north america-2-第65章
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ponsibility。 The President is placed at the head of the executive for four years； and while he there remains no man can question him。 It is not that the scope of his power is great。 Our own Prime Minister is doubtless more powerfulhas a wider authority。 But it is that within the scope of his power the President is free from all check。 There are no reins； constitutional or unconstitutional； by which he can be restrained。 He can absolutely repudiate a majority of both Houses； and refuse the passage of any act of Congress even though supported by those majorities。 He can retain the services of ministers distasteful to the whole country。 He can place his own myrmidons at the head of the army and navy； or can himself take the command immediately on his own shoulders。 All this he can do； and there is no one that can question him。 It is hardly necessary that I should point out the fundamental difference between our king or queen； and the President of the United States。 Our sovereign； we all know； is not responsible。 Such is the nature of our constitution。 But there is not on that account any analogy between the irresponsibility of the Queen and that of the President。 The Queen can do no wrong； but therefore； in all matters of policy and governance； she must be ruled by advice。 For that advice her ministers are responsible； and no act of policy or governance can be done in England as to which responsibility does not immediately settle on the shoulders appointed to bear it。 But this is not so in the States。 The President is nominally responsible。 But from that every…day working responsibility； which is to us so invaluable； the President is in fact free。 I will give an instance of this。 Now； at this very moment of my writing； news has reached us that President Lincoln has relieved General McClellan from the command of the whole army； that he has given separate commands to two other generalsto General Halleck； namely； and； alas！ to General Fremont； and that he has altogether altered the whole organization of the military command as it previously existed。 This he did not only during war； but with reference to a special battle； for the special fighting of which he； as ex…officio commander…in…chief of the forces； had given orders。 I do not hereby intend to criticise this act of the President's； or to point out that that has been done which had better have been left undone。 The President； in a strategetical point of view； may have been； very probably has been； quite right。 I； at any rate； cannot say that he has been wrong。 But then neither can anybody else say so with any power of making himself heard。 Of this action of the President's； so terribly great in its importance to the nation； no one has the power of expressing any opinion to which the President is bound to listen。 For four years he has this sway； and at the end of four years he becomes so powerless that it is not then worth the while of any demagogue in a fourth…rate town to occupy his voice with that President's name。 The anger of the country as to the things done both by Pierce and Buchanan is very bitter。 But who wastes a thought upon either of these men？ A past President in the United States is of less consideration than a past mayor in an English borough。 Whatever evil he may have done during his office； when out of office he is not worth the powder which would be expended in an attack。 But the President has his ministers as our Queen has hers。 In one sense he has such ministers。 He has high State servants who under him take the control of the various departments； and exercise among them a certain degree of patronage and executive power。 But they are the President's ministers； and not the ministers of the people。 Till lately there has been no chief minister among them； nor am I prepared to say that there is any such chief at present。 According to the existing theory of the government these gentlemen have simply been the confidential servants of the commonwealth under the President； and have been attached each to his own department without concerted political alliance among themselves； without any acknowledged chief below the President； and without any combined responsibility even to the President。 If one minister was in fault let us say the Postmaster…Generalhe alone was in fault； and it did not fall to the lot of any other minister either to defend him； or to declare that his conduct was indefensible。 Each owed his duty and his defense to the President alone and each might be removed alone； without explanation given by the President to the others。 I imagine that the late practice of the President's cabinet has in some degree departed from this theory； but if so； the departure has sprung from individual ambition rather than from any pre…concerted plan。 Some one place in the cabinet has seemed to give to some one man an opportunity of making himself pre…eminent； and of this opportunity advantage has been taken。 I am not now intending to allude to any individual； but am endeavoring to indicate the way in which a ministerial cabinet； after the fashion of our British cabinet； is struggling to get itself righted。 No doubt the position of Foreign Secretary has for some time past been considered as the most influential under the President。 This has been so much the case that many have not hesitated to call the Secretary of State the chief minister。 At the present moment； May； l862； the gentleman who is at the head of the War Department has； I think； in his own hands greater power than any of his colleagues。 It will probably come to pass before long that one special minister will be the avowed leader of the cabinet； and that he will be recognized as the chief servant of the States under the President。 Our own cabinet； which now…a…days seems with us to be an institution as fixed as Parliament and as necessary as the throne； has grown by degrees into its present shape； and is not in truth nearly so old as many of us suppose it to be。 It shaped itself； I imagine； into its present form； and even into its present joint responsibility； during the reign of George III。 It must be remembered that even with us there is no such thing as a constitutional Prime Minister； and that our Prime Minister is not placed above the other ministers in any manner that is palpable to the senses。 He is paid no more than the others； he has no superior title； he does not take the highest rank among them； he never talks of his subordinates； but always of his colleagues； he has a title of his own； that of First Lord of the Treasury； but it implies no headship in the cabinet。 That he is the head of all political power in the nation； the Atlas who has to bear the globe； the god in whose hands rest the thunderbolts and the showers； all men do know。 No man's position is more assured to him。 But the bounds of that position are written in no book； are defined by no law； have settled themselves not in accordance with the recorded wisdom of any great men； but as expediency and the fitness of political things in Great Britain have seemed from time to time to require。 This drifting of great matters into their proper places is not as closely in accordance with the idiosyncrasies of the American people as it is with our own。 They would prefer to define by words； as the French do； what shall be the exact position of every public servant connected with their government； or rather of every public servant with whom the people shall be held as having any concern。 But nevertheless； I think it will come to pass that a cabinet will gradually form itself at Washington as it has done at London； and that of that cabinet there will be some recognized and ostensible chief。 But a Prime Minister in the United States can never take the place there which is taken here by our Premier。 Over our Premier there is no one politically superior。 The highest political responsibility of the nation rests on him。 In the States this must always rest on the President； and any minister； whatever may be his name or assumed position； can only be responsible through the President。 And it is here especially that the working of the United States system of government seems to me deficientappears as though it wanted somethi
