WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1837-1841
53
are equal to each other. So long as they continue to act within their spheres, they will each be efficient and useful-neither can have a controlling power over the other. The Executive cannot direct Congress what laws they shall pass, nor can Congress, by any action of its own, assume to direct the Executive in the discharge of his constitutional duties. Congress may recommend, the Senate may advise, but neither have the right to direct or to order; it would be conceding ascend- ancy to one part of the Government-the checks and balances of Government would be lost-the beautiful machine would lose all its harmony of action, and wreck and ruin ensue to the country. The executive sphere is a peculiar one; his constant and unre- mitting attention to the affairs of Gover~ment is required; he is continually called on in the discharge of his duties, to give his personal attention to individual officers of the Government, and thus has an opportunity of becoming acquainted with the merits of officers and their conduct that Congress has not. The co-ordinate departments expect of him attention and duty, equal to his knowledge of facts, then, if in the conscious discharge of his duties, he dismisses an officer, and that officer ascertains, from some circumstance or other, he can array Congress as a party against the Executive, he has only to say to those around him, that he will petition Congress and be reinstated; they, seeing him stimulated with this prospect, immediately entertain a con- fidence that they too, no matter what offences they may commit, and they are dismissed for it,-they, too, have a right to petition Congress; and so long as Congress will permit them to apply epithets of abuse and detraction to the Executive, they entertain hopes from the spirit which they infer obtains from being allowed this privilege, that Congress is arrayed as a party against him, which holds out some prospect of success; and should they not succeed in being reinstated, they will, at least, have the gratifica- tion of becoming notorious, by causing consumption of the public time and treasure, and assuring to themselves the gratification of applying epithets of the most abusive character to the Executive, and in doing this, degrade our country abroad, and for the purpose of establishing anarchy at home. Men who wilfully violate the laws of their country, care noth- ing for either its safety or character. For the information of your Honorable Body in relation to the above facts, the Executive takes leave to refer to an article intended to govern the conduct of officers in the Navy as well as
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