New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-03-19

summer-one would suppose, would have satisfed, al
nouseum any man of the most ordinary perceptions
sensibiiHes, that the system of electng President
prescribed by the Constitution of the United States,
practically administered, is one Of the lowest, most
uncertain, unsafe and most deLoralzing thai the wit
OF man ever invented.
Why could not orr Constitution makers at Mont.
gomery bave fallen back the original practice under
Inc Constitution Of the United States in it, purer dayst
lbls was, to elect the Presidential Electors by
sponsi1ie c0nG tde representatives. Of the peoplethe
ota,e Legislatures Or, what wolld have been bettex
still, to elect them by the 10e az the State egs.
latures-the more conservative branch. lie Ioo9er
term Of Office 81 he State Senator with the blshed
character superior experience aud gravity Of their
years would have placed the election Of the Pressent
in the wisest and pnrcst hands, aloof from populaY
agitation or the mere dc;aions Of parry.
The Mree.tJths representation, taken from the Con-
suon Of the United States, it appears to u.s. aso to
be grave error. Why should tie'e not be repre-.
seDtacn Of all slaves well an Of Only hrec6fhs of
item. Are not slaves persons ss we'll III women and
cbildren1 And constituting as thov do, by meaus
the least efficient portion Of the productive population,
why should not the communities in which they live
lave for them prOporiiOnate representation Tlero
should be full representation at al. We fear
that some sickly sentmenIality, m wise iimdity,
put upon this badge OF YanEceism ard practical in
justice-this unwse comrrouise Of fathers in the
OLD Consf itutiOn the three-i,fths representation.
Nor can we see the wisdom Of t0rbidaiRg he slave.
trade IN the Constitution. Heie tue proposed Con.
stiturion gees beyond the Constitution of the United
States wbics only authorized Congress TO prohibit 1t.
n now urohibed In tie Confederate States By net Of
Congress. Why this addition, an e1crescense on the
new Constitution. Il viii not DO more or less eiiectnal
to prevent tie African savetraGe. Were our Consii-
mton.mskers looking Northward or 10 Europe rather
than TO the requirements of their own country and
dignity! Why this agitation OF tbs question Ut this
time Why this excestive anxiety to iorestal public
orucn now and forever ard ~ make way for al time,
with even the consideration Of topic that may here
sitter involve the development and Eanti0n Of our
IT, 20
engaged in the Coolie saye-tIaGe 10 supply their
economic eonveniences With all their phil nthroic
professions they have exhibited no compuneous Wait"
ings Of conscience nor made base to satisfy us IN re-
gard TO what they are dong intend TO do, In the
future. Nobody has proposed that the trade should DO
recpened by the Lew Constitution.
IL the virtue and intelligence Of orr peoples dis'
tynsted IL II question With ms OF benefit on dani'
age TO the white raoeone Of political economy, pecu-
riary advantage and domestic .ate'y. II ID question
ike Other questions Of high piblic utility and eon-
cerument. II nay be dangerous, 10 be approached
wi bout caution, aud acted on with the estssi dis"
cretion No one desired to NEEDLE with Il AZ this juno
tare. But il is no question Of moras, unless Slavery
itself is wrong. Ii il easy TO zee that II the African
sL.ve-tIade Ii atomrabe as TO be ifted beyond q
Question of expectancy 70 ole OF morals and stamped
with the eternal leVrObaton Of our Government tho
question Immediately and necessarily arises, what
then is Slavery itsslf Institution that has sprung
from this trade Ii would lave been more confitene
and wise to have adbercd IN this Instance to the
Constitution Of tie United States and LEI. the SUBJ
ect alone the trade prohibited by Congressional es
actmeuts. -
We confess too, that we have been disappointed Ia
he Confederate States not being made COEjederacg
Of Sosc Stot>s only no Confedernny has ever lasted
with q dissimilaIity OF domestic institutions. lns
disinilaity bet cen tie North and The South Eas 1sS
broke ap tie Corfe1eracy established by or fathers
Would j, not have been wise 10 have taken the grand
Lesson Of experience, which our present condition
tehrles and after the knowledge of the bitter TRIES
sndmmn ut perils We have Just caped to have limited
the Confederate States 10 Savebolgu5 STATES exer'
svelyi The Consultation guarantee slDlisr!ty n
political institutions among the sllves Why2iQ pos
slso guarantee similarity Of domestic instiuons
which lie far more important TO the peace and harmony
of a Confederacyi
The clause in the Constitution providing that other
States may he admitted into this Coniederaey by
vote Of two,birds of the whole House of Representa-
ives and twothirds Of the Senets, he Senate voting
by States" is certainly check 70 Ihe easy intro
dlction Of Free Stotes into tie CoDfedeIey. We
suppose &c wss inserted for this purpose but would
have been greatly better TO have put the prom lion
directly and clearly in the Constitution The onis ION
TO insert such prohibition, in oar judgment, h
grave omission. c.s:.
But taken rs a whole, tire Constitution ~ SvzGa,
ern Confederacy submitted TO Us by odf desgstes at
Montgomery, Is the best CONSTITUTION, We believe,
ever dryistd bv man. We grateful for H. and eannos
doubt that it will long endure monument OF the wis
DOM ability, suG patriotism Of the statesmen Of The
A.v