The Red Cloud chief., 1889-03-01

" A4CsS 0AAl OUOAC OVwu ~ WCRS AI80
Q child.
al right see hit nOw-thar 10 the cabin,
right ahead-" And with these words his
spirit ned
b stiffness of that des0lAte prairie home
was tho sobbing Of the two men and the
Kissing OF sthe winter wind.-Win Lisenbee,
In Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper.
THE NATIONS EXECUTIVE.
An E1pl.n.tion OF the Rights and Power
ofths PresIdeeG
Perhaps no other feature Of the gov.
eminent has provoked such general
criticism. or been 70 widely misrepre-
sented and misunderstood. as has the
Office Of President of the United States.
Its creation was the subject Of singular
comments among those who framed
the Constitution; it was violently do
nounced when that instrument vas put
before the people for their approval;
1t has been the target for savage and
persistent assault from that time to the
present. And in regard to no other
feature Of the government. it may be
added. have the dismal fOrcbOdings OF
skeptics been so strangely disappointed
by the results Of experience and prac-
tice.
In theory. It may be true that. As tho
making and enforcement Of laws is the
great function OF government. the
power that executes tho laws should
be in perfect harmony with the power
that makes them and be directly under
its cOntrOl--the executive being thus
simply the arm Of the Legislature. act
ing promptly and implicitly in Obedi-
ence TO its supreme will. This idea.
though to-day observed in tho work.
ings Of other governments. was not &C.
cepted by III fOrefathers. In lodging
the executive power in the hands Of
one person. the Constitution aimed to
secure energy and precision in the ex-
ecutiOn Of the laws; but in establishing
the Presidency As an independent
branch Of the government, removed As
far - possible from the meddlesome
influence Of Congress. and endOwing it
with important special powers. it sug-
gested to many timid folk a vision Of
royalty in fts most frightful shape.
Nor were these thoughts quieted by
events that followed in the history OF
the government. Indeed. u third
President has given it rs his opinion
that Washington himself believed tho
Republic would end in something like
q monarchy. and that in adopting his
stately levees and other pOmpOus cere-
monies he sought. in q measure. to
prepare the people gradually for tho
change that seemed possible. in order
that it might come with less shock to
the public mind. ibis remarkable
statement we need not take without
proof. Whatever may have been
WashingtOn's secret fears. certain it is
that his devotion to the Republic
shielded it from such . fate; and had
some of his ~ces in Office. or their
advisers. been nearly rs wise and As
true to the spirit OF the Constitution.
they would have avoided acts which
served to strengthen. rather than sub
due. the popular distrust.
That the actual power Of the Presi-
dent exceeds that Of some Of the
crowned dignitaries Of earth is univer-
sally conceded. The Constitution did
not intend that he should be q mere
fgurehcad. or ornamental cupOla."
to the government. 1t not only con-
fided to him the execution of the laws.
but it armed him with . power over
the making OF laws which he might
deem improper. by this. We mean the
provision that every measure passed
by Congress shall be presented to him
for his approval and signature. and
that. il disapproved by him. he may
return 1t with his objections. In which
"a it shall not become law unless
again passed by the vote Of twO-thirds
(instead Of majority. ~ in the first
instance) Of each House Of Congress.
Whether this power vas given TO him
solely rs a weapon to defend his own
Office or the integrity Of the COnstitu-
ton itself from attack by Congress. or
whether the Constitution designed that
he should in this way have u voice In
the making Of all laws. Of whatever
nature. Is one Of the questions still un-
settled. The weight Of opinion and the
practice at the beginning Of the gov.
eminent seem 10 sustain the former
view; the strict language Of the Con-
s;itutiOn is in favor Of the latter. Tho
frequent exercise Of the power in re-
cent years. in marked contrast with Its
rar use by earlier Presidents. has
aroused harsh feeling on the part Of
Congress and some very sober think
ing ON the part Of philosophers; it Is
plain. however. that the present Ex-
ecutive has no doubt upon the subject.
The power is certainly m~Onarchical in
its nature. and at first sight appears
out Of place in . Republic where the
will Of the people. rs expressed BY
their representatives, should be the
Law. But here comes in the deliberate
device Of the Constitution. The execu-
tive branch Of the government Was
purposely 50 shaped - TO act - .
check against rash behavior by the