English VI.

DEBATE OF NOVEMBER 16, 1887.Question: "Should the members of the President's Cabinet have seats and voices in Congress?"

Brief for the Affirmative.Best single reference: G. Bradford, address on "The Practical Working of our Government.

C. DeV. Musaus and F. L. Dean.I. The present system is adequate.- Overland Monthly, III., 17 et seq.; Lockwood, Abolition of the Presidency, 114-116.

II. The proposal is constitutional, and may be brought about by resolution.- Story's Commentaries, S 869, et seq., J. C. Hamilton's Life of Hamton, IV., 67; Benton's Abridgement, I., 109.

III. It will make possible a continuous policy.

IV. Statesmanlike debate will be promoted.

General refererences: U. S. Senate Reports, 46th Cong., 3d Sess., No. 837: Lockwood's Abolition of the Presidency, chap. X.; Contemporary Review, Dec. 1885, p. 864; National Review, Nov., 1864, p. 1; Atlantic Monthly, April, 1886, p. 542; International Review, VII., 147.

Brief for the Negative.Best Single Reference: Morrill's speech, found in the Congressional Record of the 46th Cong. sess., pp. 971-974.

William Barnes, Jr. and E. C. Mason.

I. The principal of the U. S. Government would be undermined by the proposed change.- Von Holst's Constitutional Law, SS 25 and 26; Morrill's speech, 46th Cong., 1st session, Cong. Record, p. 9 72.

(a) Violation of the separation between the executive and legislative branches.

(b) Violation of the spirit of the Constitution in other respects.

II. The change to be effective implies, in time, a responsible ministry.- Bagehot's Eng. Const., chap. on the cabinet; Nation, xvi.., 234.

III. A responsible ministry would combletely subvert our present form of Government.- Nation, xxviii., 243.

IV. There serious practical objections to the working of the plan.- Morrills' speech, Congressional Record, 1st session 46th Congress p. 974.

V. The change is advocated on an imperfect apprehension of the history of the English Constitution.