, 1875-02-06
THE HEADLEB3 SY3TEM AGAIN.


The Times aeerhnlous system of Govern
ment has got ny far rs Springfield. Tho men'-
ier from Bureau County wants the Illinois
Legislature to propose it as an amendment
to tito Constitution OF the United States. The
Illinois Legislature will decline to do anything
Of tho kind unless 1t wants to mike nh organ
lied ass Of itself. The system, 1s finally for
nulated by tho member from Bureau County,
corresponds TO the school-boy's definition Of
the word nccpha-1ous, that is, louise sitl-
ont head. 1t 1as awindleI away into n
ridiculous proposition without method, MIN,
consistency, or sense and it scarcely merits
serious treatment. We have already express
ol tho opinion TINT my grating Of the prin-
ciple Of responsible Executive upon our sys-
TEN must BE- slow mud Of natural growth, anil
TINT sudden mud arbitrary application of it
without careful adaptation would bo danger
Gus to the existence Of tho Government and the
pence Of the country. But the production Of
the joint effort of tile Chicago Times and tho
member from Buronn County is go grotesqne
n scheme that it will excite only broad guf-
faw wherever it is presented, Tho danger is
oil out Of it; the ludicrous alono remains.
The plan is this: There is to be Il Cabinet
nominated by the Speaker of the House Of
Representatives, or somebody else, and elect
cd by tie House; the chief Of the Cabinet is
to be styled the Executive, md is to retire
from office md give piaeo to his SUCCESSOR
uron vote Of want Of confidence by both
Houses of Congress, unless lie sees fit to dis-
solve Congress md order new election,
which be is to hive the discretion to tlo. If
tho new Congress elected by tile people re-
peats the vote Of want Of confidence, lo ia
thon obliged to resign. This il tie whole of
the scheme, except that tho House of Repre-
sentativcs il to be elected once in three years
unless terminated sooner by dissolution.
In tho first place, tho scheme proposes tho
abolition of tho Presidency, and 20 practical
ly iurasles tito fundamental principle of olr
Government, that Of three co-orlinnte
branches, the Legislative, Executive, and Ju-
dietary. It nergcs the Executive into the
Legislative for The Cabinet and it's executive
chief are to be the creatures of tho House Of
Representatives. The House, therefore, bo-
comes m anomalous sort Of Junta to excr-
cise all tho functions Of Government; for the
falIou rrho uoreo of 1,orroeo,,+,+;v would
.,rrao,ont1v oos.o ~, h. da1;,,oro,;,,o 1,u,
making body, md become an intriguing mud
factious oligarchy, engrossed in cabals for
the control Of the spoils Of Government
10 r,n;d,x Az oro foct;or co,,ld o,,et tbo other
r. :, - .,,a,,,o. ~ .a,, 49, III, :. -. ~ :.
o.so ~ crost D,;,.;r csx,n.n., =. 1t.1,,
-, IT, ,.;..;.,1a 80 aazs:1,,. ,.:..:.
t.,, ;. ~ nroo,;ao1 ,v,-l;nu T., E,a,.na
a., .ror,, otbor ,o,,,,tr, r.horo y
,,ravo;,s +hsro 10 norronor+ hood
~ IL. covor,,,o,, ao-;v;r,, III. ,,,vo,,
from some other source than tic Loeislatnro
and having fi.od tenure Of Office. Such is
thu Oneen in England tha E,nneror in Gor.
many. and tho King in Itely. Upon this ner-
manent lend doyolyea the tiutv Of calling
men tn o511ca md ca,7vino mt t,,a will of the
neople as reflected by the uopular branch of
| tho par1iamont. The Execut;vo in o11 co,,,.
tries covc,ncd hv n xesnons;h1e stin;at,v f,r.
| n;shes the head which tho T;a,+s. .B,,ron,,,
County svstam 1acks.
T. 80. .,,a4 u, c..,, - A.. 1,..
s. ar suc, other nerson not a member Of tho
| 11ouaa M concross nav hv Inv t,osio,nta far
that n,,rnose " shal1 be yastad With the pon;,
natin1 nower. If tLo speal,er exercise this
rirht than the Honse will M lonaa, cAoose
J n 1na,nbor tn Tint nosit;on m occonnt of his
,,orlianan+orv erna,ionce mr. bis t,tnesa tn
1,roa;d, trho con,est for the n,nca will Ia
narrowed down to the florcest partisnns on
oithor side. The choice will be made solely