Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-01-13
Are Cabinet Members Clerks?
BY TOHN r BOJFEUILLET


Speaker Champ Clark We're mentioned for
appointments in the cabinet, they declared
they would not under any circumstances con-
slider accepting the places as they were un-
willing to be clerks" to the president.
1t is related that on one occasion President
Lincoln and his cabinet were in conference
on an important matter, and the entire seven
members advised the president contrary to
his views. Finally, Lincoln put the question
to a vote and announced: The ayes are one
and the nays seven The ayes have it and
the question is carried" And he proceeded
to put his plan in operation.
cite the above in illustration of the view
that cabinet members are mere agents of
the president, and are forced to obey him or
get out. Their acts are the acts of the
president. and his policy. Whatever is done
by a cabinet member is considered as done
by the president. He cannot escape respon-
sibility by saying he followed the advice of
his cabinet, for he need not follow it. They
are nominated by the president, subject to
confirmation by the senate.
Obey President or Get Out
They pursue the policies of the president,
and merely direct the details ! their man
agement is not in accord with the views of
the president they will have to change the
conduct of their office or resign. There are
only two ways by which congress can get rid
of an Objectionable cabinet member, namely;
by Impeachment, or by abOliShlng the Office
occupied by him. The various departments
of which the cabinet officers are the head
have been created by acts of congress, there
fore, congress can abolish any one Of them
or all of them, if it SO desires. The word
''cabnet'' does not appear in the Constltu-
ton of the United States. The cabinet has
no place in the constitutional system Of this
republic.
Woodrow Wilson, the author, referring to
the members of the cabient, once remarked:
Congress made them and can unmake
them In his book. constitutional Gov
eminent" he says: IF they please the presi-
dent, and keep upon living TENS with their
colleagues, they neel not seriously regard
the dipsleasure of the houses of congress, I'M
less, indeed, by actual crime, they rashly put
themselves in the way Of it's judicial
wrath. . Their authority may continue
theirs till the earth has four times made her
annual journey round the sun. They
NAV make daily plumbers. in administration
and repeated mistakes in business, may
thwart the plans of ongress il a hundred
sorely veXatious ways, and yet all the while
snap their fingers at it's. dissatisfaction or
displeasure."
1t is historically stated that President Lin
coin decided on his emancipation proclama
ton without consulting his cabinet, but sub
mitted the draft of it to them for their
opinion.
Adams Fired" His Secretary
Frequently serious friction develops be-
tween the president and one or more OF his
cabinet officers. Sometimes there are en-
forced retirements, while voluntary reslgna-
ton have been numerous Tylers entire
cabinet, excepting Secretary Of State Webster
resigned when he loed the second bill to
re-establish national bank.
President John Adams fired" Secretary
of State Timothy Pickering, of Massa-
chusetts, in 1900. 1t is alleged that Picker
ing's hatred of France made it impossible
h ,r1atl1 i1o
efforts to settle the differences with that
on peaceable basis. 1t is stated
that Pickering used his Influence to hamper
the president, and secretly worked to ad-
vance the political interests of Alexander
Hamilton. The president requested his res
ignation, which Pickering declined to tender,
claiming there were a number of matters
in the department which demanded
his attention. President Adams told him
to ''get OUT and thus he was summarily dis
missed.
A Sensational Resignation
Secretary of State Edmund Randolph, d
whom Pickering succeeded had resigned I'M
der sensational circumstances. He was the
only member of Washington's cabinet who
opposed the famous Jay treaty between the
United States and Great Britain. Randolph
had been falsely accused, as was later fully
demonstrated, Of asking for money from
France to influence Washington's adminis-
traton against Great Britain. History con-
tains many interesting accounts OF reslgna-
lions from the cabinet.
The senate seldom fails to confirm the
presidents nominations for the cabinet.
The most notable exceptions were when
President Johnson removed Secretary of War
Stanton and appointed General Thomas to
the place ad Interim and when Jackson re-
moved Secretary of the Treasury Duane and
appointed Mr.. fancy. Both of these nomlna-
lions were rejected by the senate. The SEN
ate also declined to confirm Tyler's nominal
lions of James M. Porter for secretary OF
war. and David Henshaw for secretary of
the navy.
There were only four cabinet officers when
Washington entered upon his first admins
tration in 1888 namely: Secretary OF state,
secretary of the treasury, secretary OF war,
and the attorney general In 1898 the secre-
tary of the navy added. The office OF
postmaster general was created in 1874 by
act of congress, but up to the year 1879 TINS
officer had been considered subordinate IN
the treasury department.. In 1879, now
ever, President Jackson invited MIN TO
cabinet meetings and since then the post
master general has been deemed member
of the cabinet The place just resigned by
Secretary of the Interior Fall came into eX-
istence in 1919; then followed secretary or
agriculture, in 1888; and in 1908, secretary
of commerce and labor. In 1913 this latter
department divided into the department
of commerce and the department of labor.
Spring Board to Dazzling Office
In the early years Of this government, and
later, the office of secretary of state re-
garded as a spring board from which ambi
tious spirits could leap to the presidency
Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, John Quincy
Adams, Martin Van Buren, and Buchanan had
filled this secretaryship prior to donning the
presidential robe. The Democratic James
Buchanan was the last secretary of state to
become president No other occupant of the
secr2tariaI office since the commencement of