The southern press., 1851-07-31

with IN epergy and pfaattpsd wIadom whiah Win
rebound ~ its eternal honor.
ri has succeeded n has foe the moment over
come tho hetious and v4nqulshed anarchy. But
it has not attainsd this without many sacrifices,
many struggles. and severe lossss. The nation
isn0w fatgued, but, at the same time, 1t Is moved,
and lll Of uDeasiness.
ut remembers that in February, not only were
the political institutions oyerthrown, but that IT
was attempted to reach civil institutions them
selves, those which were 80 necessary to the in
terests OF the country, and which had hitherto
served AZ the common and respected basis for
all civilized governments. This remembrance,
which incessantly presents itself to its imagina-
ton In the midst Of the inomentary repose which
it enjoys, makes it tremble.
1T is in this state Of the public mind that it
feels itseif led away in spite Of ITSELF by the ir
reslstible power of the law itself, towards new
crisis more terrible, perhaps, than all the Others
4lt perceves from afar the two great powers
which guide and maintain society become weak
ened together, and on the poirt of disappearing
at the same time, without being able to distinct
ly see what may come in their place, for the
spirit of the future assembly depend on the
chances OF the election, and the President Is not
re-eligible. Let US figure to ourselves the an
xiety and the terror which must seize every
| place which the government now occupies
amongst US. Is it not to be feared that in this
disturbance and in this agony, the electors may
feel themselves impeled, not from enthusiasm
for name or for man, but from terror of the
future, and from horror of a archy, to maintain
Illegally ani by kind of popular act of violence.
the Executive power in the hands which now
hold it!
"Let the mode of the Presidential election
established by the constitution itself bs ex-
amined, and it will be seen that it facilitates
much as the law can do this revolutionary and
disastrous result. A great nation spread over
a vast space, nation the sphere Of whose exc
tive power is almost without limit, and when
the sole representative of that power Is elected
| by the universally of citizens voting directly,
and separately, and without having any means OF
enlightening themselves and coming to an un-
derstanding together-that do not hesitate to
say, has never been seen in any nation in the
world The only country in the world which
presents anything analogous is America. But
look at the proaigious difference In America
direct and universal suffrage is the common law; ;
only one exception has been introduced to that
great principle. and that applies precisely to the
election of the President. The President of the
United States of America also cmanates from "A
universal vote, but not directly. And neverthe-
Isss the part of the executive power in the
Union, compared to what it is and always will
be in France, whatever may be done, is trifliDg
one; and Notwithstanding, in that country,
where the republic may be said to have ex-
listed from its very origin, it has not been dared
to confide the election Of the representative and
OF the executive government to the chance of u
direct and universal vote. The power to be
elected has appeared to be too great, and par
ticularly too far removed from the elector, for
his choice to be enlightened and mature. The
American nation only chooses delegates, who
elect the president These delegates doubtless
represent the general spirit of the country, its
tendencies its tastes, and often its passions and
its prejudices but they have at least the advan-
tage Of knowledge which the general body of
the people could have They may form to them
selves an exact idea of the general wants Of the
people, of its real dangers-they may know the
candidates. compare them with one another, and
select, which each citizen in the midst Of his
| ordinary occupations is capable OF doing. Thus
it has been seen, during the last sixty years, that
the Americans have frequently set aside from
the office Of first magistrate Of the republic
citizens we'll known and sometimes very illus
trious, and chosen those who are comparatively
obscure, but who better respond to the political
wants of the moment.
Z" # the dangers of universal and direct suf-
frage in such case have struck the egi ,lators
Of the United States, how much more must
they excite our attention. We, who live in a
country where the majority of the citizens are
not yet accustomed to occupy themselves with
political affairs, and do not know, even by name
the majority of those who guide them, and who
besides have already contracted passions suggest
eddy the spirit of democracy, not to wish to
place any of their equals at the head of the
government, and have not yet acquired intelli-
gence and experience which democratic nations
require in order to know how to solve it, Who,
with the exception, perhaps, of some famous
demagogues who have made themselves noticed
by their interested and violent passions, or of
some princes whose birth has made them seen
from afar-who is the only parsonage whose
name might easily arrive at the knowledge, and
fix effirmly in the memory Of those millions
of rural electors who cover the surface of France
if not that of the man by whom the public power
has been exercised for some years, who has long
personihed the central government in the eyes |
of every citizen, who is seen everywhere
amongst us, and whose influence is felt in all |
things
"And if in consequence of this, in the alb
sence Of any other known candidate, or perhaps
from the illegitimate action of parties, or of the
were to take place, what would happen! Is It
believed that the only consequence of such an
event would be the abolition Of an article of the
constitution! When a people has with its
own hands broken part Of its fundamental law
has it not virtually abolished all the rest, and
reduced to dust the entire fabric of it govern
ment? The whole constitution would be over
thrown, upset by su1ien impulse without
there remaining standing any legtim te power
which would have the right of re-crectng any
thing in its place. And what, gentlemen. is
the constitution, however imperfect it may be
snpposeds 1t is not necessary for us to say
that it is legality and right. The constitution
not legally changed, but violated and over
thrown, every thing might be tried, everything
would become possible. Political right would
nowhere be found-the sole and last vestige o.
it would have disappeared. France would again
be delivered up to the caprices of the multitude
and to the chance of the strongest
"Who can think, and who would dare to say,
that the national assembly, the guardian Of the
rights of the country Wond tranuuillv ON rar tho |