The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-05-28

md the BritiA officers ere content With their
prize money.
Our obligations in regard to the trade arc oil
contained In the eighth and ninth articles Of
the Ashburton treaty. By the first Of these we
agree to keep squadron on the coast of Africa;
and BY the seoond-which sets forth the difficult
ty Of expressing tho trade "while market can
be found for slaves''-we agree to unto with
Great Britain 'ia all becoming representations
and remonstrances with any and all Powers IN
whose dominions such markets are allowed to
exist" The only Power coming under this
clause Is Spain; but Great Britain has been
backed down from making them for some years
past by the threat Of Spain that she would ap-
peal to all Europe If England did anything that
would encourage the Cubans to throw Of the
yoke of the mother country. Fearing that .
union with the United States in this matter
would only help the United States in their other
claims on Spain, Great Britain has not only re-
fused to press upon Spain q compliance with
her treaty stipulations, but has declined to in
vite us to demonstrate ON this subject, and has
done all she could to induce US from pressing
other remonstrances upon that Power. The
more this question ia ventilated, the more will it
be apparent that England has other objects than
the suppression of the slave trade in view.
THE PRESIDENTS AUTHORITY TO REpREss In
suLr.-No sooner is it proposed to confer upon
the President the necessary authority to do the
very thing that he is condemned for not doing
whenever occasion arises-thst is, to act at once
to restrain insult to our flag and citizens abroad
promptly, when occasion may require-than
some old fogies who always are found in Oppo-
sition to everything practical, start up with OBJ
jections. The last and most ridiculous of these
that have been brought against the bill intro
duOed by Mr.. Douglas in the Senate, is that it
confers power upon the President that may be
dictatorial. The same objection may be brought
against every power conferred upon the Execu-
tive, for all power is in some degree dictatorial.
But there are two conditions which we wish to
see attached to all power:-First, that it shall
reside in somebody that will use it when ne
cessary; and second, that its use shall be 40
compaAied with responsibility. If the power to
resent insult and demand PREPARATION for out
RACES upon our citizens is to reside only in
Congress- the experience of the past tells US it
never will be used either with promptness or
discretion. If used at all, it is only long after
the occasion is passed away, and the effect of
the lesson is lost by the delay; or else when
some one can logroll claim against foreign
Power into a bill providing for twenty other
things, and secure its passage by giving mem
bers contingent interest. Here the irrespon-
sibility Of Congress shields the wrong doors, and
nobody is held to answer, though every one is
ashamed of the affair when it leaks out The
public interest will best be served and our citi-
zens and flag protected, by comforting the ne
cessary power upon the President, and making
him responsible to Congress for its proper use
the old fogies to the contrary, Notwithstanding.