The new constitution of Greece has been settled, on all
the free principles of Western Europe, imitated from England,—limited monarchy, Ministerial responsibility, national representation, Par- liamentary control over the expenditure, legal equality of all classes, trial by jury, freedom of the press, and so forth. The consumma- tion was not accomplished without another struggle, not less dan- gerous to the peace of the country and the existence of the mo- narchy than if it bad been open warfare instead of a quiet negotia- tion carried on almost in secret. A revolution, bloodless because it was effected by an overwhelming power, had resulted in referring the question of the constitution to a special National Assembly. The Assembly accordingly framed the constitution in the terms of its appointment, and submitted it to King OTHO for ratification. The young Monarch took one last opportunity of proving his own incompetency to comprehend his real position, and to show himself almost the ideot he has been suspected to be : he returned the national document covered with objections, and suggested altera- tions,—some destroying the value of the charter by striking out essential provisions, as that securing for political accusations trial bz jury ; others attempting to defeat the whole project by some discreditable but transparent quibble, as the suggested addition to the royal oath that the King should keep the constitution " ac- cording to his conscience " ; and others coming down to petty grammatical pedantries of criticism, indulged by a Bavarian in handling a Greek composition. OT110 took up a position the very reverse of that which would have been dignified and suitable, and appeared an idle schoolboy and tricky trifler. Luckily, to use a homely English phrase, "the gray mare is the better horse": Orlin has a Queen, to whom are attributed earnest humanity, en- larged views, and a feminine gentleness not incompatible with great influence over her husband. And, luckily for Greece, the Assembly exhibited an unusual, perhaps an unprecedented example of moderation and discretion in a popular body : there was no display of incontinent " patriotism," no taunt- ing opposition ; even the unavoidable asperity was veiled by debating on the King's amendments with closed doors : but the Assembly was firm and unanimous—it could not yield to OTHO'S caprices. Mahomet therefore consented to go to the mountain- OTHO himself yielded, and adopted the constitution, with more apparent cheerfulness than might have been expected. If the Greeks show as much intelligence, firmness, and discretion in work- ing out their new form of government, as they have in devising it, it cannot but go well ; and liberty will once more have been firmly planted in South-eastern Europe.
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