New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-15
Ogdensburg. March l3, lST.
DEPUTY PRESIDENTS UNLAWFUL

MR. CLEVELAND HAD no RIGHT TO PUT MIX
BLoUNT IN COMMAND OF NAVAL FORCES.
To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: | have read in to-days Tribune Secretary
IIerbert's reply Representative Boutelles resou
ton calling for information TO the authority Tor
placing the United States naval forces IN Hohoiuiu
under the control of Commissioner Bount.
The Sccretary's reply will not hold. as the prece-
dents cited by him entirely different from MT
Blount's case in three Of the cases the oHcers
placed in control OF the naval forces or the 'hteu
States were regularly commissioned oHcer' u '''e
Army and diplomatic services, and were a part oil
those establishments. and in the other cases the
DISTINCTIONS 10 the naval officers were to advise
with special agents appointed by the PRESIDENT
and I, act In conjunction with them. but leaving
:, entirely to the discretion OF the commanding
officer whether or not to act on such advice
The number and rank of the military and naval
forces AMI OF the diplomatic service are fixed by
law and the Executive has no right TO add to the
number. Once admit that the Executive has the
power TO appoint a commissioner paramount to the
regular commissioned forces. and our who.e system
Of official appointments falls TO the ground anu
the President becomes 10y a stroke of his pen Su-
premc Dictator, and can go on ana make oep"'y
presidents as long as the W mite HOUSE supply Va
pen and ink holds ont.
our rorerathers anticipating the extent 10 which
an ambitious President might carry this power
Wisely restricted the Executive. and provided tta'
while. the President could nominate the c'hsent OF
the Senate must be had before the nominees could
Ice commissioned as officers Of the United states.
We have recently had an example OF this IN the
case. OF Mr. Ilornblower and Mr.. Peckham VINO
wer. nominated by the President for the supreme
Hcnch but the Senate declined to approve these
appolntmcnts and the gentlemen named therefore
stlI remain in private lie.
The President names the members or MS 'ao-
met and the Senate has the power 10 approve or
dls,pprove. a lieutenant In the Army or Navy can
NOT he. promoted the next higher grade "hrh
his turn comes on the list until the President sends
hs name To the senate, and II that body cohhrWs'
m. u.w commission is issued 10 the officer
The President is the COmmander-in-Chie or the
Army and Navy OF the United States and can or
der thcm where and when he please In the exer-
else OF his high office. but he has not the power TO
add ono single officer to the establishment beyond
rhe number fixed by law. IL VIII be seen mere,
fore that the claim that President Cleveianu nai
rnver To- take MIR. Blount-d mere c!VlHan. ana
Iuf him I'm command OF the armed forces OF the
'nlted States was without authority anu III defiance
~ law. ,, ,...to ,-or,
II Tho President wanted special Information from
Honolulu h,. hal the right to send Mr. Blount mere
Tor that purpose. but he had no right 10 MAKE MN
a d.ulty president. which was the position oCCu-
MED bv Mr. Blount for several inonths-dh ONCE
mo-, rccognized under the Constitution ,,,,o,.,,
"'' EX-NANAL OFFICER.
H.w- York March II, 1891