The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1868-04-16

Mr.. Ewing Is now ABOUT e1ghty years OF
age, and bis mind, under the influenced his
son Tom. has lost it, hold on the ideas OF his
mature manhood. And, instead Of denoun-
cling thgSs onesrnAn power," as ffaught with
dansa iDour liberties, he sustains md sss
logizes it, and denounees those Who sdoptcd
his teachings thirty-fvs years ago, and still
adhere to them.
This same matter WIS before Congress in
January, 1884, and Mr.. Ewing, then : Sena-
tor from Ohio, made one of the best and
most popular speeches Of his lite, from which
we havs space only fora couple of brief ex-
tracts, though the entire speech would be
most excellent reading for the times:
Mr.. President, the power of removal from
Office "a constitutional, contrAdistinguishe
from legal power, has been asserted in this
debate to exist in the Executive, and Is has
been pressed with an energy and emphasis
which is not easily accounted for by any
bearing which its determination either way
can have upon the present question. 1t Is,
however, q familiar practice with the sup
porters of high prerogative TO 90 % far back
as possible in tracing its origin. Hence the
theory Of the divine right Of kings, which it
Is said to be blasphemy to call in question.
To question this imputed power Of the Pres
ident is. according to gentlemen here, . vios
lation of the Constitution. 1t is only on &C.
count Of the general bearing Of this doctrine,
IT. tendency to centeT and combine all The
poreys Of the Government IN one man, that
here touch the subject, as time will not per
NIT me to dwell upon it. And let me be un-
derstood admit that the power of removal
in the given case is vested in the Prenden,
by law; but deny that il is . power granted
BY or growing out of the Consultation.
marks on the nature OF Executive power, and
from Che authority then cited. it will, think,
be manifest, that in no country, except those
purely despotic in their form Of government,
or those closely yerginE on despotism in their
genius and character, does the simple 6bstrac!
idea of Erecutire poioer, carry rith II, az OF
its essence, or eren Of its nature, the po,rey
also to appoint 10 or rersors from office. The
opinions Of men are, in this respect, nodded
aud fashioned to the nature of their Govern
ment, where all power is supposed to be orig
inally vested in the sovereign Executive, who
holds that power BY right Of conquest or d.
vine right; where the king u the fonntsin Of
justice and the fountain of honor, and the
chief source Of Law, the opinion that this po "
er is sp essential power ofthe prerogative, may
well prevail and that king is possessed of Il
until, by charter, hs shall have in whole or in
part resigned it. 4 hat in Government which
rests upon the principle that ali power origin
ates with and centsrs in the people, tha Exec.
tive power, aud every other power which
they may vest in their Governors, il just what
they please to make it. Such is our Govern
ment in its form and theory, and the powers
of our Executive are to be sought for in the
Constitution, BY just and legitimate con-
struction Of that instrument s
In the following extract it will be seen that
Mr.. Ewing held not only that Congress had .
right TO limit and regulate appointments BY
law, but that be want still further and urged
that BY the provisions Of the Constitution it.
self the Senate had equal right to voice in
the removal from Office, q in the appoints
mentto Office.
II, sir, we look into the Constitution itself
with view to the opinion of its trainers. We
shall fnd that, as far q language can indi,
cate, strict accordance With the autboritie.
which have cited. The Executive power Il
granted, in general terms. By the first section
OF the second article. Had that grant been
intended to carry with il all powers now, aaid
to be IN their nature executive, the subse>
quent clauses would have contained words Of
restriction instesd Of enumeration instead
OF comforting on the President, in the sub.e-
qnent clauses, certain enumerated powers IN
their nature las it is said) executive, that in.
strnnent would after4t6e manner 81 Nansn
Charm, have rsstsainsd hin from exercisiae
Rowsis nct intendsd to b conferred on MI
out. sir, even II We consider all the powers