The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-09-15
CABINET GOVERNMENT.

of the other leading papers of the
country are very properly keeping
up a clamOr about the usurpatiOn
of government by Mr.. Garfield's
cabinet. The constitution provides,
in case of the inability of the presi-
dent, that the vice president shall
succeed to the functions of the office,
but Mr.. Blaine has no thought
of the constitution in this mat
ter, and is resolved TO rule
this country in violation of all law,
being determined to debar his po-
litical enemies, represented in the
Arthur wing of the Republican
party, from any right they may pos
sess even by virtue Of,the constitu-
ton. The president has been unable
to attend to the duties of his Office
for over two months, and the coun-
try recognizes that the constitutional
provision as to inability is applica-
BILE now, if ever, but this man
Blaine entered the public service TO
play the roe ot boss, and, having
played it drriD9 ,the presidents
ability, he fecls authorized 10 exer-
else the same power during his ina
bility. The question as to whether
it be Blaine and Garfield or Conk-
ling and Arthur, is not the
point, but the decision now
called for by the American
people is: whether the government
shall be administered according to
fundamental or personal law. 1t is
not intended that cabinet officers
shall exercise any power save under
the supervision of a president COM
petent to "take care that the laws
be faithfully executed" and COM
petent also to duly consider "the
opinion IN writing" which he is
constitutionally entitled at any in
slant to require "of the principal
officer in each of the executive de-
partments upon any subject relating
TO the duties of their respective
Offices" The country has right to
the safeguard of such a supervision
by the vice president if the presi-
dent be disabled, and the country
demands, if the administration of
the government be even in the di-
rection of sending the country TO
perditiOn, that it shall be
officially sent by the proper
forms of law. We do not pretend to
say that Mr.. Arthur would send the
country to that extreme locality,
any more than the Old Alcalde
would send the state of Texas there's,
for we are quite well satisfied he
would make fully as good an ad-
ministrative officer as Mr.. Garfield,
and much better one than Blaine.
Each day the Republican leaders are
occupying more dangerous ground,
and unless their usurpations be ar
rested no one can tell the dangers
menacing the country, because of
the personal ambition of nnscrupu-
lous men. The Herald presents the
issue as follows:
''It is an alarming symptom of the
persistency of arbitrary theories of
executive power from the time of
the civil war that anybody should
dare to approve this plan of putting
an arbitrary construction Oh the con-
stitutional clause touching the in
ability of president to discharge
the duties of his Office without seek
ing a consultation with congress.
The right of congress to fix by legis-
latIon the limits, methods and details
of substitution of the vice presi-
dent i'll case of the presidents inabil-
ity would be peremptorily excluded
by such plan and denied existence.
But, to say the least of the proprie-
ties of the occasion, congress has a
claim to be heard on the subject be-
fore the question is decided. There |
are legislative prerogatives as
well us executive preregatives,
and the same constitutional |
principle by which every citizen en-
joys right to be heard in his own
defense, before being subjected to a
forfeiture of life, liberty or property,
entities legislative body to be |
heard in defense of its claim to ex-
ercise prerogative of legislation.
An immediate extraordinary ses-
sion of congress is the straight |
pathway out of the embarrassments |
in which the executive is involved.
The assent of the president to a
proclamation for it is his paramount |
duty at the earliest moment at |
which his medical attendants will |
suffer his attention to be directed |
to any official business, and, having
once issued it, he may repose on his
pillow i'll perfect confidence that |
the gates of Paradise were not more |
faithfully guarded by heavens own
angels with their flaming swords |
than will be every privilege of the
presidency by the love and. loyalty |
of the people"