New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-03-26
RUSSELL on THE DETECTS OF TIE
FEDERAL CONSTITUTION.

Bentley has issued Vol /. Of "The Life and
Time, of Charles James Fox" by Lord John
Russell, who, as an eminent living statesman Of
the school of Fox, seems fifty chosen to present
fully and fairly the character and services Of
William Pitts great antagonist and rival. Of
course, Lord John is early confronted with the
history of our Revolutionary struggle against the
mother country, and, Englishman though he be,
be very frankly afirms that the Americans were
clearly right and the British Court wholly wrong
in that controversy At the close of his account Of
that struggle, Lord John pays tribute to the
founders of our Federal system, closing with q
succinct statement Of what he conceives ~ be tho
defects of that system, which cannot be without
interest ard may even be instructive to our coun-
trymen. Writing without trace of personal ia
teres or party bitterness he sums up those defects
as follows:
81. The President Of the Republic was 10 be elect
ell for no more than four years. Hence the whole
mind Of the people s kept in 8 continual et8te Of sg
tstion Hence also wit the jealous instinct of de-
mccracy, Of superior virtue and superior talent
are set aside in favor OF candidates from whose char
acter and eoquence predominant inf lence Is % be
feared. Arsuces and Alclbades are removed u make
way for Cleon ard NicGs.
d2. With this defect is combined another, which
causes some surprise especially IN men who shook OF
the curb Of the British monarchy, and ran their free
through the wilderness OF political speculation.
They took security that the President should shspe
his policy by the prevailing opinion Of the peoples
representatives We have seen thst, ~hes the House
of Commons resolved tnat war should no logger be
carried on upon the continent Of North America, the
Ministry was changed, and tue resolution al once
carried into effect. IL could not De otherwise But if
the HOuss Of Representatives in Congress were 70
cone 10 q similar vote the President need not change
his M ters alter bic policy. Thus the safety
Of the BTt.h monarchy IL wanting In the American
democracy.
as Another tifculty is inherent in the composition
of the Congress. TIE bodies are both elective;
equally independent equally free from the control OF
toe Executive. Whist II they should offer vital
question A similar difficulty 10 Great Bri ain could
only be temporary; either the people you'd support
the HCuse Of Lords as N 1881, or the Lords EOui
yield 20 the popular voice in 1892 In nercs it ia
Lot easy 70 say in Whist manner the American C0ns.i
tuition could recover the shock.
"a. One spot remains, which oceans cannot wash
out. The Slavery Of the African race, which the
North Americans had inherited from the snceRt mon
srchy, was adopted sbd fonoy cherished by the new
Republic. Washington, from the impulse Of ME warm
heart, get free by his Will his ssvee; Jefferson,
from the csculstions Of his cool head deduced the
conclusion that the black race ought be sent bsek
10 Africs. The logic Of the Constitution decled that
al men were free the pride and svarlce OF tae slave
owners oiso~ring the image Of the Creator and the
brotherhood OF nature, degraded men OF DARK color,
ard I'll the descendants Of their sens and dsugh
ters, TO level with oxen and horses. b. ss oxen
and horses never combine, and have no sense OF
vronged independence, oxen and horses are better
treated than the and women OF African blood.
All the cruelties which fear and Jealousy induced the
deepotic tyrants Of the Roman Empire 10 commit,
eonsecrated by lay and permitted by custom IN tue
Free States of the New World. Neither the eiviizs
heI Of commerce nor The Gd9si9n Of lstteu .es re