They Are The
Secretary Of State, Who Is Supposed To Have The Direction Of Foreign
Affairs; The Secretary Of The Treasury, Who Answers To Our
Chancellor Of The Exchequer; The Secretaries Of The Army And Of The
Navy; The Minister Of The Interior; The Attorney-General; And The
Postmaster-General.
If these officers were allowed to hold seats in
one House or the other - or rather if the President
Were enjoined to
place in these offices men who were known as members of Congress,
not only would the position of the President's ministers be enhanced
and their weight increased, but the position also of Congress would
be enhanced and the weight of Congress would be increased. I may,
perhaps, best exemplify this by suggesting what would be the effect
on our Parliament by withdrawing from it the men who at the present
moment - or at any moment - form the Queen's cabinet. I will not say
that by adding to Congress the men who usually form the President's
cabinet, a weight would be given equal to that which the withdrawal
of the British cabinet would take from the British Parliament. I
cannot pay that compliment to the President's choice of servants.
But the relationship between Congress and the President's ministers
would gradually come to resemble that which exists between
Parliament and the Queen's ministers. The Secretaries of State and
of the Treasury would after awhile obtain that honor of leading the
Houses which is exercised by our high political officers, and the
dignity added to the positions would make the places worthy of the
acceptance of great men.
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