1477. CONFEDERATION, Distribution of Powers.—
To make us one nation as to foreign concerns, and keep us distinct in domestic
ones, gives the outline of the proper
division of power between the general and
particular governments. But, to enable the
Federal head to exercise the power given it,
to best advantage, it should be organized, as
the particular ones are, into legislative, Executive
and Judiciary. The first and last are
already separated. The second should also be.
When last with Congress, I often proposed to
members to do this, by making of the Committees
of the States, an Executive Committee
during the recess of Congress, and, during
its sessions, to appoint a Committee to receive
and despatch all executive business, so
that Congress itself should meddle only with
what should be legislative. But I question if
any Congress (much less all successively)
can have self-denial enough to go through
with this distribution. The distribution, then,
should be imposed on them.—
To James Madison. Washington ed. ii, 66.
Ford ed., iv, 333.
(P.
Dec. 1786)
