Washington telegraph. [volume] (Washington, Ark.) 1839-1871, 1862-09-24
The Con federate Constitution-No g


President of the Confederate States are elect.
ed in precisely the same manner as prescribed
in the United States, by their constitution a.
amended. With rs, however the term i diff
ferent They hold office for six years i'll place
OF four. nder the old constitution they
were re-eligIble for any number Of terms. All
though custom, originating from the prece-
dent established by Washington and followed
by Jefferson, grew up and soon acquired tile
force of law that the President should only
serve for two terms there was no constitutions.
restr'c ton i'll that regard. The ennrm ILL., pa-
tr0naSe OF the President exercised either Ill
rectly, or through the members Of Hi cabinet
aud the heads of departments, all of whom
had 80 other tenure OF office than Lis pleasure.
gave frequent cause of alarm 1t was sup
posed, and often with reason, that tile power
incident to this patrona &c, might come III ill.,
ter.ere with the freedom of elections, and III
used to sustain in office, any administration
which might be unworthy MS to resort To
eorrult Influences. The extreme iealon-y of
the opponents of al administration. upon
peeially by the proposal in Congress M thu
famous Gag Law" the object III which was
to prevent and punish all electione. ring on the
part of federal ofice-holders.
As far as possible, our constitution corrects
this abuse, or rather dimnishes the danger of
its exercise. The President is made ineligible
to Office for second term. 1t may still hap
pen. charged in former case, that thr rn-
tronage Of the President may he improperly
exerted TO establish some favorite in office w
his successor who will carry ont lii policy anil
protect his fayorites But this will rarely hap
pen. 1t is now and then, that a man appears
Of 80 uuself=h anI generous "A nature ~ III
work as ar'luously to sustain principle, or,
crafty his friends for his own ag-ranlisc-
ment. When found. indeed, we have nothing
to fear from his conduct. Such men arc not
capable of the baseness which woubl M reIuir-
ell, in order TO inhict any irrepnrahle Injury
upon the liberty Of the people The restriction
is not extended to the Vice President Here.
perhaps the evil may vet rise in the most lan-
gerous shape. He may come by death or re
ignaton Of the President to exercise III pow
els and duties. ana to use them for The pur-
pose ofsccuring hi. election rs President fur
the next term.
The Office of President. was, nnlcr the oli
constitution, the only one which a natnrnlizal
foreign born citizen could never hll Aiming
at the same policy. our constitution provides.
that, No person except a natural born citt-
Of al,
thereof at the time of the adoption NJ thi-
constitutions; or citizen thereof born III thc
United States, PRIOR to the 10th ~ December.
1850, shall be eligible t. the office vi Prc-i-
dent"
This clause i difficult Of construction. ann
will, unless amended. lea tn much acrimoni-
Gus feeling TIE constitution wa adopted on
the | tn OF March, 1851. There VA III Tile
States then composing the Southern Coutcdc-
racy, a large number of torei IN born nntn7il-
izel citizens. With rcgnrl to tlcm nu doubt
can exs. They i'll the description NJ citizens
of the Confederate States lat tin time or tile
adoption of the constitution. and nre unqnc.-
tionably eligible to the Office of President.
But many southern States have come into
the Confederacy since the adoption NJ tAc
constitution. The foreign born citizens NJ
those States do not answer the description oI
either class of persons enumerated in the
clause, and are of course ineligible 10 the Of
flee of President. This auolyoly cannot fail
to he productive of great dissatisfaction. The
latter States, if favorins the policy Of admin
ting foreign born citizens to this high fran
chise, will not be content to see that ca-s
excluded in their borders. whilst similar
class in an adjoining :, ate may ~ entitled 70
enjoy it. Ii d-ap?roving tie policy, they
will Ill brook the privilege enjoyed ny that class
IN those States of ;hs ConfcIcrAcy which CANE
IN at an earlier date
Another great anomaly viii exist. In those
States which have sccedlc'l since the adoption
OF the constitution, may male children have
been born since thr zOth December, 1860. If
born pnor to the secession of their State, they
natural born citizens Of the United States
an not of the Confederate States Not being
citizens of the Conlc erate States at the time
of the adoption of the Constitution, for thew
were then either citizens of the Uni ted States
or else not in existence, nor torn in the
Uni ted States prior to the 10Th December. 1860
they might be considered ineligible to the or
flee of President This construction Of the
clause, although the obvious one from its Ia n
guage, woaId lca'l to the absurdity Of e.
Guiding from this franchise one son D I u FAM.
ly; all the others of which born in the sama
place and of the same parents might Be cana
bic Of enjoying it,
We cannot suppose the Provisional Congress-
which framed the constitution anticipated such
results, but rather contemplated that each
State, as SUCCESSFULLY admitted into the Con
federacy, should bring in all its citizens clothed
with the same rights which would have apper-
tanned to them if original members Of the Con-
d.r,Sy. This mtr in fact be the proper
construction of tho constitution a. II stands
The time of its adoption, may refer 10 the
time of its adoption by each State. instead of
the time when established by Congress. a.
this is doubtful, however, and as from the M
turc of the case, the question can never BE-