Cato Institute
Policy Analysis
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Page 7
A scheme of government like ours no doubt at times feels the lack of power to act with
complete, all-embracing, swiftly moving authority. No doubt a government with distributed
authority, subject to be challenged in the courts of law, at least long enough to consider and
adjudicate the challenge, labors under restrictions from which other governments are free. It has
not been our tradition to envy such governments. In any event our government was designed to
have such restrictions. The price was deemed not too high in view of the safeguards which these
restrictions afford. I know no more impressive words on this subject than those of Mr. Justice
Brandeis:
"The doctrine of the separation of powers was adopted by the
Convention of 1787, not to promote efficiency but to preclude the
exercise of arbitrary power. The purpose was, not to avoid friction, but,
by means of the inevitable friction incident to the distribution of the
governmental powers among three departments, to save the people from
autocracy." Myers v. United States, 272 U.S. 52, 240, 293.
It is not a pleasant judicial duty to find that the President has exceeded his powers and
still less so when his purposes were dictated by concern for the Nation's well-being, in the
assured conviction that he acted to avert danger. But it would stultify one's faith in our people to
entertain even a momentary fear that the patriotism and the wisdom of the President and the
Congress, as well as the long view of the immediate parties in interest, will not find ready
accommodation for differences on matters which, however close to their concern and however
intrinsically important, are overshadowed by the awesome issues which confront the world. [Ibid.