The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-11-30

The Constitution of the French Republic.
We published in our columns on Monday, exclu.
sivey translated for the Herald, the constitution
OF the French democratic republic, in full This
dccument-(wklch we perceive several Of our
contemporaries avail themselves Of in whole or in
part, without acknowledging the source from
whence they have derived it-of whom one draws
from lis articles very doleiu visions of the march
and prospects of the republic )-is of very great
interest and especially to the people of America
We, above all other people, best able to under
stand 1t; perhaps to foresee, some measure, its
working, and by comparison with our own, to
Jrdge OF its value and merits.
The most striking and prominent point IN which
II most DIVORCES from the analogy of our own In
stitutions, is to be noticed in the fact that instead
of two chambers, or two houses, there is but one
house, called the National Assembly. This de-
par,uye from the analogy of our own system has
not been made without due debate and delibera-
ton and we hold It TO be wise, prudent, judcieus
and great improvement 1t comports well with
The title given 10 the republic" one and indivi-
sible;' II compors well with the democratic spirit
OF the French people, and il is calculated to pro.
duce what is SO desirable In every governme Mt
unity, CELEBRITY and promptltude OF action. The
action OF one house is not untried; II has been
proved In history 1t is equal almost to the action
OF one man. Look at the energy, the spirit, the
decision, the promputude, of the Long Parliament
With what ability it carried on a long and
doubtful war at fearful odds, and for a pc.
riod cf eight years, with an exhausted trea-
sury, dispirlted people, diminished resources,
and opposition In every quarter Yet how
greatly, how wonderfully, this handful of men,
combining the genius of many men into one
body, and as IT were into one head, acted with all
the energy and celebrity of single man, and de-
feated, by genius more than by material, the king,
and his nobles and his armies, with all his powers
and resources, which IN the outset far exceeded
those of this spirited body Then again look at
the National Assembly of France in the first great
revolution. That was single body-one house
or chamber-and the prodig'es 1t performed ex-
coed. if possible, those achieved by the Long Par
lament 1t was this body which cleared the
French soil Of foreign invading armes-whlch
poured forth army upon army upon every part of
lis frcntier-whch called into action the genius
and talent OF great generals-whIch first brought
to light the genus and talent of Napoleon. 1t was
overthrown at last by treachery and the dssen-
sions of few of its own members 1t was never
conquered OF subdued by any open power, foreign
when an imbecile government, formed Of two
cha mbers, was erected Its stead, that Napoleon
was able to overthrow The republic and constitute
himself Dictator, Consul and Imperator. He
never could have done this had there been but
One chamber. His plan was, "Dir,de ct impera."
The Assembly was divided he destroyed 1t by
piecemeal, and cast the fragments into the mould
OF an empire.
10, "A L.. IL
are M cessary IN our government to prevent the
collision, and to moderate the asperities of the
two great parties into which the people have been
hitherto divided. There must and ever will be
parties, especially In republic of freemen-parlies
antagonistic to each other, which, like the two
poles OF electricity, serve TO prodrce IN the end,
beneficial results. When parties are brought to-
gether on one floor, and in sight Of each other, II
strikes US as being better than when they are
placed in more remote positions by the formation
Of two houses. The unity Of action which single
legislative bodies have exhibited, seems to prove
that single chamber has tendency to produce a
fusicn ofpartles, and to moderate and subdue the
force OF faction; while two chambers dlfiuse the
evil, and give the factions in a State longer life
and stronger hopes Of prevailing in the end against
the majority. II this view be correct, a single
chamber must have the effect OF neutrallzing the
force OF parties, by quickly putting down all but
the majority, and thus, at least. shortening the
strife. The idea OF two chambers sprang, no
doubt, from attachment to the British form of Par
lament, and to the loved association of lords and
commons. When our Senate and House of Repre-
sentafives were established after this model, peo-
PIE were not exactly "wide awake" and would
have been frightened, at that day, at the idea of
departing too widely and too suddenly from
the forms and systems under which they had
lived, and TO which, by habit und Gus
tom, they had become much attached
Where the people are one, the house in which they
ale represented surely ought to be one. But where