Bitter Denunciations Against The
President's Policy Or The President's Ministers Are Seldom Heard.
Speeches Are Not Often Made With The Object Of Impeding The Action
Of Government.
That so small and so grave a body as the Senate
should abstain from factious opposition to the government when
employed on executive functions, was perhaps to be expected.
It is
of course well that it should be so. I confess, however, that it
has appeared to me that the Senate has not used the power placed in
its hands as freely as the Constitution has intended, But I look at
the matter as an Englishman, and as an Englishman I can endure no
government action which is not immediately subject to parliamentary
control.
Such are the governing powers of the United States. I think it will
be seen that they are much more limited in their scope of action
than with us; but within that scope of action much more independent
and self-sufficient. And, in addition to this, those who exercise
power in the United States are not only free from immediate
responsibility, but are not made subject to the hope or fear of
future judgment. Success will bring no award, and failure no
punishment. I am not aware that any political delinquency has ever
yet brought down retribution on the head of the offender in the
United States, or that any great deed has been held as entitling the
doer of it to his country's gratitude. Titles of nobility they have
none; pensions they never give; and political disgrace is unknown.
The line of politics would seem to be cold and unalluring.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 368 of 531
Words from 98380 to 98651
of 142339
