Congress Had Desired To Declare Its Ascendency Over
Military Matters, But The Army And The Executive Generally Had
Demurred To
This, - not with an absolute denial of the rights of
Congress, but with those civil and almost silent generalities with
Which a really existing power so well knows how to treat a nominal
power. The ascendant wife seldom tells her husband in so many words
that his opinion in the house is to go for nothing; she merely
resolves that such shall be the case, and acts accordingly. An
observer could not but perceive that in those days Congress was
taking upon itself the part, not exactly of an obedient husband, but
of a husband vainly attempting to assert his supremacy. "I have got
to learn," said one gentleman after another, rising indignantly on
the floor, "that the military authority of our generals is above
that of this House." And then one gentleman relieved the difficulty
of the position by branching off into an eloquent discourse against
slavery, and by causing a chapter to be read out of the Book of
Joshua.
On that occasion the gentleman's diversion seemed to have the effect
of relieving the House altogether from the embarrassment of the
original question; but it was becoming manifest, day by day, that
Congress was losing its ground, and that the army was becoming
indifferent to its thunders: that the army was doing so, and also
that ministers were doing so. In the States, the President and his
ministers are not in fact subject to any parliamentary
responsibility.
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