The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-09-10

fellow citizens to accept his Judgment without
discussion, had nothing In common with the
feverish excitement which leads men to overrate
tho personal merits Of commanders whose most
decisive proof Of mlitarygcnus hns been their
lucky faculty of proilting by the work OF their
predecessors. and being in at the death. NJ.
Masseras thinks that in the feeling entertained
for Washington. even at the acme OF his popu-
larity, there was moro esteem than admira-
ton. and more trust than enthusiasm. Such
feeling. deep and intense rather than expan-
sive and demonstrative, was cherished less for
tho tireless champion Of the national enfran
chsemont come to the end OF his long task.
than for the man OF high character. whose love
OF country. sound Judgment. and stainless in
tegrty had been through dark years the safe
guard OF the revolted colonists against their
own vacilation. disbursement. and impa-
tience According to NJ. Masseras. 1t was be-
cause the feeling entertained for Washington
had In II so much less of emotion than OF con-
viction that his ascendancy. once acquired.
survived almost mistaken when new crises in
tervened. q
studied the Constitution Of the United States.
but with tho proceedings OF the Federal Con-
vention which framed our organic law. and
with the debates in the several State Convon-
tions which adopted it. He begins brief sur
vey of tho circumstances under which the new
scheme OF government went into operation by
the just remark that precisely as the lucky
issue OF our war for Independence has led us to
underrate the gravity OF its vicissitudes. so the
ultimate triumph ofour American Constitution
has yelled for us tho years OF trial and probation
which 1t had 10 traverse before its best friends
could look upon it rs established. Our author
iptc A,,ff hat p,th ipr rpts
than the existence of the compact which had
resulted from the labors oil the Philadelphia
Notwithstanding moro uncertain than its
duration-at the moment when the first Presi-
dent of the republic was indicted into Office
The now system. it is true. had been sanctioned
by the greater part OF the thirteen States. and
what was even more important. had taken the
first step in the way OF practical operation by
the election Of a President" But tho ratiflca-
tons By the State Con vontions. often carried by
a small excess Of votes and almost always ex-
torted under the pressure OF conviction that
nothing could be worse. were in the minds Of
many people only temporary measures. added
to the long series OF compromises. from which
the new institutions have for the hour
emerged. 1T was only" continues NJ. Masseras
indeed. by laying great stress upon the clause
which opened tho door wide to amendments
tonal party had succeeded in overcoming tho
resistance LOT Patrick Henry. and in securing
an assent which in not few cases was re-
garded as purely provisional" Tho author
here has evidently in his mind those State
Conventions which coupled their acceptance
OF the Constitution with peremptory demand
for the Immediate insertion Of numerous
amendments. There can be little doubt that II
the greater part Of those amendments had not
been speedily Incorporated with the organic
law. several States would have treated their
assent as provisional" and would have Sc
coded from the Union In the hour OF its in
ception. These facts may be familiar enough
TO the American reader. but it is little short OF
astonishing to find them set forth in detail in
the work OF French author.
A considerable proportion Of these pages is
devoted to the political services rendered by
Washington during his two Presidential terms.
NJ Masseras is alive to tho truth that il the new
Constitution was to work at all 1t was ipdis-
pensable that the Federalists. who had had
much the larger share in framing the instru-
ment and who believed in 1t, should be in
trusted with its management in the first in
stance. Our author can see that without the
influence Of Washington. which was a tower
OF strength to the Federalst party and without
the singular financial ability evinced by Hami-
ton the new Government must have sunk under
the same impotence and bankruptcy which had
ruined its predecessor. 1t was the Federalists.
sustained by tho invaluable approval o, Wash
ington. who overcame the first friction en-
countered in the relation of the central Gov
eminent to the individual States. who prompt
ly and firmly gave the express powers granted
by the Constitution their Legitimate applica-
tons, and who with equal resolution drew
forth betimes those anciilary powers which
might be reasonably held to be implied in the
chief aim and general purport of the text In
short. N. Masseras sums UP Washington 5
| achievements as the head Of the Federal
mark that his iirst Presidency made The United
States nation. viii his second, 10y his circun-
| spect and adroit diplomacy, gave that nation
powers o! tho earth. His refusal to accept a
| third term the author deems the browning ser.
that though no clause Of the Constitution de:
cares a President Ineligible to Il third term of
p popGa y H on whieh t Wa sroundSI has yet
fixed by the disinterestedness and torecas', OF
which lis fellow citizens and hi story can rem,
en-" "ncc 70 cxerted by wnshington eXample is the
most eloquent; 1t is tho unmis'aksbie but un-
! happily too rare sign by which we may rerog-
ME the men who, called upon to govern thelr
good and not for their own. lis, indeed. they
tons and to establish them by the judicous
manner in when they put them in operation:
! By disentanGlinG themselves from tho small
calculations. the mean COMPROMISES. and Tie
smooth dcceptions of u personal policy. they
acquire that precis ion Of conscience winch on
| abies them to find the RICH, solutions Of roti-
| cal problems. Their ascendancy thus becomes
Identified with that Of truth itself and after i'm
pressing itself upon contemporaries remains
! Impressed upon po.terity.
| Hints for the Treatment OF Common Acci
dents and MalndIca.
By far tho most comprehensive. and. on the
| whole thu most Nnlnuhln ~ thu medical hnnl