Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-02-26
A LouIsiana JsarnaI on the Constitution
of the Southern ConfederRcY.


of the Southern COnfederacy.
The New Orleans Delta, of late date, re-
marks:
Our Northern neighbors do great injustice
to the new Constitution of the Confederate
States, when they claim that it is but a
repetition of the old Constitution of 1887.
Their failure, however, to observe several
important changes made in the new compact,
is quite natural. 1t would not be agreeable
to their pride of opinion to be compelled to
confess that the Constitution Of the Confed-
crate States is great improvement upon
the old instrument. Then, too, it has been
one of their favorite cdndrds, that the Gulf
States contemplated strong-a monarchi-
cal or oligarchical form of government, and
that their great hostility to the old system
arose from their opposition to republican
principles.
This fiction receives a rude shosk from the
changes which have been made by the Con-
vention at Montgomery. All these changes
are directed to the object of their rendering
the Government more republican and simple.
All doubtful and implied powers have
been abandoned. Instead of ga Union" and
"a nation" the Constitution is made
to express clearly that it is a "Oonfederacy of
| sovereign Statesn All power to establish
protective. tariffs, national banks, or embark
the Government in, splendid and expensive
schemes Of public improvements, are posi-
| lively prohibited to the new COnfederacy.
| None but express powers are delegated.
There are other changes with which our
people are greatly pleased, as tending to
simplify our Government, which have, for
obvious reasons, failed to attract the notice
and admiration of our Northern neighbors.
Ever since the Government has existed,
| there have been two frightful sources of cor
ruption-extravagan and dishonesty
| ,.al, ,nNsa -, 6
cry have banished from the new Govern
ment. These were the unrestricted right Of
appropriations by Congress of the public
treasure, and the limitation of the Veto
power to the acts of Congress, instead ofex.
tending it to every distinct appropriation o.
public money.
Under this system the public money ha.
been wasted in the most reckless manner
and chiefly to the advantage and enrichment
of the North, Every member of Congress
sought to strer gthen himself with his con
stituents by obtaining some appropriation
for his district, whether the public interes
needed it or not, and by combinations of tn
members such appropriations were forceC
through Congress. These appropriations
known as Buucombe schemes, are always pu
in bills containing necessary and proper ap
propriations to carry on the Government
and the President was compelled to APPROX
J them or deprive the Government of th
: needed supplies. But, under our Montgon
cry Constitution this system is done ava
with.
: Now Congress is limited to voting sue
appropriations beyond its own expenses
l are recommended and estimated by I'll
!, President and the heads of department
! Those who desire appropriations from IL
r Government must therefore resort to Il
President and Departments. The Congres
: men are relieved of all solicitation and pres
!. ure, and deprived of all influences on ths
: account. Then the President is empowere
to veto any single appropriation, and to al
a prove any others in the same act. The
: are viewed by our people as most importal
5 and valuable changes and Improvements
e our Constitution, but whether they will
so regarded at the North isextremely dout
: full. We can assure them, that in insertiI
>, those provisions we are not at all influence
If by the consideration and desire to keep the
f out of the Confederacy of the South, v
% would prefer, however, to see the two sy
n TENS tested side by side.