Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1861-10-04
CT A II x s. VITLE,
Friday, October 4th, 1881.

practicable. the errors of the original sys-
TEN. and that We define, in the outset the
powers of the respective departments and
make the Constitution construe itself The
eleven States have adopted the Confederate
Constitution, which is certainly an i'm
proyementupon that of the Uunited States
but, improved as it is, it certainly does not
conform fully enough to the leading idea
Of the Confederate system, and the failure,
in this particular, leaves it open to the
same broad construction, and liable to the
same abuses which made the old govern
ment corrupt by means of the centralizing
force of Executive patronage. IL may be
argued by some, that the defects of the
Constitution can be remedied by acts of
Congress; but however true this may be,
it is far better that the organic law shall
be purged of its defects than to leave their
correction to n department that can change
its policy as ambition, venality, or ignor-
ance may dictate. !.
The leading idea of the Confederate Gov
erument--expressed in the acknowledge
ment of the right of secession--is separate
State Sovereignty with Confederate agen-
cy by means of which our foreign relations
are to be maintained, and such laws exc
cuted as may be adopted by the Represen-
tatives Of the States, for their common
government. This being the basis of the
Confederate system, it is manifest that the
Executive must be a'mere agent. and not
as was conteuded under the old Govern
ment--a co-e1ual Department and a part
and parcel of the Legislative. This doc
trine, no matter what may have been the
original theory did invest the President
with legislative functions and the immense
patronage beloved upon him by the Con-
stituiion made him an elective king, CEN
-tering in himself much of the powers of
the other two Departments. and making
his will superior TO the authority of ma
iority of the Representatives of all the
States.
Such power is Incompatible with the
functions Of n more agent and will always
be followed, sooner or later, by the over
throw of State sovereignty. If, then, the
States ere to be clothed with a sovereignty
as absolute as is implied in the recognition
of the right of secession, and as is compat-
ible with a fcderative system of the most
limited powers, it follows that the Presi.
dent must be Invested of the right to veto
the will of the majority, and of that vast
patronage which enables him. to corrupt
politicians, and, through their corruption
to make tho Executive the Government
II this be not done, it is folly to talk about
enlarging the sovereignty of the States, anC
it can not be done without such amend
ments Of the Constitution as will restrict
the powers of the Executive to the func
tons of an agent, and divest him of the
patronage that accumulates power in spite
of the provisions of the organic law. Civ,
to the President the appointment and re
movol Of an endless list of officers, as wa
the practice under the United States Gov
ornment, and add to this the veto power
and he WILL as experience has taught alb
sorb such an amount of power as will ena
bic him to override the coordinate Depart
ments, extinguish State sovereignty and de
morslize the whole political system. Tn
door to these enormous evils is not close
by the provisions of the Confederate Con
stitution the sovereignty of the States i
not guardeded by such checks and ballan
ces as will secure it against executive usur
pations, or Legislative proAigacy, and til
leading idea of the new government is LEI
TO the chances that wisdom and patriotism
will uphold it against all the assaults @
unhallowed ambition. Let us, then, S
amend the Constitution as to make tn
Confederate system, truly and in fact, tn
agent of the States, or let us discard tn
idea of State sovereignty which can not bu
Prove delusion so long as the Presiden
is clothed with the dangerous powers con
ierred upon him by our present organi
law.
We throw out these suggestions becaus
our permanent government is about to |
inaugurated, and now is the time to give
such shape as is best calculated to sui
serve the cause.of liberty aud TO secure IL
rights of States and individuals against Il
encroachments Of unauthorized power
The first severe test to which the politics
system Of the United States was subjocte,
found the President despot, and the PEE
pie his willing slaves. This is the roe