The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-10-08

dental war with this country There existed
both the party and the statesmen ready and eager
for the perilous design. In that case, however
the throne interposed check which, on MANY
similar occasions. the elder branch of the Bour-
bons had not nterposed. The check of the throne
will no longer exist, unless another change comes
over the feverlsh dream; and 1t time to ask how
far any temporary excitement popular prejudice
is likely for the future to exercise direct and i'm
mediate action on the foreign policy of France
The rrecedents before us are not of nature to
dIspel all alarm In the averaging contest for the
American Presidency there is nothing eliectua
as good war cry. There is always warparty IN
the United States. Mr. Polk came in with Next
can war and " all Oregon or none" on his banner
The former promise he has sufficiently redeemed,
with much glory and very little profit. On the
latter point he has allowed his party engageme nts
to be interpreted by public justice and discretion
But another election is at hand candidates are in
the field not only for that, but tor subsequent
tests, and tactlcians are already preparing their
plans tor many future campaign. The well-in-
formed correspondent whom our readers have
long known under the name OF GA Genevese Ira
yeller," speaks very strongly and decidedly as to
the probable effect of Celtic anti Saxon antpathes
on future PRESIDENTIAL elections. The Irish are a
very large. and. under continual mmgrations, an
increasing, party IN the States. They have always
encouraged, and, this year, have even promised
to assist, rebellion IN Ireland But they, IN gene
raj prefer to operate against England through the
politics OF their adopted country, always siding
with the anti British party, without reference to
any other considerations. General Cass is said to
be secure OF every lrlshman IN the Union because,
as his supporters profess If elected, he will seize
the first tpportunity OF war with England That
every statesman of moderate honor and sense in
the States will see the wickedness and folly OF a
gratultous war, we entertain no manner of doubt
but 1t cannot be concealed that furious war party
and Presidential election every four years are
combination suggestive of danger. In the hour of
Eneland's weakness or distraction in a disastrous
crisis OF European warfare under provOcations or
pretences which no care on our part may prevent,
nnHC
cesstul candidate for the seat of Washington NAV
find himself too deeply and furiousy pledged to
Withdraw, and the Irish 'tizens of the Union may
at length succeed in dragging the two nations into
war, from which England will indeed most
grlevously suffer, but from which we do not
think the United States will emerge without ire
parable harm.
Even in this country, under the decent veil of
monarchical and arlstocratical institutions, we
have often witnessed during the last century and
not less in this, the enormous mischief done by
what may be called our Presidential contest,-the
ST uegle for Ministerial power. Even within the
last dozen years we have parties so evenly
balanced in this island as to drive the actual oc-
cupants OF Office to the most dlscredItable allan
ces, the most mlschlev Gus cOnces ons, and the
most fragrant abuse of official patronage. During
that long struggle between Sir Robert Peel and
the party now In power, which, on the one hand,
so fatally blinded that statesman's eyes to the i'm.
possibility of the engagements thrust upon him by
his trends, the wings, on the other hand, were
thrown into the arms of the Irish incendarips
From 1887 to lS41, Great Britain was governed by
Ireland. 1t Is notorious that during that Deriod
the solicitation of one Irish supporter was all
powerful, not only tor Irish, but for English pa
tronage and, as we know by an example, that one
lrlsh member could carry off prize denied to the
Joint representations of SIX English and Scotch
Among other causes that have contributed to the
present outbreak IN Ireland, must be numbered
that cupidity for place which, after that temporary
encouragement, Il Is now found impossible to
satisfy. The public results of that untow ard COM
bnailon, tell their own tale. The cause of order
has been permanently injured by the fell necessity
which drove honorable men to seek refuge IN a
arisen under a partially representative system, Is
a tact which indicates the still greater dangers of
a purely elective government.
The French republicans are sufficiently jealous
OF the PRESIDENTIAL power to rescue If they pOssI-
BY can, the four years policy of the nation from
the caprlces of one man. and the obligations of
party. When they do not even allow the Presi-
dent veto on the acts OF the Assembly, they re-
duce MN to a position inferior to that OF q British
Prem1er Indeed, 1t Is difficult to imagine Pre-
sdent holding his office in the face Of hostile
Legislation. But peace and war-at least those
negotiations whchl precede and decide this mo- |
mentous question,-must be left to the Executive
ohlef and we have before at once that danger |
which looms so large and so dark in the politics
Of the American rerdblic. The act of a great
people eectlng one man by universal suffrage
that one man TO stand at Its head and to represent
IT IN the great court of nations and arena of the
world, is solemn appeal to the dominant princl-
P'es anu pdssions. UnhappllY, II must often be
made III season OF excitement when the vote
expresses temporary emotion, but entails an UNI
ending result. 1t is impossible not to tremble for
the working of experiment which has never
yet answered, and has hardly yet been tried in
the Old World At this moment all France,
after SIX months experience, would, probably, not
elect fire-brard, or go to the island of Laputa
Tor Its rulers. But no one can venture TO predict
what men, what principles, what particular acts
The whole population would demand on occasions
100 llkely to occur. As regards the Presidential
char OF the French republic the mode OF election
has still to be decided; but the dangerous enden-
cy we have referred to is inherent in any purely
representative system