The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-02-01

EUROPEAN NOTIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THR
UNITED STAIEs.-An intelligent and sagscious
foreigner, who has travelled . great deal in the
United States, was recently asked the questions al
ways thrust by Americans upon foreigners who have
visited this country, " What do you thiuk of tho
United States p "Ain't it a great country z"
" What do you think Of our government % Thu
traveller stroked his beard, and replied, ." Do you
wish my candid opinion 7" "Certainly," said Bro
Their Jonathan. swell, then," said the foreign
gentleman, you area very extensive country
nobody can deny that-bat your people are very ex-
citable and enthusiastic, and are apt to be mised
by false sympathies. They seem to me to be always
hunting for something that they never fnd--ever
in hurry, and never arrive at resting place, like
running round circular pathway that has no end;
and they think they are progressing because they
are feet, when the truth is the faster they go the
sooner they get TO the place they started from. AS
to your government, it seems to me to be perfect
paradox. You all say that the primary object Of
your political institutions is to the people,
and for the people, and Of the people, "a govern
ment.' This machine is to secure, protect, main.
tain, and defend the rights Of the ople And yet
the machine you have Invented and denominato
government fails of this object and purpose-for
by its own constru ctoa it is forever employed in
winding itself up. Every four years you elect
President, and 20 soon as he is installed you set
about electipg successor. You choose q new Con-
gress every two years. and in the middle Of the Pre-
side ntial term. The chief political business of your
people, and of your government, seems to DO the
turning ou., and putting in, Of official functona-
.ies President must be very popullr man to
have governmental control more than two years.
You must pardon me, therefore, for saying, that
regard your government failure as to its professed
objects and purposes"
The premises of the foreign traveller may BIO
conceded, and yet the conclusion thcrefrom is the
reverse of that drawn by him, and is favorable to
the institutions and government of the United
States. This can be proved by logical reasoning.
Government is evil, except far as it restraints
5ice and crime. Attempts by governmental action
affirmative action-to advance what the rulers
may deem sound notions, are sure to lead to error
and end in tyranny Governments are, however, an
evil that is sessary The best government is
that which governs least. The world is governed
too much. If, therefore, the government of the
United States is so continually employed Gin
winding itself up it is the best and safest en-
ployment, SO far as the people concerned, that
can be devised for it. The laws for the restraint
countries-they may be considered as fundamental
ard established rules. They continue to be admi-
nistered, as also the laws for the maintenance and
enforcement of private rights, while the govern
ment may be employed in the outdoor and Incl.
dental business. If the government was not en-
ployed Sin winding itself up, as stated ii might be
doing something worse. Harmless humbug is less
injurious than dangerous practical action. Co.
vernmental tinkering is the apprentice shop
of despotism, and the crude material is the
vsgaries and theo les of hose thus employed.
:" Too much legislation ia the vice of republics
was an ancient moHarchical maxim. 1t was SO in
ancient Rome, and Greece. and in France. If our
travellers Eotion be correct it is not the vice Of
our federal government--and, on the contrary, the
vice he imputes to it is inertness, non action
that it is "no government" always "winding
itself up to get at work, and yet never getting
at work. This, in our judgment, is one of its
greatest merits, and as to which our federal
government is superior to some of eur State
governments The existence Of the federal govern
ment has not been perilled, and never will be,
except by attempts to legslate over matters it had
better let alone-by acting over wisely, and exer
cising powers the possession Of which woud soon
cause its dissolution. Our traveller, therefore COM
pliments rather than dlsparages our federal govern
ment by bis objection. For ourselves, we are
always best satisfied when Congress are engaged in
any "innocent" amusement, debating trding and
unimportant fanciful topics, such Intervention,
which nobody has any serious idea of OF 10 ,gins
in the navy; or the structure Of the addition to tao
Capitol; or even when we notice it is engaged in
little else than intrigues, who shall dispose of and
who shall ill the public offices-for in such case
the public treasury is in comparatively less peril
from Galphnism, and the people from unwise aud
ridiculous legislation on Subjects of more port
ance. If the people will watch closely, and see
that they are not taxed" over much or by in.
direct means, nor debts incurred, for the payment
CT which they are bound, all is safe. They
should reckon at least fifty per cent Of all that is
taken from them by taxsti ton, directly and indi-
re,ty, is Galphinised out Of the public Golfers by
claims, and jobs, and contracts, and schemes and
other populations. They should thank Heaven if
it is no moro than fifty per cent AS to the pre-
vention of members OF Congress, and executive
officers, and politicians generally, from barg aiming
about ofces for themselves and their crones it is
ioe to attempt it. The people must m Ike up their
minds to regard these as veDiai peccadilloes. We
think that il may be predicted That, at tho proper
time at least, seven dem ocratic candidates, and
their friends and at least five wing cand es, aud
their friends, will be bought of By that rival
who stands TIE best chance OF being nominated By
promises of cabinet Offices foreign missions, 81.
Europeans. with but few exceptions, arc totally
ignorant Of the distinction between cur federal aud
State governments. We notice Mr. Matthews, the
British Cons9l at Charleston, s. u, has recently
opened diplomatic correspondence vita the
Governor of that State. We presume President
Fillmore will recall his e1equatlg for tlis conduc,
We cannot see how he can avoid it.
Equally ignorant are foreigners Of cur people.
They seem to think Brother Jonatha never jokes.
They are mistaken. He is very gtea. joker. He
is fonder Of fun and frolic, and has Of it, aud
on grandcr and more sublime scale, than auy
other human being 1t makes little difference
N yhc her Il he I.nla MnnLes knaa1th In