National Republican., 1881-09-07
AN ABOLITIONIST
ON THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT,
He Wants the Position Abolished Immediately aud
Government Established Like the Swiss
Confederation, 10 Prevent Assassination
Some Severe Structures.
BIOL the EdItor Of nm RrrrnIlcAv:

Some Severe Structures.
To the Editor ofTHE REPUBLICAN,;
After the base and cowardly attempt to
assassinote President Garfield, sixteen years after
the assassination Of President Lincoln, with
only few years since the murder Of the Sultan Of
Turkey, and but q few months since the Emperor
of Russia was blown to death by bomb while
surrounded by his guards, these being only repe-
utions Of similar Assassinaions in all countries in
all ages Of the world itmakes the present good
time for mankind TO consider whether all OF
these single, personal, irresponsible, useless,
and expensive executives ought not to be abol-
ishcd, not only to prevent such murders, disgrace
fu to all governments, but for many other reasons
which may easily be presented. If Russian des.
potism caused the murder Of Alexander the Lib
orator, who freed twenty-five million white slaves,
did American despotsm cause the murder Of Lin
coin and the attempted assassination Of Garfield?
Our Presidency
SHOULD DE IMMEDIATELY ABOLISHED
through new constitution, and federal council
be substituted therefor, TO be composed of the
seven Secretaries or heads Of Departments, five TO
be elected by the House of Representatives and
two by the Senate from their best members for two
years. one all TO be removed at any time by the
House electing them, each to have the rights of II
member in either House, to have the sole control
and appointments In his Department, TO be held
sponsible to Congress, the representatives OF the
| people, tn erefor; with no superior officer among
| the members of the Cabinet; the veto power to be
abolished general subjects of administration to
be decided by the council and signed by the secro-
| tary, who Is to be the chairman That is, strike
| out the President as useless and great detriment.
and authorize the Secretaries to enforce all the
laws passed by Congress as they now do. except
for the interference of the President. This is al
most a copy Of
THE Swiss EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY
adopted by the people IN the constitution OF 1850,
Switzerland being the oldest and freest republic
| In the world The Swiss executive Is also COM
| posed of seven members called federal council,
| who are elected by the two houses from their own
members or any eligible citizen for three years.
Each IS head of department and is responsible to
the assembly for his conduct of the same, and has
the rights of member in both houses. No presi
dent can be shot In Switzerland, for there is none
| to shoot. This Is also the form in all
the constitutional monarohies OF Europe,
the actual executive authority being vested
| In an executive council composed of the
| leading members Of the assembly, or parliament,
who may be removed Mt any time by vote of
| want Of confidence or the defeat OF government
bill by the smallest majority, the king being a
mere costly hgurehead, with but little actual nu-
thorty, and there is no veto. This kind of an ex-
ecutivc authority was also proposed in the const-
tutional convention of 1857 as may be seen in the
Madison papers, record Of the convention, and
was strenuously urged for four months by
FRANKLIN, RANDOLPH, MASON, AND OTHERS.
1t would certainly have been adopted but for the
great, good, and rich Washington, who presided,
and whom the Nation desired to reward with the
greatest honors and emolumcnts for his seven
years gratuitous service In revolutionary war
in securing our independence from the British
monarchy. He was delegate from Virginia, and
voted in the convention for single executive, or
for himself, knowing that he was to be the only
candidate for President. Had he declined as n
delegate, which was his clear duty, or had he voted
In the convention against a single executive, we
never would have had president. Washington
was eIe..su, as intended, without opposition for
two terms when he patriotically declined further
honors
OUR So CALLED WISE AND sAISTED FoREFATHERs
who made the Constitution and the Presidency. in
that organic law also revived the slave trade,
VIII ich had been suspended for eleven years, by
forbiddihg Congress to abolish the trade for twenty
years. In that time there were slaves enough
broug lit into the country, which, added to those
brought in previous to the Revolution, in fifty
years increased TO sufficient number to cause the
shareholders rebellion, incited by the election Of
Presid ent Lincoln. That rebellion cost the whole
country the lives Of one million men and full Sl0
OO0000O0O In property destroyed, money, debt tax.
0llOn, interest," Ollc-tnltu OF INT
$40 600 600 in PROPERTY and money ut that time
In the country, the surplus accumulations of tho
people for two hundred and fifty ycars-all swep
away in a civil war of four ycars-this great ca
lamity being caused
BY SLAVERY AND THE PRESIDENCY
both authorized by our o.called sainted fore.
fathers in the Constitution And as we have
wisely abolished one Of the causes of that greN
calamity, why not now wisely abolish the other
This Office of President is the greatest evil in ou
political SYSTEM and, while II pretends to select the
wisest and best statesmen for the position 1t ofcl
selects the worst A convention, which is often
mob, falling to nominate one of the prominen
statesmen named, often selects an unknown or OBJ
scure candidate, and after great struggle, which
conyulses the entire Nation he is elected He ther
selects seven secretaries, personal friends or ole
political fossils, often obscure, unknown, unac
quainted with the duties of the Departments, o
immoral and corrupt And then this accidcnta
President and accidental Cabinet for four year
not only defy, but also control Congress, the repre-
scntatiyes of the people, through the appointment
of one hundred thousand officials And 1t some
/ times happens, through the trick Of the clectora
votes of States, that this emperor President hs
: actually been defeated by quarter of milliol
, votes, like
RUTHERFORD D. HAYES;
yet he is elected all the same under the Constitu
, ton. And at least twice the Office is said to hav
been stolen-once under Jackson and once unde
Hayes, in which another civil war wa
avoided only by mere accident. An
lastly, important bills which have passed til
approval of two great committees, have bee
, thoroughly considered and passed both Houses b
large majoritcs are frequently vetoed and ar
lost unless they can get two'thrds of both Houses
' which rarely happens against the patronage an
Q power Of this elective itinerant king TO sustai
= the veto. And as soon a President is elected h
I commences to scheme through his patronage an
q power for q second term, corrupting Congress an
I tho whole country. The office also divides tn
country into two ormorc hostile parties or factions
Q which should never exist in a republic, And tn
5 elections every four years, and for the last sea
8 especially, throws the country into political con
yulsiOns which is exceedingly
DETRIMENTAL TO ALL MATERIAL INTERESTS
and o that peace and quiet which should main
) tain In free government. For these mighty oh
O jectons, and many Others which might readily b
/ sugge sted, II may be asked: How much longer
this anomaly Of republic 20 exist among our In
telligent American people2 How long before
r new constitution is adopted? How long befor
another civil war on the election of Presiden
. and this Office abolished? And how long befoI
the next President will be Rssassinated, or u bas
and cruel attempt at assassination, the victim
, suffer untold horrors for many weeks or month
, a shock, pain and disgrace to the entire natioi
n and to humanity throughout the civilized worl
4 ABOLITloNIsT.
- -e---
Swimming in Ice-COId Water.
u 1t has been considered impossible for
human being to swim across Grand Lake, Mdd
I