The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-03-20
An Extra Session oT Congress-The Ulta-
matum % the south.

m Extra Seeei0D o. C0n8ress-The Ulta-
matum - tho south.
From eur Washington intelligence, a. we'll -
from the necessities Of the administration, 1t Is
probable an extra session Of Congress will be
called by the President We are in favor of
calling an extra session, not to pass Force
bill, but to devise some plan by which the
Union may be reconstructed, or harmonious re-
lations between the North and the South estab-
lished. The beat thing the new Congress when
assembled can do is to adopt the permanent
constitution of the Confederate States, and sub
NIT it to the other States for adoption by the
constitutional number of three-fourths Of the
whole. This would settle the question and re-
store peace and harmony to a troubled nation,
while at the same time every statesman and
every man of common sense must admit that
| the new constitution is decided improvement
on the old, and there is nothing in it to pro-
hibit the admission Of free States, as South
| Carolina desiTed-the annexation only re-
curing two-thirds vote of Congress.
The convention which Mr.. Lincoln proposes
| is now too late. The sevea States which have
seeded could not be represented, and the ac-
ton of convention in which they would have
no voice would not be binding on them. There
is no other alternative, therefore, left THAI to take
the constitution as amended by the Confede-
rate States and adopt their amendments. Most
of those amendments were proposed in the
Convention which adopted the old constitu-
ton, and experience has proved that they
ought to have been then agreed to. The old con-
stitution, without the eleven amendments sub
sequently adopted, would have been very i'm
perfect. The Bill of Rights embodied in those
amendments, and suggested chiefly by Jeffer-
| son, is more important than any provisions
| in the original constitution. The amendments
now adopted by the Confederate States are of
| great practical value, and seem absolutely ne
cessary for the proper working of our compli-
Gated system of government. Whatever is
new will be admitted by the most violent abo-
| litionists to be an Improvement upon our pre-
sent constitution, and what relates to slavery is
not new, but the old Defined explained and
made practical.
Extending the Presidents term to six years,
without his being re-eligible, is undoubtedly
an Improvement, both preventing the intrigues
and corrupting influences of President for
reelection, as in the case Of Pierce, and at the
same time saving the country from being sub
jected too frequently to the exhansting process
of political agitation. The stability of the 60
vernment will be greatly increased, and the
Office, being for six years, will invite the legiti
| mate ambition of better class of men than
| the candidates who have sought it in recent
years. 1t is well known that it was only in
compliment to Washington the Chief Magis-
trate was made re-eligible. There is another
improvement which ought to have been made
a change in the mode of electing the President,
either by Congressional districts, by the State
legislatures, or by a majority of the popular
vote. The College of Electors ought to be
abolished and the system of caucusing and
party conventions cut off,
The Office seeking. which is the bane and
the reproach of the United States is effectually
cut of by the section which provides that the
subordinate officers in the several departments
can only be discharged for dishonesty, inca
pacity or neglect of duty and the corruption
| in Congress, which for the last few years has
astounded the world, receives heavy blow by
the provision which renders two-thirds vote
of both houses necessary for all appropris-
tions, unless they shall be asked and estimated
for by one of the heads of departments and
submitted to Congress by the President The
complement of this provision is that other one
which permits Cabinet Ministers TO take part in
those debates in Congress relating to their
respective departments, and thus subjects them
to wholesome catechising and cross-exami-
nation.
Two other provisions against corruption are
highly important. One is that every law or
resolution having the force of law shall re-
late to but one subject and that that shall be
expressed in the title. The effect of this is to
cutoff the foul practices of lacking on ap
preparations to various bills, OF OF tacking
bills to appropriations with which they
have no connection, or Of smuggling On
Objectionable measure into another measure
which is good, and thus carrying it by stealth;
or Of members of Congress making corrupt
bargain to vote for each others pet jobs put
into one bill. The second excellent restriction
is that Congress shall grant no extra COM
pensation to any public contractor, officer,
agent or servant, after such contract shall have
been made or such service rendered.
Taking away from the President the right
to pardon in case of impeachment is another
valuable provision; for, by the present consti-
tuition, the President may not only pardon him
self, but his heads Of departments acting under
bis direction.
Internal improvements at the expense of the
federal treasury, the source of so much con-
tention in times past, are expressly prohibited.
Improvement Of harbors, the furnishing of
lights, bcacons, buoys, If done by the general
government, must be paid for out OF the duties
laid on the navigation benefited thereby. A