The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-03-17

raj vessels were taken up.
The Permanent Consultation OF the Com
Hedcrate States.
In yesterdays HERALD we published in en-
tense copy of the new constitution of the Con-
federate States. We had previously published
q telegraphic summary; but the document it.
self, in detail, is sufficiently important to
challenge public attention at the North. This
able State paper proves that the men who drew
it up are far from being the fools Northern
politicians have been in the habit of regarding
them. There is an amount of craftsmanship in
it which puts to the blush the bunglers who
constituted the majority Of the last Congress,
whose principal measure was the Morrill,
tariff, the greatest mass of absurdties ever pro-
duced by any legislative or deliberative body.
The new constitution is vast improve
ment on the old, preserving as it does all its
| valuable provisions, and introducing such i'm
provements as the working Of the system and
| experience pointed out This we say without
disparagement to the sages and patriots who
| put together the old constitution, and would
now, if on the land of the living, change and
modify it on the same basis of justice and
compromise. Their work was q miracle
of human wisdom for the time in which
| taken place in our political and moral our
social and commercial condition, which require
new safeguards and guarantees for the liberty,
fraternity and equality of white men, new
checks upon corruption and arbitrary power,
new barriers to revolutionary fanaticism, and a
full and clear exposition of what dishonest
or ignorant Northern politicians have attempt
ed to obscure. 1t is the eagle renewing its
youth, aud casting off its old feathers for a
brighter and better suit Of the same kind
The Presidents term Is to be for six years,
and he is not re eligible. All will admit that
this is great Improvement. In regard to this
office the new constitution is more liberal to
citizens of foreign birth than the old, at the
| same time that it guards sufficiently against
Danger The seventh section of article two is as
| ollows:-
No person except natural born citizen of the Con
federate States or citizen thereof time Of the
adoption Of this constitution or citizen thereof born in
the United States prior TO the Goth Of December $780,
sha be eligible TO the office Of President neither shall
persou be eligible TO mat office who shall not have
attained the q thirty five years and been fourteen
years resident within the limits Of the Confederate
States az they may exist at the time Of his election
There is the same liberality in reference to the
Senate and House of Representatives. 1t is only
necessary that members Of that Congress
should be citizens and of a certain age. There
| is no provision as TO length of residence or
number of years after becoming a citizen.
These provisions are calculated to attract
worthy men of foreign birth On the other
hand, there is a sound and judicious restriction
that mo person of foreign birth, not citizen
of the Confederate States shall be allowed to
vote for any officer, civil or political, State or
federal" The intention of this section is to
prevent such legislation as in the Western
States permits foreigners of brief residence to
/ vote for State officers-a very Objectionable
| system, which has con tributed in no small de-
gree to bring the country to its present de-
| plorable condition.
Subordinate officers of the several depart
ments Except the diplomatic) are to be dis
charged only 'for dishonesty, incapacity, in
efficiency, misconduct or neglect of duty" and
the President Is obliged to specify to the
Il
This admirable provision will conduce, in an
eminent degree, to the safety and permanence
of the confederacy. OF equal If not greater i'm
portance is the provision which renders two
thirds vote of both houses necessary for all APP
preparations, unless they shall be asked and esti-
mated for by some one of the heads Of depart
ments and submitted to Congress by the Presi-
4 -. =.
ton and swindling jobs which have disgraced
our Congress for the last ten or twelve years,
and have assisted materially in precpitating
the disruption of the Union. And here are two
other kindred provisions greatly needed
All bills approprating money shah specify In federal
currency the exact amount Of each appropriation and the
no extra compensation TO any public contractor officer
agent or servant after such contract shall have been
| made or such service rendered.
Every law resolution having the force Of law shall
relate 70 but one subject and that shall be expressed In
| the title.
BY these wise rules lobby agents will be at q
discount, the treasury cannot be robbed by
fraudulent contractors, nor appropriations be
| tackled on to other bills in the shape Of
"riders." Had the foregoing provisions exist
ed in the old constitu ton, we verify believe
that the abolitionists would not have gained the
power they now possess, and the Union would
have remained without Acknowledgement for a
long time to come. But there is another i'm
portant provision calculated to prevent o great
amount Of evil. It is as follows
No person holding any oface under the Confederate
States shall be member Of either house during his cou
tnuance 10 ONCE. But Congress may, BY law grant 70
the principal officer In each OF the executive Departments
seat upon the oor OF either house. with the privilege
Of discussing any appertaning 10 his depart
ment. .sf'4~ ,
BY this section Cabinet ministers may be adj
! mitted to seat in either house, where they
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