Year: 1878

raj votes, and doubtless electors wh


would have sold out if they coul


have thereby encountered only th


ordinary dangers of such practices


But with all the corruption tina


covered that election, no eIector hat


the nerve to vote for any other can


didate than the one he was appoint


ed to vote for.


The other change making tht


freedmen vOters-Was accomplished


through the forms of law. The in


tentlon of the law may have beer


violated, but the form of the mode


prescribed by the Constitution was


sufficiently explicit. Yet for several


years the change was maintained


only by the presence of force. and


1t was a greater time before there


was a general ready acquiescence in


the change. In fact, it was only


after the custom of the people had


grown into unquestioned acceptance


OF the Fifteenth amendment that


the question of negro suffrage was
retired from political discussion.
Many other changes in the practice
OF Government might be cited that
have accomplished revolution with
out disturbance, because they have
been gradual and by general con-
sent; but the foregoing will suffice
TO show that even with a written
Constitution and a Government
constructed by a single act, custom
has more force than organic legisla-
tion. Our Constitution is both
written and unwritten, and the
force of the unwritten part is as well
and as widely and well
understood as the similar parts of
the English Constitution, that have
also been the slow growth of years.


We pass safely through a great
popular contest over the Presidency
every four years, and on the last
occasion we made this safe passage
under the most trying circufnstan-
ces. If royalty were abolished in
England tomorrow, and the people
suddenly called on to select a Chief |
no one can doubt that |
the English people would be thrown
into a conflict that would probably |
end in an appeal to arms. So. too. |
if our Constitution was made to saw |
that a Congressional COMMITTEES
might, at any time, turn out the
actual executive officers, a thing
that can be safely done in England, |
he very first exercise of the power,
+ attempted before our people had
accommodated themselves by grad
lal approach tosuch practice, would I
1recipitate a conflict here that
would far exceed our most exciting
residential election contests, and |
would be apt to lead to violence.
The nature of the English and
American people is not essentially
lifferent, but our experience and
ustOms are different, and they can
'e assimilated only through the
'radual growth of familiar custom.


The changes we need in our sys-
EN- are only changes in practice
nd not in the form of government.
hey will gradually establish them
elves, Just as other needed changes
ave done. All that amendment
would do would be to put the pOpu-
ar purpose in such form that those
Vho now frequently thwart the
'Opular will would not have the
of the apparent letter of
rganic law.


We do not need any great changes
n our system. Most that we do
eed could be accomplished by
action; but as some
hings we may need affect such ac-
ion, it might perhaps be well to
nact them by some other power.
tut we can get along very well as
re are going, and custom will mold
)r us in due time such notifications
5 are absolutely necessary or were
in the administration of
overnment. We certainly do not
nderstand parliamentary govern
lent, and we would be suddenly
aVOlutiOniZed even if it were
rOught about after the strictest ]
node Of amendment. )