The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-10
INDEPENDENCE OF EXECUTIVE.
Lecture by Ex-President Cleveland
at Princeton.

at
Princeton, April 9,-Ex-P President Cleve-
land delivered before a large audience in
University Hall this evening the first Of
his two addresses in the new 'lectureship
founded by Stafford Little, Esq. He an
nounced as his theme 1.-The Independence
of the Executive saying that he proposed
to comment upon the office of the Presi-
dent of the United States and upon some
incidents of a public nature made famil-
lar to him by the incumbency of that Of
fee.
Mr., Cleveland began by speaking of the
indictment presented by the original thir-
teen colonies against the oppressive ex-
ercise of executive power by the King Of
Great Britain. The colonists dreaded
repetition of these abuses through the
powers that might devolve upon an Amer
lean President. Thus the articles OF Con-
federation provided for no executive head,
but in the Constitutional Convention, ten
years later, it was conceded that if the
experiment of popular government were
to be successful, an executive branch, in
vested with power ard responsib lity, must
be one of its essential factors.
In the scheme of our national govern
ment, as then established, the President
is pre-eminently the peoples office. The
vain without executive impulse; and the
federal courts pass upon the right of the
citizen only when their aid is occasion
ally invoked; but under the constitutional
mandate thar the Pres mt shall take
care that the laws be faithfully executed,
every citizen is constantly within the pro-
lection and restraint of the executive
power. Furthermore, ii is only in the Sc
| lection of the President that the body OF
the American people can by any posi-
bility act together and directly in The
equipment of their national government.
| 70 the wisdom of the menswho composed
the convention we are indebted for the
creation of an executive department, i'm
tied against any possible danger of usurp-
alton or tyranny but at the same time.
strong and independent within its liml-
tations.
Mr. Cleveland then reviewed the debate
in the first session of Congress in l7e9
over the power of the President under
the constitution to remove an officer APP
pointed by him by and with the advice
of the Senate. The outcome of this deba e
was legislative construction of the con-
! stitution to the effect that the President
had the power of removal without the
! participat on or interference of the Sen
| ate. But the question was again raised
| in 1886 in sharp center ton between the
! Senate and the President. In order 10
make clear the nature of this controversy
which he expects to discuss in detail in
| the second lecture, Mr.. Cleveland de-
scribed the tenure of Office act passed IN
1867 for the express purpose of prevent
ing removals from Office by President
johnson. and compared it with the tenure
of office legislation passed in 1869, during
President Grants first administration.
Il fully appreciate the fact" said Mr.
| Cleveland in closing, that craftsmanship
follows party ganization, that it is apt
TO be unduly developed in all parties and
that it often hampecs the best aspira-
lions and purposes of public life but |
| hope I have reached a condition when [
can recall such adverse partisanship as
may have entered into past conflicts and
perpexities without misleading irritation
or prejudice-especiaily or such an occa-
| sion as this"