Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1868-03-12
The President and Secretary
stanton.

We hear more or less of the Presidents
Cabinet, and ofthe Cabinet being his Con-
stitutiOnal advisers. The Constitution oI
the United States was adopted Sept. Il,
l7s7-on Wednesday, March 4, l7S9, il
went into force, and the Government Of the
United States of America was organized.
and put into operation under the Con-
stitution. At that time there was Presi-
dent, Senate consisting of members elect
ed from eleven States, and House of Re
representatives.. Not word was said in
the Constitution about Secretary of the
Navy, Secretary of State, or Secretary of
War. These departments of government
did not exist. Provision had been made
in the Constitution for a Supreme Court
but it was not yet organized.
Congress had assembled on the 4th OF
March, 1889, and by an act, approved the
Goth of April following, the Navy depart
ment was created. On the 9th of July
an act was passed creating the Depart
merit OF State. and Auguct 9TH the Depart
ment of War. The Supreme Court was
organized by statute the same Congress.
Afterwards the Post Office department
and subsequently the department of the
Interior The Office of Attorney General
was created and other executive officers,
as from time TO time have become ne
cessary. The departments which are
created by law are both military and civil.
Under these acts the President has been
allowed to appoint these heads of depart
ments, with the advice and consent of the
Senate The President had no power
under the Constitution 10 remove any oi
these officers, although such right has
been claimed and acted upon heretofore.
BY recent act Of Congress, the power OF
removal is circumscribcd and he is permit
ted to remove only Cn good cause shown.
The Senate has no right 10 nominate
these officers. The President may nomi-
nate the officers, and the Senate consent to
or reject them, as the majority approves.
This has been the way, and is the law.
The practice Of calling together the
heads of Departments, to debate public
questions. has no sanction in the Consti-
tuition. Sec. part. I. The President
'may require the opinion, in writing. of
the principal officer in each of the execu-
tive departments upon any subject relating
to the duties of their respective Offices
But he has no authority to get mp debating
clubs at the White House, or ask the
opinion of officers upon questions not re-
lating To their several departments.
In this respect. by writing. the President
may take counsel of department officers,
If he desires it, but in no other way are
they in any sense his Constitutional ad-
visers.
The Constitution ofthe United States is
a very short work. II can be read through
in few minutes. Its terms are very
simple, the words for the most part easily
understood. 1t is probably in every law
Office, or everv legal Office in every county
in the land. Let any man read the Con
stitulion and see if the President has any
right, power or authority TO remove any
officer appointed with the consent of the
Senate.
The recent exhibition Of spleen mani
tested in the suspension or removal OF
MI. Stanton is without authority of law
and in violation of his oath of Office to sec
the law enforced.
The Heads of Civil Departments, when
once appointed. are as independent of the
President in their action as if they were
elected by the people.--Prairie Tclc-
graph.