The Portland daily press., 1900-04-11
INDEPENDENCE OF EXECU-
TIVES.
Address by Ex-President Cleveland
Before Princeton students.

Princeton, April 9.-Ex-PresideDt
Cleveland delivered before large audi.
encs in University Hall this evening the
tureship founded by Stafford Little, Esq.
He announced as his theme "The Iude-
pendenoe OF the Executive" saying that
he proposed to comment upon the Office
of President OF the United States and
upon some Incidents Of q public nature
made familiar to him by the incumhency
Of thar of1ce.
Mr.. Cleveland began by speaking Of
the Indictment presented by the orig lnal
thirteen colonies against the oppressive
exercise Of executive power by the King
of Great Britain. The oolonists dreaded
q repetition Of these abuses through the
powers that might devvlve upon an
American President. Thus the Articles
of Confederation provided for In exeou-
tive heal, but in the Constitutional Con-
vsntiop, ten years later, 1t was conceded
that IL the experiment Of popular govern
men were to be successful, no executive
branch, invested with power and respon-
sibility, must be one Of its essential fac
toPR
III Lu6 hCuUIue VI OdI 4NotAu1aA 1uVc1A-
ment, rs then established, the President
Is pre-emi nently the peopis's office. The
laws passed by Congrefs are inert and
vain without executive impulse; and the
Federal courts pass upon this right OF the
citizsn only when their aid 10 occasionally
invoked; but under the constitutional
mandats that the President SHALL cake
care that the laws be faithfully execut-
ed" every citissn Is constantly within
the protection and restT aint OF the execu-
tive power. furthermore, IL Is only In
the selection Of the President that the
body Of the American people can BY any
possibility act together and directly in
the equipment Of their national govern.
msnt. 10 the wisdom Of the men who
composed the Convention We are indebt-
ed for the creation Of an executive de-
parmsnt, limited against any possible
danger of usurpation or tyranny, sbut, at
the came time, strong and independent
within its Limitations.
Mr.. Cleveland then reviewed the de-
bate in the first session Of Congress in
1859 over the power Of the President
under the constitution TO remove an
officer appointed BY him BY and with the
advice Of the Senate. The outcome OF
this debate was a legislative construction
Of the constitution to the effect that the
President had the power Of removal with
out the participation or Interference Of
the Senate. But the question was again
raised In 1886, in q sharp contention be
tween the Senate and the President. In
order to make clear the nature of this
which he expects to discuss
In detail 10 the second lecture. Mr.
Cleveland described the Tenure OF Office
act passed IN 1867 for the express purpose
Of preventing removal from otfios by
President johnson, land compared it
with the Tenure of ONCE legislation
passed in 1869, during President Grants
first adm In stration.
81 fully appreciate the faot," said Mr..
Cleveland 10 closing. "that partisanship
follows party organization, that 1t is apt
to be unduIy developed In all parties.
and that It often hampers the best aspira-
lions and purposes of public life, but /
have reached . condition when / oan
recall such adverse partisanship as may
have entered into past conflicts and per
plexities without unloading irritation
or especially on such an oc-
casion as this The lecture will ap-
ear In full in forthcoming mum bers Of the
atlantic Monhly.".