nvested with his powers and
prerogatives, essentially differ from the king of Great Britain (save as
to name, the creation of nobility, and some immaterial incidents, the
offspring of absurdity and locality). The direct prerogatives of the
president, as springing from his political character, are among the
following: It is necessary, in order to distinguish him from the rest of
the community, and enable him to keep, and maintain his court, that the
compensation for his services, or in other words, his revenue, should be
such as to enable him to appear with the splendor of a prince; he has the
power of receiving ambassadors from, and a great influence on their
appointments to foreign courts; as also to make treaties, leagues, and
alliances with foreign states, assisted by the Senate, which when made
become the supreme law of land: he is a constituent part of the
legislative power, for every bill which shall pass the House of
Representatives and Senate is to be presented to him for approbation; if
he approves of it he is to sign it, if he disapproves he is to return it
with objections, which in many cases will amount to a complete negative;
and in this view he will have a great share in the power of making peace,
coining money, etc., and all the various objects of legislation, expressed
or implied in this Constitution: for though it may be asserted that the
king of Great Britain has the express power of making peace or war, yet he
never thinks it prudent to do so without the advice of his Parliament,
from whom he is to derive his support, and therefore these powers, in both
president and king, are substantially the same: he is the generalissimo of
the nation, and of course has the command and control of the army, navy
and militia; he is the general conservator of the peace of the union--he
may pardon all offences, except in cases of impeachment, and the principal
fountain of all offices and employments. Will not the exercise of these
powers therefore tend either to the establishment of a vile and arbitrary
aristocracy or monarchy? The safety of the people in a republic depends on
the share or proportion they have in the government; but experience ought
to teach you, that when a man is at the head of an elective government
invested with great powers, and interested in his re-election, in what
circle appointments will be made; by which means an _imperfect
aristocracy_ bordering on monarchy may be established.

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