Page:Cambridge Modern History Volume 7.djvu/316

 284 Seventh resolution. Personality of the executive. [i787 (7) THE EXECUTIVE. The seventh of the Randolph resolutions, as originally presented to the committee of the whole House, declared that a national executive should be instituted; to be chosen by the national legislature for a term left blank ; to receive a fixed compensation, not to be increased or diminished so as to affect a magistracy then existing ; not to be eligible a second time ; and besides having general authority to execute the national laws, to enjoy the executive rights vested in Congress by the Confederation. The committee proceeded to consider this resolution on June 1. The question first raised was whether the executive should consist of a single person or of more than one. Wilson moved that it should consist of but one this with a view to giving energy, despatch, and responsibility to the office. Rutledge favoured the motion, especially on the ground of the greater sense of responsibility residing in a single executive. Sherman looked upon the office as but an agency, intended only to carry out the will of the legislature ; the office ought therefore to be filled by the legislature itself as the best judge of the matter. He would leave it to the legislature to appoint one or more persons, as experience might dictate. Randolph strongly opposed unity in the executive, as the germ of monarchy ; to that the fixed spirit of the people was opposed. The committee now adopted the part of the clause in favour of a national executive, but felt unprepared to go on with the question of unity ; and Wilson's motion for a single magistrate was postponed. Madison thought that it would be proper first to fix the executive powers, on the ground that, as certain powers were in their nature executive, and hence must be given to that department whether it was to be held by one or by more than one person, a definition of the extent of the executive powers would assist the committee in determining whether to entrust the office to a single individual or not. He accordingly made a motion which, as amended by the committee, prevailed, to the effect that the following provision be substituted for that in the Randolph resolution that the national executive have power to carry into effect the national laws, and to appoint to offices in cases not otherwise provided for. The committee next considered the clause in which the duration of the executive term had been left open. Opinion varied between a term of three and a term of seven years ; by a bare majority the committee fixed upon seven years. The mode of appointing the executive stood next in order; and Wilson now moved that, instead of the mode provided by the resolution, the appointment should be by electors chosen in electoral districts, into which the States were to be divided. He was in favour of an election by