Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1848-12-08
The French Constitution,

The New York Herald has published trans.
la'on of the French Constitution. 1t consists
of l l6 articles, in II chapters.
There is vast amount of detail in it such
detail as more properly belongs to subsequent
legislation. 1t is very loose in defining the
metes and bounds oflegislatlve and other author.
ity. The Judiciary, as a department of the
government, is not instituted.
A french correspondents fthe Journal of Com.
merce gives the following intelligent summary
and review of it,:
The object of the Constitution of a State be-.
ing collection of the principles upon which the
government shall be administered definition
OF the extent of power surrendered by the people
NJ tho checks to restrain the power conferred
TO me "'iices To which they may be annexed
the guards deemed atrnng enough 10 insure IN
the sogereign-the granting power, the pres.
walton of their sovereign rights in their original
strengthened the expression of these several
principles, guards and checks in SO comprehen-
sive and clear manner at the government
may be administered without harrassing the peo.
pie daily with demands for new expusi,lons of
power, which ordinary turns of alflirs evoke
1t may be neither undressing nor Improbable
to turn for moment To the frame of govern
ment which the Legislators of France have built,
to examine its various and its varied machine
ry. Ole thing will strike the observer at the
first glance we mean the extreme minuteness
of many of its provisions. 1t will be seen that.
"A part of the Constitution, they have incorporat.
ed provisions which ennncae no principle, and
but point out the niachinsry of inferior details
J " ~ nj IN a nj. IN IL,
rs laws being founded on the varying motives
which today are found best and most expedient
by the progress or social or physical change
which daily goes on around ms. And these pro-
visions becoming thus nconvenent or irksome
to the people, invite changes, and challenge rest
less and disturbed spirits to avail themselves of
the Inconvenience OF the moment. and introduce
new fundamental laws into the G institution. -
Restlessness OF temper, Impotence Of slight
evils, love OF change, have ever characterized
THE citizens OF republican governments, and the
trainers OF Constitutions Cor such governments
have ever regarded the facility or Temptation of
making amendments as one of the most tprmi
dibe evils which threatened the existence of
such governments. 1t reduces government into
society always in revoluli mary state--pives
to the people and To the world no indication of
the course they SHAH pursue has indeed no set.
tied policy; the majority today undues the acts
of the party in power yesterday; the finances of
the nation, administered according to no settled
plan, become exhausted; taxes press heavily
upon all manufactures decay, commerce Ian
guisbes, universal bankruptcy is each man, :
portion and cssisery stalks in every street This
- - ,,ie result when governments cease TO be per
manent nsttutions--when the mob and not the
laws govern-this Is The condition Of govern
ment which is but revolution en- permane1ce
! And this seems TO us to be one Of the dangers