The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-03-22

or Roman Catholic priests my radical reform Of
their hierarchy. BY very material process, the
bureaucracy has become one of the great powers
Of ths State and displays, asfll great powers do,
an insolencs peoportioned to its strength.
Every minister Is, almost in spite OF himself, ar
bitrary and oppressive.
If the effects of the system on functionnries
are corrupting, they are no less pernicious in
their influence upon the people.
All discussions of public affairs being kept as
far as possible from the hearing Of the inhabi-
tants Of the township, the most profound igno-
rance usually prevails in relation to them A
concomitant Of this ignorance IL. in most cases,
a suspicion TINT all is not right in the admins
tration, and that the interests of the citizens are
trihed with by the perfect and council. mime
cases out Of ten, the mayors become unpopular
before quitting Office The people, having no
data for opinions, give ready ear to the most
preposterous rumors.
BY this effect Of the actual administrative sys-
TEN, one may account for the apathy of the
French in regard to the detection Of crime, and
the arrest of criminals. 1t il a remarkable fact
that resistance to public officers is very common
in France, and that In such cases the bystanders
rarely interfere, and then, generally for the pnr-
pose OF allowing the criminal to escape. The
idea that the gendarnes are executing the law
for the benefit of all, does not occur to the peo-
pie SO readily as that they belong to a privileged
and odious class. In the February revolution
the poor police guards were shot down without
mercy, while the troops of the line were treated
with affection--for the former had been in direct
contact with the people as the executors Of the
law.
Discomfort with the body of functionaries il
easily transferred to the State, and. the popular
mind is easily prepared to welcome any change.
After few years Of quiet, so many causes, iu,-
aginary or real, of complaint have been accu-
INFLATED in the communes that things are ripe
for revolution, Municipal councils have been
hurt by arbitrary conduct the part Of projects;
unpopular mayors have been imposed on CON-
munes; Jealous mayors have been disappointed
in their hopes of higher office; taxes have
been increased, the people know not why; and
the moral sense of the community has been Of
Tended by the fantastic tricks of those in au-
thority. A movement at Paris drives the gov
eminent from the capital, and the King, or En-
perer, or President, finds too late that he has
departments and cannot hope for aid.
The present system is a permanent state OF
war between the government and the people
'IO~Ocotp<ssO''s
employment of standing army, for the sup
preston Of Instructions. OF the immense
army now on foot, not more than about thirty
thousand are dsposable for service against u
foreign enemy, the rest arc necessary for the
interior. A thorough reform in the communal
system, allowing the people to choose their own
mayors and town councils and regulate their
own local affairs, and making it a criminal Of
fence for any minister or project to attempt to
use mayor for political purposes, would ena-
Bile the assembly to effect an economy Of sew
eral hundred millions on the war budget
A republic protesting that its institutions are
based on universal suffrage, and maintaining an
army of four hundred thousand men to keep
itself from civil war, is frightful political
solecism. All that is necessary to do away
with it is little more honesty in the application
of republican principle That this is SO, will be
evident to any one who will take the trouble to
compare the Massachusetts, township system
with the communal system Of France, and their
effects on the tranquility of the two states.
w