r implied a right in
the legislature to give or withhold it at their discretion. To obviate
any misunderstanding of the principle on which the question had been
'decided, Mr. Benson moved in the house, when the report of the
committee of the whole was taken up, to amend the second clause in the
bill so as clearly to imply the power of removal to be solely in the
President. He gave notice that if he should succeed in this, he would
move to strike out the words which had been the subject of debate. If
those words continued, he said the power of removal by the President
might hereafter appear to be exercised by virtue of a legislative
grant only, and consequently be subjected to legislative instability;
when he was well satisfied in his own mind, that it was by fair
construction, fixed in the constitution. The motion was seconded by
Mr. Madison, and both amendments were adopted. As the bill passed into
a law, it has ever been considered as a full expression of the sense
of the legislature on this important part of the American
constitution.

[Sidenote: On the policy of the secretary of the treasury reporting
plans for the management of the revenue.]

The bill to establish the treasury department, contained a clause
making it the duty of the secretary "to digest and report plans for
the improvement and management of the revenue, and for the support of
public credit."

Mr. Page moved to strike out these words, observing, that to permit
the secretary to go further than to prepare estimates would be a
dangerous innovation on the constitutional privilege of that house. It
would create an undue influence within those walls, because members
might be led by the deference commonly paid to men of abilities, who
gave an opinion in a case they have thoroughly considered, to support
the plan of the minister even against their own judgment. Nor would
the mischief stop there. A precedent would be established which might
be extended until ministers of the government should be admitted on
that floor, to explain and support the plans they had digested and
reported, thereby laying a foundation for an aristocracy, or a
detestable monarchy.

Mr. Tucker seconded the motion of Mr. Page, and observed, that the
authority contained in the bill to prepare and report plans would
create an interference of the executive with the legislative powers,
and would abridge the particular privilege of that house to originate
all bills for raising a reven