The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-11-05
The President and the People.

From the Times.
That the dominant sentiment of the country
differs at this time more widely than ever from
the position OF the President, is proven beyond
dispute by the result of the late elections. The
President, by his messages to Congress, and by
his speeches upon his late tour, has given the
people every opportunity to comprehend fully
his policy. He has not only stated 1t repeatedly
in definite terms, but he has enforced 1t by all
the arguments which he could command from
the Constitution, from the principles of reason,
and from the grounds of craftsmanship and the
public welfare. He has been thoroughly IN
earnest in the matter, and has himself unques-
tionably been governed by the reasons which
he has brought to bear upon others, and through
which he has attempted to convince his oppo-
nents, But neither Congress, as was demon
strated by the votes, nor the people, as has been
shown by the elections, appear to have been
affected by the Presidents arguments, or, at
least, they have not been adected in sach
way as TO bring them to the conclusions at
which he ls tlrmly anchored. On the contrary,
the divergence between them has been steadily
growing greater until to-day the pohcy OF
the Administration seems hopeless OF popular
triumph in any State OF the Union, II we except
the State OF kentucky.
The iorms OF our civil polity are such, that,
while they give great power to the President in
legislation, as well MS in hs Executive capacity,
they establish q very positive limit beyond
which he is entirely subordinate to the Leglsa-
ture. When that limit Is reached, be is almost
pOwerless, being disabled in the Executive as
well as In the legislative arm. Congress may
override his Yetoes, overrule his appointments,
made void his diplomacy, nullify the projects
and action OF his Secretaries, and renoer his
policy, as a whole and in all its parts, of no
practical effect Not only so, but Congress can
compel him to be the administrator and execu-
tive agent OF policy which he opposes, both as
regards domestic and foreign affairs, and can
enforce upon him courses OF action against
which he has exeried his whole power. u
The final logical deduction OF the whole
matter is expressed in the fact that while the
President cannot in any case interfere with the
existence of Congress or the position of aIv oil
ite members, Congress is invested with a power
that may enable il to remove the President from
Office altogether. We had not few practical
Illustrations OF several of these statements during
the last session OF Congress, the most notable
of which we're the overriding OF the Presidents
veto OF the Civil RiRhts bill, and compelling
him TO execute the terms OF the Freedmen's
Bureau bill which he had not only vetoed, but
strongly denounced. Members OF Congress
threaten TO enforce still others OF the DO wers
which this body possess as againstthe Executive
and there are ultrast5 who would De more thar
willing 70 carry TO point the highest power
the Legislature, In the impeachment and re
moVal Of the President. il n llNh r9r 9l4
The Executive being thus powerless In Law
aud ia fact, when the Legislative body Is Op
posed TO his policy and action, and the Leeis
lature being possessed Of power to enforo
upon him course that shall be In cOnfOrmit,
with its own will there would seem to be bu