The national Republican., 1861-03-18
CONSTITUTION OF THE SOUTHERN
CONFEDERACY.

Constitution Of the Southern Con'edcr"cy, is
published in fail. The appearances are, that
it is not to be submitted to the people OF the
States composing the Coniederacy, or even to
Conventions in those States to be elected 10 act
upon it, but to the old Conventions chosen
months ago and with exclusive reference to the
question of secession. If this proves to be SO,
the people OF the Southern Confederacy will
/ find themselves living under q Constitution
which they have not ratified, and in the prep.
nration of which they have not been consulted.
The assemblage at Montgomery, from which
this scheme of Constitution emanatcs, is it.
self revolutionary body, consisting of dele.
gates elected Ivy delegates, aud representing
only State Conventions having no power 10
elcc. delegates for any such purpose.
The bulk of the Constitution Of the Southern
! Conftderacy, is a transcript of the Constitution
Of the United States. This circumstance will
commend it to favor, and divert attention from
the alterations, which, although not numerous,
are most important and really change the
whole character of the instrument
The term Of the Presidency is enlarged to
six years, aud the power OF that office, which
the experience OF the United .tates has shown
to he excessive, dangerous, and theatenng TO
swallow up all the other departments Of the
Government, is enormously augmented, by
giving to it, substantially, the control of all ap
preparations.
The new provision on this subject, incorpo.
rated into the Constitution made at Montgomery,
| is as follows:
"Congress shall appropriate no money from
the Treasury except By vote of two thirds OF
both Houses, taken BY yeas and nays, unless it
be asked and estimated for by some one Of the
heads Of department, ind submitted to Congress
by the PfeSi lent; or Tor the purpose of paying
its own expenses and contingencies; or for the
payment Of claims against the Confederate
States the justice Of which shall have been ju.
dicially declared By tribunal for the invesli
CATION Of claims against the Government, which
it is hereby made the duty of Congress to es.
taOlish.'
As the President can always command more
than one third of the members of either the
Senate or House, it results from this provision
that no appropriation can be made except such
as he recommends, except for the expenses Of
we SOlSEtoS uhu iot thS P"l "S''" W
claims to he adjldFed valid by judicial tribu.
nails. Congress can originate no policy re.
quiring expenditure Of money, and has only
the power of granting, or refusing, such appro'
prialons Us the Executive may ask for. This
is a radical change, in o most vital particular,
depriving the Congress of tho greatest ele rent
OF influence and consideration, and reducing
it to a mere recording Office of the edcts Of the
President 1t gives to that officer the purse,
as well as the sword, and makes him, in all
senses, the master Of the tuation.
The Presidential control over appropriations
is further secured by another provision, that
when bill contains several appropriations, the
President may approve such as he sees FL, and
veto such as he sees Ct, instead Of being Obliged
to approve or veto the bill as an entirety. The
Ianguag is:
The President may approve any appropria.
ton. aud disapproyc any otner appropriation, in
the same BILL
This gives him power over all the appropria.
tions, item by item.
Considering the diminished area and popu.
ation Of the Southern Confedcracy, as com.
pared with the United States, shortening of
the Presidential term of Office would naturally
have suggested itself, but, instead of that it is
enlarged to six years.
Jefferson Davis, who intends to be the first
President, has 50 manipulated this Consttu.
ton rs to provide an Office to suit his own tastes
Arbitrary, ab,olute, and despotc power is what
he wants, and what he will get, in this six years
Presidency, with u "numerouS and meN disci
phn.d army," and with the faculty Of debating
all the expenditures of his new Government.
AS TO the Senate Of the Southern Confeder.
acy, there is nomnaly no change from that of
the United States, but the change is, in fact,
fundamental, in applying an old rule to new
condition of things. Each State is to have two
Senators, but, as there are but seven States, this
makes a Senate Of but fourteen persons, and
such . body can be nothing but most odious
oligarchy. 1t only takes eight Of them, band.
ing together, to WELD an absolute control over
all legislation. 1t may be called Senate, but
will be nothing but cabal. In combination
with the President, with whom it is associated
in making treaties, and in appointments to
ohce, 1t makes as perfect plan for tyrannical
and irresponsible government as was ever
masked under elective forms.
If this Southern Coniederacy last till the per.
manent Constitution is adopted, and till the
President and Senators are elected in pursu.
auce thereof, it cannot possibly survive the po.
ltical passions which those elections will pro.
woke. The thing may be tolerabe on paper,
but when the President and these fourteen Sen.
atorial oligarchs are actually seen in fish and
blood, they will be driven into exile in less than
thirty days time.
The New York Times of Wednesday pub.