New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-02-22
FROM WASHINGTON.
TIE PURSE AND TIE SWORD!
p.oa an o.e.Eenl Core.2obden;.

haVns deDaIGed the purse IN tke = Java P''ycSS
the Pre.ident Dow esmors for the sword. In hs
special message OF this evening, ne ihforms Con-
gress that he wants TO use the Army and the Navy
il ihbustering in the Calf and p'uDgiDg usiato
wars with al Central America As 10 the tairty
millions OF money be wants that to brioe Cuban
officials. 70 reward dsafected friends, and fight
his enemies at home. He admits, IN the message,
that The letter Of the Constitution, and the spirit
OF Republican institutions, lie IN his path. But,
he gently hints 10 Congress that the former Is
failure and the latter behind the age, and, there
fore. they bad best eyade the one and ignore the
other. Like the Federallsts of old, OF who ne
il lingering relic, he favOrs strong governments
hi the French Emperor of our day, OF whom he
h an updseuised admirer he thinks that the public
safety demands that the Executive be clothed with
unlimited Discretionary powers, Do we color the
picture too deeply Read and ponder the recent
message.
In that document taken in connexion with the
NEEDING bills 10 acquire Cubs by corruption, aud
fonent petty fights with all the Western Hems-
phcre south OF US does not staTte the country then
the country is past being alarmed at the march OF
autocra,y; or which is more likely, 1t has arrived
at the conclusion that the Democratic party ia so
hopelessly demOralized, and the Administration so
utterly poweIess, that the one Is worthy only OF
contempt, and the other has sunk below 1t.
Looking at the broken columns OF the party, and
the imbeclty of the President, the Opposition is
t-rptej to hurl at them the proud defiance which
Broueham hurled at the Duke of Wellington, when
be assum I'd the Premiership Said the great Com
moper. ED Marshal the Duke of Wellington,
"msy tsbe the aImy-he may take the maybe may
I" take the great seal-he may take the inter. 1
make him present of them all. Let him come ou
" with bis whole force, sword in hand, against the
"ConsttuiiOn; and the English people will not only
beat him back but laugh at bis assaults. 10 other
times, the country may have heard with dlsmay,
" that the soldier was abroad 1t VIII not be so
NOW. Let the soldier be abroad If he will; he
can do nothing 10 this age. There is another per-
soDage abroad-a parsonage less lmPoang-ln
"the ewes of some, perhaps, insignificant. The
scboomasteri is abroad; and trust t. him, armed
with bis primer, against the solder In iu nultary
array"
am aware that as things now stand, nothing
can be more ludicrous than to compare the nero OF
Waterloo. in the penitude of bis power, with the
old Peckspif of the White House, surrounded by
his cohort of frightened ohice-hOlders. But
should he succeed in passing his money and his
war bills: should he thus clutch the purse sBd the
sword; and should he find corrupt agents to use
the one. and even brave men 10 WELD the other
we may trust free people, armed with the
primer of the schools and the power OF the press,
against James Buchanan and his Cabinet IN full
military and naval costume.
Tie press has not dwelt with sufficient emphasis
upon the modesty of the Administration in clamor-
ing for the money and war bills Mr.. Buchanan,
when Minister to London in an after-dinner speech
at the Lord Mayors, proclaimed his admiration for
the administrative system of England. Let US
trace and apply the analogy he suggested.
The American President stands for the English
Premier. When beaten ia Parliament on leading
measure. be either resigns within reasonable time,
Of tha h m
try. In the former case, he often remains in Office
several weeks: in the latter, usually for two or
three months. But he never presumes, unless re-
assured of general election, to initiate any new
measure of importance, or ask for the passage OF
any law which would imply confidence in bis ad-
ministration. He merely carries on the Govern
meDt until it can fall naturally and with the least
possible detIment, into such hands as the popular
voice has indicated.
A thoroughly beaten English Minister would
never dare 10 ask the Commons for any vote that
would imply continued trust in his government.
Neither Walpole, Pitt Perceyal, nor Peel, in the
hight of their popularity, add when backed by the
throne and tho sristOcracy, dreamed OF facing
House in which he had been oyerthTown on a car
dnal measure, after an unsuccessful appeal 10
the electors of the Kingdom. If either of these
great Ministers had had sufficient impudence or
courage to attempt IT, he would have been booted
from ST. Stephens by members of all parties aud
pelted through the Strand by the street mob, while
the press and the universal voice Of the British
nation would have consigned him and his packers
10 political damnatiOn.
need not make the application. The analogy
does not run all tours out it walks straight to
the conclusion that inpudence less sterling and
ample than that of James Buchanan would not
suffice to ask to be ntrusted with the purse and
the sword of the nation, immediately after the
Lecompton overthrow of the last session, and the
utter rout at the polls in the following October and
November.