The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-03-19


tardily. so that a period of two years or
better. passed before the articles took
effect and until then there was no es-
tsblished system of federal government.
Each state meantime maintained its own
| government, amended from this colonial
form. and General Washington maintain
ed an army, but there was. in the inter-
val of time. no constituted federal gov
eminent.
The articles of confederation const-
tuted the federal government from lin
until 1880 when the present constitution
| went into effect When We recall that
the provisional government Of the Con-
| federaey holding one year. WAS precursor
! of the Confederate States constitution
We complete the analogy Of history in
| the formative period of the two federal
governments Indicated. We see that there
was no revolution of government sys-
TENS In the birth Of the Confederacy.
The constitution of the Confederate
States amended the constitution of the
| United states in certain particulars, and
| 1t is we'll worth the attention of every
| voter who has a patriotic hope of his
| country to investigate the nature OF the
| amendments thus made. IT the amend
| ments were now in full force and effect
over the forty-nve states the living ques-
tons of monopoly of commerce, called
trust" the tariff for protection, the
third term for President the unequal dis
! hursements of federal revenue by Sec
lions could not exist.
The debate in the Philadelphia conven-
ton of 1857 over the preamble of the
| constitution of the United States re-
! vealed the meaning of the convention.
The preamble prepared by the Congress
at Montgomery in 1861 expressed that
meaning in amended form. adding the
words, as new, invoking the fayors and
guidance of Almighty God"
The President of the Confederates States
was chosen for six years and was made
Ineligible to succeed himself at any time
President Cleveland pronounced this
amendment important to the safety of
the government of the United States
President Roosevelt is impressed with
its sagacity that he has voluntarily
pledged himself to decline a second cleo
ton to the Presidency.
All bills passed by Congress must be
signed by the President before they could
become laws, with the ten days excep-
ton, but the right of veto applied not
only to the bill entire. but to any one
or more features of a bill appropriating
money. The practical reform in this
amendment is accepted by the present
constitution of Alabama. newly made. We
all realize the wisdom In It,
All bills appropriating money must
from one of the heads of department
submitted to the Congress" by the
President This rule amends the consti-
tuition of the United States Under the
constitution of the United States all bills
appropriating money must originate in
the House of Representatives. But by a
two-thrds vote of both houses money
might be appropriated by the Confederate
: Congress not called for by head of
department "f
The President had power to convene
one or both houses OF Congress at will
and to adjourn both houses to such time
as he might designate when they failed
to agree upon time for adjournment
The President of the United States can
not convene the House of Represents
tives alone, nor can he adjourn Congress
under any circumstances.
The President of the Confederate states
might remove at pleasure the executive
and diplomatic appointees of the govern
ment, but in the cases of removal of any
civil officer of the executive departments
not principal officer he must report the
factand the cause of removal to the Sem
ate. This 'proviso forbade the removal of
civil officers except principals at the will
of the President, thus relieved the sys-
tenn of government from the fearful strain
of executive partisan patronage 1t Is in
exact accord with the practice of Wash
|
and for the same reason. The principle
was a reform whose nom observance at
this time is of the gravest consequence.
For instance, In the vast patronage of
the diplomatic service the southern states
have no representative, the result indi-
Gated in the misrepresentation of those
states to desirable class of foreign inn
migrants
Congress might impose tariff tax, but
the tax must be so regulated for raising
revenues for the government and In no
sense be permitted to promote or foster
any branch OF industry
Congress might improve harbors and
rivers. but the expense must be betrayed
by the navigation interests facilitated and
not by the common treasury.
When any river divided or flowed
through two or more states. those states
might improve the navigation OF the wa
ters.
The amendments relating to rivers and
harbors were intended to give to the
state producing subjects of commerce the
benefit of the profits For example, the
cotton and iron and GOAL of Alabama
would be encouraged TO go to Mobile for
export. The effect would be the retention
in Alabama of the enormous advantages
OF commissions and interest on her com
merce In her own products.
The subject is beyond the limits of q
|
well begin 10 cultivate self-respect for
present uses by casting an eye over the
incidents peculiar to our rebellion OF
old. 1t was mentioned In the secession
convention of Alabama that the state hav-
ing already surveyed several lines of rail-
road to open the wealth of Jefferson
county minerals TO her commerce, her
future was assured 1t was then supposed
Mobile, with nearly ten times the export
commerce of Philadelphia. would ship all
mineral exports and leave In the state
the incalculable benefits
l tax your space this much more Ths
government Of the Confederacy estsb-
ished the Department of Justice and the
United States adopted the reform.
The army regulations of the Confederacy
established the military principle that
the adjutant and inspector general should
be the ranking officer of the force The
United States has fallen upon that re-
form Samuel Cooper, adjutant and in
spector, was the ranking general of the
Confederate military establishment
ST Advertising Book Sent Free.
To those Interested in the subject of adj