Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1874-03-07

rhe Constitution Of the southern
Confederaey Compared win Our
own.
A very readable article appears In the
March 0didrv, from the pen Of ]. L. NJ.
Curry, Of Virginia, contrasting tue con-
'tltution Of the late confederaey with the
constitution Of the United States, and
showing several points wherein 1t was,
we think, an improvement on our own.
II, probably, went further In the direction
Of simplifying Government and cuItail-
Ing It's functions than the present habits
Of thought, II not the present neeessl-
lies, Of our people would warrant,
and therefore, only authorized Congress
- 10 lay and collect taxes, duties, imports
=" and exclses. for revenue necessary TO
" pay the debts, provide for the common
" defence and carry on the government
"of the Confederate States" and left
out the authority ITO promote the gen.
"ersl welfare" the clause Of our own
Constitution which Mr.. Curry describes
as the huge "serbonInn bog In which |
"have been swallowed up constitutional
" limitations" We cannot see where,
under such a Constitution, Authority
could be found, unless a special clause
Inconsistent with Its general spirit was
inserted, to establish post office depart
ment, but we frankly confess that we
should fall back on even this narrow but
we'll defined basis, with a sense Of relief
that we were to escape the perils and IN.
certaiRties into which the growing ten
dency to put everything into the hands Of
the Government threatens to plunge us.
But aside from this radical distinction
between the new constitution the rebels
sought 10 establish, and the latter-dsy
and accepted Interpretation of the con-
stitution under which we live, there were
some minor points Of difference which
deserve serious consideration. 1t gave
to the President Of the Confederacy a six
years tenure of Office and made him iuell-
gihle to a second term, thus freeing him
from the temptation of using his official
Influence to secure reelection, the evils OF
which are too thoroughly comprehended
by all familiar with our politics, to make
It worth while to even enumerate them.
1t gave the President power to veto par
ticular appropriation without disapprov-
ing the whole bill. It allowed Cabinet
ministers a seat in either House Of Con-
gress, with the privilege Of discussing
measures appurtalung to their re-
speeliye departments, thus obvlating
much OF the delay in OBJ
tanning information through the present
cumbersome methods Of communication
between Congress and the heads OF de-
partmtnts. Bills approphating money
we're required to specify the exact amount
and the purpose for which the appro-
prlation was madei every bill was to
relate TO but one subject and that was TO
be expressed in its title, and no extra
compensation was to be granted to any
public contractor, officer or agent after
the making Of the contract or the render
ing Of the service.
All these strike Us as wise provisions,
but probably the browning effort these new
constitution makers, at least aimed at,
in the direction Of good government and
true democracy, ives In the restrictions
they imposed upon the terrible removal
power in the hands Of the Executive
Cabinet officers and those connected
with the Diplomatic Service, who
are the Presidents immediate agents,
we're removable ct his pleasure,
bat in case Of the removal Of any other
officer BY tbe President, be was required
to report such removal 10 the Senate To-
gether With bis reasons therefor. Even
this does not 20 far enough, but it is
better than the unrestrained and unques-
tlOnabie power held by our Executive
under the constitution Of the United
States. It would certainly seem that
officers VIM eau uulJ DO appointed ~
and with the advice and consent Of the
Senate, should only be removable by The
advice and with the consent Of that body
7 either. directly expressed or Implied,
| given by the confirmation Of a successor
II such clause were inserted In our owl
constitution and the Senate could only b.
! brought to assert It's Independence ant
D dignity, and conscientiously perform thl
highly important duties devolyiug on il
b as an advisory body in the making o
!. appointments, there would be no need o
e any Civil Service Commission.
d Taking the provisions Of the Constl
d tuition Of the attempted Copiederacy, a
z given by Mr.. Curry, the wonder to US
!; that men about setting up government
i so thoroughly aristocratis in Its tender
cies as one founded on slavery must b
n should have made constitution in som
~ ~ Of It's features 50 thoroughly democratic
o and we can only account for Il as a
"a exhibition of that same Jealousy Of IN
r. Chief-call him King or what you will
by the Feudal BaroDs, which has plante
~ thorus In many a crown, and which gay
II England her Magma Chartd.