north america-2-第69章

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；　as　I　have　said；　be　doubted　whether　this　theory　has　ever　availed　for　action；　but　since　the　days　of　Jackson　it　has　been　absolutely　abandoned。　　The　intention　was　sufficiently　conservative。　　The　electors　to　whom　was　to　be　confided　this　great　trust；　were　to　be　chosen　in　their　own　States　as　each　State　might　think　fit。　　The　use　of　universal　suffrage　for　this　purpose　was　neither　enjoined　nor　forbidden　in　the　separate　States　was　neither　treated　as　desirable　or　undesirable　by　the　Constitution。　Each　State　was　left　to　judge　how　it　would　elect　its　own　electors。　But　the　President　himself　was　to　be　chosen　by　those　electors　and　not　by　the　people　at　large。　　The　intention　is　sufficiently　conservative；　but　the　intention　is　not　carried　out。　The　electors　are　still　chosen　by　the　different　States　in　conformity　with　the　bidding　of　the　Constitution。　　The　Constitution　is　exactly　followed　in　all　its　biddings；　as　far　as　the　wording　of　it　is　concerned；　but　the　whole　spirit　of　the　document　has　been　evaded　in　the　favor　of　democracy；　and　universal　suffrage　in　the　presidential　elections　has　been　adopted。　　The　electors　are　still　chosen；　it　is　true；　but　they　are　only　chosen　as　the　mouth…piece　of　the　people's　choice；　and　not　as　the　mind　by　which　that　choice　shall　be　made。　　We　have　all　heard　of　Americans　voting　for　a　ticketfor　the　Democratic　ticket；　or　the　Republican　ticket。　　All　political　voting　in　the　States　is　now　managed　by　tickets。　　As　regards　these　presidential　elections；　each　party　decides　on　a　candidate。　　Even　this　primary　decision　is　a　matter　of　voting　among　the　party　itself。　　When　Mr。　Lincoln　was　nominated　as　its　candidate　by　the　republican　party；　the　names　of　no　less　than　thirteen　candidates　were　submitted　to　the　delegates　who　were　sent　to　a　convention　at　Chicago；　assembled　for　the　purpose　of　fixing　upon　a　candidate。　　At　that　convention　Mr。　Lincoln　was　chosen　as　the　Republican　candidate　and　in　that　convention　was　in　fact　fought　the　battle　which　was　won　in　Mr。　Lincoln's　favor；　although　that　convention　was　what　we　may　call　a　private　arrangement；　wholly　irrespective　of　any　constitutional　enactment。　　Mr。　Lincoln　was　then　proclaimed　as　the　Republican　candidate；　and　all　Republicans　were　held　as　bound　to　support　him。　When　the　time　came　for　the　constitutional　election　of　the　electors；　certain　names　were　got　together　in　each　State　as　representing　the　Republican　interest。　　These　names　formed　the　Republican　ticket；　and　any　man　voting　for　them　voted　in　fact　for　Lincoln。　　There　were　three　other　parties；　each　represented　by　a　candidate；　and　each　had　its　own　ticket　in　the　different　States。　　It　is　not　to　be　supposed　that　the　supporters　of　Mr。　Lincoln　were　very　anxious　about　their　ticket　in　Alabama；　or　those　of　Mr。　Breckinridge　as　to　theirs　in　Massachusetts。　In　Alabama；　a　Democratic　slave　ticket　would；　of　course；　prevail。　　In　Massachusetts；　a　Republican　free…soil　ticket　would　do　so。　　But　it　may；　I　think；　be　seen　that　in　this　way　the　electors　have　in　reality　ceased　to　have　any　weight　in　the　electionshave　in　very　truth　ceased　to　have　the　exercise　of　any　will　whatever。　　They　are　mere　names；　and　no　more。　　Stat　nominis　umbra。　　The　election　of　the　President　is　made　by　universal　suffrage；　and　not　by　a　college　of　electors。　　The　words　as　they　are　written　are　still　obeyed；　but　the　Constitution　in　fact　has　been　violated；　for　the　spirit　of　it　has　been　changed　in　its　very　essence。　The　President　must　have　been　born　a　citizen　of　the　United　States。　This　is　not　necessary　for　the　holder　of　any　other　office　or　for　a　Senator　or　Representative；　he　must　be　thirty…four　years　old　at　the　time　of　his　election。　