Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-10-31
BOLIYaR AND BoLJDJs

Inc high reputation which Bolivar has won as
Patriot General, we app en-ive he is about
10 inJure In the character OF a Statesman The
following Sketch of Constitution, for which we
are indebted to the Philadelphia Gazette, is said 10
have been prepared by the Lihera,or himself; and
placesin rather different poitt of view from the
great man, whom he has hitherto protested 10
make his model. This Constitution is scarcely
worthy OF the Washington of the South. Wash
! lnston was a friend TO the Federal system to the
Elective rights ofhe People, 6 he as PARTICULAR,
opposed 10 the powers of = Chief Magistrate being
extended TO too many subjects and for long
period of time.-We confess that q are not a lit
Tie curious to peruse Bolivar's Preliminary Dis
| course on Government hat we may see what are
his reasons Tor proposing suspicious form of
| government for new Republic
| That Gen. Is. should have departed from the
Federal Model of the u. States, has ALWAYS beer
| an unfortunate in his views of government
Ii has already brought evils upon bis own country
1t has contributed more than any other to provoke
The Jealousy OF Venezuela, and the Rebellioo OF
Paez- II Is still more surprising, when he looks
10 the good effects, which the federal system hos
produced in the United States 1t is unouestionatlv
one OF the greatest political discoveries OF
the age. Ii transfers those great internal now
ers to states, which best able TO exercise
them while 1t gives no 10 the Federal
Head than is necessary 10 the good of the whole Ii
ought TO secure the union and defence of the whole
while 1t respects the Jurisdiction of the States and
the Liberties OF the people. The large power.
which are necessarily conferred on a Consolidate ed
Government, on the contrary, carry with them SO
much patronage and influence into the hands of the
Chief Magistrate, that though it NAV begin with
the name OF Republic, it will end in a MONARCHY
The fritierinS away OF the power OF the People,
by transferring it every four gears into body of Eec
tors the nomination ofths electoral corps of all the
officers OF State, except the Chief Magistrate-the
distribution of the Legislative body into three
branches, the Tribunes, Senators and Censors-
the strange divisions which the members of the
National Legislature. thus appointed, are to make
OF themselves into these three branches the iuitin
tire power OF the Tribunes- the power of the Cen
sors, chosen for life, TO watch over the press
these are anomalies which appear 10 US to be as
monstrous as they are absurd.
But what shall we say of the constitution of The
Executive Department? The President, also j.
irresponsible, like the British King, for the .acts
of his administration -toho holds his office ton
for life and to crown the whole, appoints his
| successor! Whether he be Marcus Aurelus or
Caligula, it is for him to have the authority of
! the Roman Emperors, and to designate the man
who shall wear the purple And our example is
quoted by Bolivar the model for his institution
"The Government of the United States he SAYS,
g has lately observed the practice of appointing
the Chief Minister Secretary of Stdte) TO succeed
the President. Nothing is so convenient in re
public The idea has powerfully possessed
my mind, and have established il as law - Mr.
| Clay may admire this reasoning of the Lberator,
but we admire neither the " Id1D'' of Bolivar or
the "sGfe precedent" of Mr. Clay. Choose the
man who is most fit to serve US be he in the bu
reau or at the plough. This is one of the great
beauties OF a free government. But to suffer a
Chief Magistrate TO dictate his successor, is one
OF those eSttindte ideas, against which the theory
of Republic revolts. 1t begins to be time that
the practice should correspond with the theory.
II the thing has grown into precedent at all -
and Mr.. Clay says it is I" safe precedent" lit
will be "more honored in the breech than the OBJ
seryance" III the Secretary Of State be the best
man, let us choose him, but not because il is a
precedent. WE should have no Heirs Appayent
in this Country. II such an idea has grOtDn into
any thing of a precedent, we do not hesitate to
say, that it is high time 10 break the succession,
and leave to Bolivar all the benefit of the rule.
! We will have none OF it. I'VE have as little relish
Tor 1t, as for Bolivar's other idea Of making a
President for life.
BOLIVIA.
| a friend has put into hands, the project OF
constitution for Bolivia, prepared by the Liberia
Tor al the request OF the primary Congress of that
republic, together with preliminary discourse on
government by the same distinguished man.
| The discourse is altogether so curious in itself,
that we intend to translate it at length, so soon as
we get through the accounts OF the New York
STOCKHOLDERS. To day we can give nothing more
than sketch OF the new form of government pre-
pared by Bolivar for the republic which bears his
name, and which form, singular as it is in many
respects, we may expect will be adopted since his
word IL law TO the South Americans.
| Heretofore, the South Americans, in organizing
their governments, have been content to copy the
| United States, so well as they knew how, and as
far as circumstances would permit: but whether
they have found that the state Of society in the
two hemispheres is so widely different as 10 re-
quire different political Organization, or whether
/ their leisure is simply leading them to new polti
cal speculaons, certain it is that this new consti-
tuition indicates disposition to make much less
use IN future ofthe model which they were till now
content to copy
I The Government Of Bolivia is declared 10 be a
popular representative government. Slavery Is
abolished and equality declared 10 be established
/ II is consolidated government, not federaL. 49,
The expediency of allowing to every district the
power to manage its own affairs, is, however, adj
mitted, and this principle is thought 10 be pre-
served, in allowing to electors chosen by the PEG.
pie in each province, the privilege Of nominating
for municipal Offices, the nominations being after
wards confirmed by the Eexecutive and LegisIa-
lure in the manner mentioned below
The great body Of citizens have nothing more L
do with the government than to choose electors
Insanity, fraudulent bankruptcy, conviction in ;
court Of justice, habituaI drunkenness, gambling
and mendcity, deprive a oftne right Of voting
for electors.
Every ten citizens choose an slec,or, who hold
II