Essays on the Constitution of the United States: Published during its Discussion by the People, 1787-1788
History
Essays on the Constitution of the United States: Published during its Discussion by the People, 1787-1788
Constitutional history -- United States -- Sources; United States. Constitution
The public must be served in various departments. Who will serve them
without a meet recompense? Who will go to war and pay the charges of his
own warfare? What man will any longer take empty promises of reward from
those, who have no constitutional power to reward or means of fulfilling
them? Promises have done their utmost, more than they ever did in any
other age or country. The delusive bubble has broke, and in breaking has
beggared thousands, and left you an unprotected people; numerous without
force, and full of resources but unable to command one of them. For these
purposes there must be a general treasury, with a power to replenish it as
often as necessity requires. And where can this power be more safely
vested, than in the common legislature, men chosen by yourselves from
every part of the union, and who have the confidence of their several
states; men who must share in the burdens they impose on others; men who
by a seat in Congress are incapable of holding any office under the
states, which might prove a temptation to spoil the people for increasing
their own income?
We find another objection to be “that the executive is blended with and
will have an undue influence over the legislature.” On examination you
will find this objection unfounded. The supreme executive is vested in a
President of the United States; every bill that hath passed the senate and
representatives, must be presented to the president, and if he approve it
becomes law. If he disapproves, but makes no return within ten days, it
still becomes law. If he returns the bill with his objections, the senate
and representatives consider it a second time, and if two-thirds of them
adhere to the first resolution it becomes law notwithstanding the
president’s dissent. We allow the president hath an influence, tho’
strictly speaking he hath not a legislative voice; and think such an
influence must be salutary. In the president all the executive departments
meet, and he will be a channel of communication between those who make and
those who execute the laws. Many things look fair in theory which in
practice are impossible. If lawmakers, in every instance, before their
final decree, had the opinion of those who are to execute them, it would
prevent a thousand absurd ordinances, which are solemnly made, only to be
repealed, and lessen the dignity of legislation in the eyes of mankind.
The vice-president is not an executive officer while the president is in
discharge of his duty, and when he is called to preside his legislative
voice ceases. In no other instance is there even the shadow of blending or
influence between the two departments.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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