His　executive　power　is　almost　unbounded。　　He　is　much　more　powerful　than　any　minister　can　be　with　us；　and　is　subject　to　a　much　lighter　responsibility。　　He　may　be　impeached　by　the　House　of　Representatives　before　the　Senate；　but　that　impeachment　only　goes　to　the　removal　from　office　and　permanent　disqualification　for　office。　　But　in　these　days；　as　we　all　practically　understand；　responsibility　does　not　mean　the　fear　of　any　great　punishment；　but　the　necessity　of　accounting　from　day　to　day　for　public　actions。　　A　leading　statesman　has　but　slight　dread　of　the　axe；　but　is　in　hourly　fear　of　his　opponent's　questions。　　The　President　of　the　United　States　is　subject　to　no　such　questionings；　and　as　he　does　not　even　require　a　majority　in　either　House　for　the　maintenance　of　his　authority；　his　responsibility　sets　upon　him　very　slightly。　　Seeing　that　Mr。　Buchanan　has　escaped　any　punishment　for　maladministration；　no　President　need　fear　the　anger　of　the　people。　The　President　is　commander…in…chief　of　the　army　and　of　the　navy。　　He　can　grant　pardonsas　regards　all　offenses　committed　against　the　United　States。　　He　has　no　power　to　pardon　an　offense　committed　against　the　laws　of　any　State；　and　as　to　which　the　culprit　has　been　tried　before　the　tribunals　of　that　State。　　He　can　make　treaties；　but　such　treaties　are　not　valid　till　they　have　been　confirmed　by　two…　thirds　of　the　Senators　present　in　executive　session。　　He　appoints　all　ambassadors　and　other　public　officersbut　subject　to　the　confirmation　of　the　Senate。　　He　can　convene　either　or　both　Houses　of　Congress　at　irregular　times；　and　under　certain　circumstances　can　adjourn　them；　his　executive　power　is；　in　fact；　almost　unlimited；　and　this　power　is　solely　in　his　own　hands；　as　the　Constitution　knows　nothing　of　the　President's　ministers。　　According　to　the　Constitution　these　officers　are　merely　the　heads　of　his　bureaus。　　An　Englishman；　however；　in　considering　the　executive　power　of　the　President；　and　in　making　any　comparison　between　that　and　the　executive　power　of　any　officer　or　officers　attached　to　the　Crown　in　England；　should　always　bear　in　mind　that　the　President's　power；　and　even　authority；　is　confined　to　the　Federal　government；　and　that　he　has　none　with　reference　to　the　individual　States；　religion；　education；　the　administration　of　the　general　laws　which　concern　every　man　and　woman；　and　the　real　de　facto　government　which　comes　home　to　every　house；these　things　are　not　in　any　way　subject　to　the　President　of　the　United　States。　His　legislative　power　is　also　great。　　He　has　a　veto　upon　all　acts　of　Congress；　This　veto　is　by　no　means　a　dead　letter；　as　is　the　veto　of　the　Crown　with　us；　but　it　is　not　absolute。　　The　President；　if　he　refuses　his　sanction　to　a　bill　sent　up　to　him　from　Congress；　returns　it　to　that　House　in　which　it　originated；　with　his　objections　in　writing。　　If；　after　that；　such　bill　shall　again　pass　through　both　the　Senate　and　the　House　of　Representatives；　receiving　in　each　House　the　approvals　of　two…thirds　of　those　present；　then　such　bill　becomes　law　without　the　President's　sanction。　　Unless　this　be　done；　the　President's　veto　stops　the　bill。　　This　veto　has　been　frequently　used；　but　no　bill　has　yet　been　passed　in　opposition　to　it。　The　third　article　of　the　Constitution　treats　of　the　judiciary　of　the　United　States；　but　as　I　purpose　to　write　a　chapter　devoted　to　the　law　courts　and　lawyers　of　the　States；　I　need　not　here　describe　at　length　the　enactments　of　the　Constitution　on　this　head。　　It　is　ordained　that　all　criminal　trials；　except　in　cases　of　impeachment；　shall　be　by　jury。　There　are　after　this　certain　miscellaneous　articles；　some　of　which　belong　to　the　Constitution　a