, 1866-11-03
SATURDAY. NOVEMBER .. 1868.


InE mrsDEmEASoHs OF AN
DREW JOHNSON.
The rebellion, notwithstanding It's ter
1illc cost, has had several rcsulta of Immense
7u1ne- 1t hss becn demonstrated that
political parties cannot, even with all their
potential combinations, successfully rely
ulon The people in any policy hostile to the
integrity Of the Union. Slavery, with ali Its
c'.=s anl clains upon the progressive In
dnstTy Of the country, has been oblitezated.
The doctrine Of State allegiance and
State supremacy, US opposed to National al-
lt..iance md National supremacy, has been
rcpudiated. The war has also established
~ the fixed and inexorahle law to which the
Government and all lts departments and all
States must submit, that the will OF the ma
io1ity, expressed through the forms and
agencies provided by the Constitution, Is su-
prc.nc and absolute. This principle Ia the
ycry foundation Of our plan OF Government,
and all our national troubles of domestic
Character may be traced directly to at
tcnipts. patriotic or selfish, to depart from
that principle. We have had legislative
compromises and innumcrable eSpcdients to
avoid the sb.olutc supremacy Of the
will Of the majority, aud each
os these measures has In Its turn
involved other departures from tina! princi-
pie, until, under cover Of threats Of disuulnn
aud civil war, the minority ruled the coan-
try arrosant1y and dchantly. Tue war has I
cxl'!tdch the policy Of ihrssts, md Of civil
war Itself, apd established Us the fuudamcn-
tal rule that the will Of the minority, consti-
tutiunal'y expressed, is the law Of the land, !
which cannot be resisted or lisrcsarded |
without trc1>on.
The Government of the United States Is !
nicely balanced, but balanced In perfect
keeping with the supremacy Of the will Of
t|e majority. Ali tho legislative power Of
the Government Is vested in Con
g!ess, and the choice Of all the
,,smbers Of ono hsanch, and Of onv.tli:..a af
the other trunuh Of that Congress. is placed
in HE hnnds Of the people once in every
two years. The term Of ofIlce Is short fn
order that the people may have the opror-
tunity, At brief intervals to express their
Mil Us to the policy OF the Government.
The judiciary, removed from popular feel
ins, arc the calm cxpounJcrs Of the law,
keeping the legislation Of Congress within
the limits Of the Constitution. The Prcsl-
dent Is the Executive officer, whose sole duty
l. clearly expressed in the words of the Con
s,itution: 'sIe shall take care that the
Laws arc faithfully executed" There tho
Presidents authority as an original deposi-
tory ot power begins and ends. lie has the
power to pardon criminals, bat he has no
other original and exclusive power than
that Of taking care that the laws are
faithfully executed" In the making OF
those laws he has no voice or authority In
their execution he has no choice or discrc-
ticn; hr Is merely tn, official a seut through
which The Government executes Its will as
declared By the National Legislature.
When our fathers framed tho Constitution
they jealousy guarded the sanctity Of the
viii Of the majority from ali violstions and
cucroachments. They gaye 10 the respcc-
tive houses Of Congress the power Of I'm
7cachIng and deposiuc amy Executive or
other civil officer who might set up q policy
OF his own, as opposed to that declared upon
The statute book By the law-mnkins power
They therefore not only committed to Con-
Eress the exclusive power Of legislation, but
tbcy gave to Congress the authority
Of dcrosing any Executive who should re-
fuse to execute their will, and Of designating
under certain circumstances who should bt
his successor. Nevertheless, the wisdom
and experience Of our fathers "a y the dan
gers that might arise. even from suddcr
change Of policy By the people. They hal
observed the English Practice Ola change
ministry upon popular decision nEa'"s
them. They saw that the british rule 9
dlsnissing ministry whenever the people
representatives in the Houae OF Common
voted down eren by mcagrc majority th
measures Of the Government and while O.
si5ous Of retaining tue pr1nciple upon ~nie
that rule was founded. they placed eaee
rpon It TO restrain 100 h1st! exercise o!
aiacfenee IN Inc RUE was a1so fcqoiFeo
Tue oFposate incomes Q. Tue 1o'es"p'et
IN ''5sal o'llatn tne ,1tSut.'s .7a.., s.' "as =
"uhta'n o' po"ef' ~ tnc Gnneu s'4.s.
IN"es was IN Lug lNop1e@ ~ VIA. I..n u,s'. !.
al Fohcies anu tncasuS " W..
Esscut'Se' III 1ne n''eo st"'es .u.'c -
Tol'cy or measa1e oat "oat mu
orss1hasc VIII tnc Peoiae .ep'ceeu'3e.'
The British House OF Contnens ma
The power 10 vote down poiicF o. measr
ct the cro"n' here every policy Or mcasu
originating with the people, tieif action
t.naL Wien the British Parliament pas
I'm acI or directs policy which tho Gro
objects tc, the Grown, being the deF,ositt
CT all rover, places thereon an absolute n
uti7e. The President, being no more thai
mere Executive officer to take care that
laws a.e faithfully executed. coa1d not,
cor:se, ec vested with ncsat
rpop the action Of the psorle,
vet some rule vas REQUIRED which no
serve as a check uron The corruption or
eitcuent Of a Conrness. and yct not I'm,
t.;t n.bt Of The ,,eop.e tbrou-h their re-,
seutatives to dictate the policy and
measures Of the Government. Concres
1 cheated fnr txo vears and the prcs,drnt
t :. -, ,..'.r .1..t-