The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-05-22

tePuUAC@n PoAy aaOSo tsAnn any Otoer JVurnaA,
and we supported Judge Parker and the demo
cratic State ticket The second truth Is, that
6ickles himself has Acknowledged publicly that be
voted for one Of the most infamous of the infamous
acts Of 1857, namely, the Prohibitory Liquor act
which Injuries greater proportion of industrious
people in this city than any other of the dozen acts
passed by the Legislature. Mr. Dan. Sickles az
fected to oppose the other atrooious acts while
secretly encouraging them, as is well kaown TO
Thurlow Weed and others, who carried them up
to be passsd at Albany.
The administration of Mr. Buchanan can gain
no honor by giving patronage and influence to
double faced politicians, either in Washington or
New York.
The Municipal Connict--nercsiitary Treason.
Whatever defects may be urged against II in
detail, there can be no doubt that the most per-
| feet political system ever devised is that en-
bodied in the constitution of the United States
By a species of Providential intuition, rather
than from the lessons Of experience, its trainers
! seem to have guarded against every possible dan
ger that can threaten the noble structure which
they raised. Nothing less than the direct inspi-
ration of God himself could have gifted them
with the prescience which enabled them to meet
perils that were latent and remote, aud which
| nothing but an almost superhuman vision could
foreeee.
The chief feature of the constitution, by which
70 much is efcted and 30 little left to chance is
that which seems to have been the all pervading
idea of the great minds who framed this grand
political charter of nations liberties namely,
a wide epread, but harmonious distribution of
the governing power. With such a variety of
mixed races and interests to deal with in the
future they foresaw that they must depart as
widely as possible from the principle Of centrali
zaton and diffuse to the remetest extremities of
the body polite share of the vitalizing influence
| of self-government. How admirably this has
been effected and how completely the constitu-
ton has answered all the purposes contemplated
by its founders it is not necessary for Us, after
seventy years experience Of its benefits, to say.
No higher eulogium can be passed upon 1t than
that, at the present day, human wisdom cannot
detect necessity for altering any of its main
| features
France gave effect to her republican aspira-
tiOns almost immediately after the adoption of
our constitution. The revolution of 1889 was
undoubtedly precipitated by our example, al-
though matters had already been long tending in
that direction. In their endeavors to initiate u.s.
however, the French republicans neither profted
by the lessons Of history nor the model which we
held up to them They either did not appreciate
it or they thought it inapplicable to their case,
although their subsequent experience must have
convinced them that it was the only practical
realization Of the republican theory possible.
Whilst We carefully guarded against the tendency
to Capitalization, which all governments, repub-
lican as well as monarchical exhibit, they en-
couraged and adopted it, and 30 cherished the
parasitical influences which ultimately brought to
the ground the noble tree they had nourished with
their blood Had they restored to the cities of
France the rights and privileges the extinction
Of which enabled Louis Quatnrze to exclaim with
unfortunate truth, Pedt ces mo-! it would have
been impossible for the Jacobins, despicable In
numbers as they were, to enslsve brave and
intellectual people, or for despot like the first
Napoleon to centre the supreme power in his
own person. By this fatal error Of the French
republicans the possession Of . single city in
France secures to any successful military adven-
turer an absolute control over the destinies of
the French nation, and renders popular freedom
in that country an impossible condition of
things.
There have not been wanting amongst US
traitors who would gladly have nulliaed that
grand feature OF our constitution which secures
to all sections of tho country the right of self
government The federal party, through the
Alien and Sedition acts, contemplated objects
which would have established the principle Of
Capitalization amongst Us. and gradually sub
verted all our local privileged Amongst the
prominent leaders Of that party was Rufus
King, the father Of the present Governor
Of the State Of New York. Tel psre
~ fls. After the lapse Of half a century,
sufficient we should think 10 convince him of his
worthy progenitors errors, We find the son at the
head of conspiracy to deprive the people of
New York Of the right of selfgovernment IL
would seem as If the family were determined to
render itself famous in history by its attempts
agsins. Unpopular liberties
Fortunately there is sufficient public spirit
amongst our citizens, and sufficient inherent pow
or in our existing municipal government to ena-
BILE us to defeat with case these reasonable cf-
forts at political usurpation. We do not deny TO
the Legislature the right 70 pass such acts and
make such appointments as they please, 10 long
as they do not conflict with those higher rights
which We derive from the constitution of the
United States as well as from our ancient char
tcrs There cannot be the slightest doubt of the
unconstitutionality Of the attempt 10 bring The
counties adjoining New York within the same
measure Of police Legislation as that Of the city
itseh. We're the Court Of Appeals 10 decide that
question in favor Of the Legislature, the point Is
20 clear that IL is certain the citizens OF New