Speech #510190068

My proposition is that the Government of the United States is divided under the Constitution into three departments and that no office can be created in the United States that is not assignable in its duties to one of these departments. We have not any power to create in the United States an office that is entirely independent of the control of any one of those departments. and when we undertake to do it we violate the whole frame of the Government. The bill providesThat the chief supervisors of elections * * * are charged * * * with thu enforcement of the national election lawsand with the prevention of frauds and irregularities in naturalization. The enfofcement of a law belongs to the executive power. the prevention of frauds and irregularities in naturalization belongs to thejudicial power. We mayjust as well undertake to confer upon thesupervisors of elections legislative powers as to give them either the executive or the judicial powers that are provided for in this bill. I have thought very much about this to ascertain whether it were possible to strike out that declaration in the preli~ainary part of the bill. and thereby change the character of the measure. and I am satisfied that it is not.