cannot
be sworn into office unless POSSESSED of an anuual
rental oi a specific amount None but wealthy
men can there siiord 70 be even candidates, and
poor men are wholly precluded. The House Of
Peers is mainly hereditary, or composed OF mem
bers f'r llie, aud oil new appointments emanale
from the Crown. Each peer in the House Of
Lords is there 10 bis Own behalf, and 70 presents
nobody else Here the Senate is elected by State
Legislatures or six years only, and represents the
,eyeral States Great Britain is governed by the
arisiooncy and the monarchy. The House o!
Peer. and the wealthy arsocfaCy really u0mlalle
or control a mlony OF the House OF Commons
Compromises have nearly always been made be
tween the monarchy and aris0cBcy. Only when
they have been a. variance has hs power Of the
Commons increased Wi,h De appointing pow
er 10 the hands u the Crown, threatening an aug
meniaioa Of members aud a duuou Of lhs peer
age whenever a sufficient eXigeucy arises--a mea-
sure alWays dreaded by tue txisIug peers, Nhole
ysue dimlnish45 in proportion as ttsy are multi
pied--lhese titled parties are nearly balanced II
they hapuen 10 be 10 couac, When they act
together, they are, irrespective Of the people, ON.
nipo,ent, and the people hlye 10 cheek upon trem
e1csp, through a rae press, thai great aglalor 10
behalf OF human rights, and common ayenger OF
wrones. Tie United States Government vas Or
daiued, has been sustained snd will be mnniained
by the people. Ii has confidence 10 and relies
upon the people. TIE policy OF every Adm MS
tratlon is bennially reviewed aud approved or
dsapproyed by the bal.als Of hot less than tour or
Eve million Jurors. 4 verdict thus given, mex, 10
the fiat Of Heaven, commsnds and receives our
scquiescenee.
The President is almost as much the represent
alive Of the people rs the House Of Represenis-
tiyes. BE is elected Tor four wears, or twice as
long as a member Of he House aud two thirds Of
the term Of "a senlt0f he has constitutional
ri.h,s no, TO ne invaded by Congress. Ills Cab.
met are his confidential ana cons itutional advs-
rrs, and responsible to him, and only TO hin,
within the aw and the Constitution. II he doe.
not choose wisely, or they act wrongly, four years
are sure to terminate bis and their career. The
people decide the whole matter, unless such cases
Of delinquency sri,e as merit impeachment, and
tn. people viii and should hold The President to
a jas, responsibility. They will not consent t, q
buteaucnc,-a government by The heads Of De-
pulments not elective but holding their Offices
uy executive ppclntmeni. The President should
not be permitted to shirk oil his responsibilities
upon Suoordnates lie csn call around him The
aOIesl men @, the country, as ills his duty To do
aud be does not do SO, or it, having done SO, be
takes no counsel at their hands, he alone is &C
counlsbe.
Ii, otherwise in Great BRIAN. The tbrou,
is never vacant, and BY considerable toion It L
Atdumtu AuAk Tue AfONn NAA w iN NANNks lUtli
the ministers aione are held TO responsibility. /
they advise measures which Parliament, in iacs O
their tact and sloquence, determines against them
Il is equivalent 10 vote OF want OF confidence, auC
they lose ih,ir official place., or must venture up
on the result oi dissolution OF pdrlil nCnt and
new election, But the mass Of the British pee
pie are only lockers on, while a few electors de
eide the issue presented.
The number OF Englsnmen and We,hmcl
voting in 1852, was only 34l, $50 out Of an adul
nal. population OF 100000 II oil had tcr
who were entitled 10 vote not more than on
man ia five could have done SO In p0puhtio
Of 20,00000O, less than one in twenty are voter,
The whoio number Of registered voters was 9lS
: 6s3. Of these the average number required I
make member Of Parliament vas 69l, aud
! m,lorty Of that number is 346, the actual nun
ber necessary to elect. Representation in propol
ton 70 numbers or population, is entirely set
: naugbt. The counties, with jO6i5I resislere
: electors, return 1872 members, but the less pop,
;, ous bcrough', with ouly ll0,929 registered ole,
= tors, return 339 members, or more than twice N
: number OF members, and at the same lime wit
, 100000 less voters.
II The ministry govern only by parliOmentar
u u maioritss, and TO this end seats to them becou
;, indispensable. They strive to absorb the men
;, distinction, the Broughsms, Pees and Gladstone
~ and tho task OF leading the crowd Of uadisti
~, sushed "voting members, as they are called,
~ thus made easy. Such form Of povsrnme
- may be well enough adapted to a small island, b
= : weuld most likely fail In large continental cou
= Try. II England had conosded to the Amsric
colonies the right 10 representation, 'he wou
"A seoa hate become de#sefsiit j, ahd hs c1snet
# her sn,.nment eHI.l t.,- been slol