The Arkansas advocate., 1831-01-05

,.and the power of man to make a sys- pe .se rove rninent like ours, or any oth- ten' aarate ~ with precise equality upon .l cl' ,sla as,t,Iated like those which compose .a:s cconfedcracy; nor is inequality always ..'st;ce. .'.. Every State cannot expect to l,'lra ,'sns inc measures ofthe General Govern spa apt to suit its own particular interests. ,s..s ,a. ea..ses which prevent Il are Ill the na- ..so,o of things, and cannot be counteract- l',' ,hs human means. Mutual forbearance, sharefore, becomes duty obligatory upon =, and we may, am confident, count on cheerful compliance with this high ill., :anctien on the part of our constltHents.-- ff;s not to be supposed that they will ob- ;act to make such comparatively inconsld- erable sacrifices for the preservation of v;eht and privileges which other less ia yored portions of the world have in vain waded through seas of blood to acquire.
 Cur course is safe one, If t be faith Ally adhered to. Acquiescenee in the eonstitutionally expressed will of the ma ,oTity, aud the exercise of that will n Q spirit of moderation, justice, brotherly kindness, will constitute a cement which would forever preserve our Union. Those who cherish and inculcate sentiments like these, render most essential service to fheir country; whilst those who seek to weaken their influence, are, however con- scientious and praisewortiiy their inten- ions, in effect its worst enemies.
 Ifthe intelligence and Influence of the country, instead of laboring to foment sec tional prejudiees, to be made subservient fo party warfare, were, in good faith, ap- vlied to the eradication of causes of local diseoBteat, by the Improvement of our institutions, and by facilitating their adap- tation to the condition of the times, this task would prove one of less daficulty.- May we not hope that the obvious inter- ests of our common country, and the dic- ,ates of an enlightened patriotism, will, in the end, lead the public mind in that directions
 After all the nature of the subject does not admit of plan wholly free from ob- lection. That which has for some time been in operation Is, perhaps, the worst that could exist; and every advance that can be made in its improvement is mat ter eminently worthy of your most delib- crate attention.
 II is very possible that one better cal enlated to effect the objects in view may yet be devised. If so, 1t is to be hoped that those who disapprove of the past, and dissent from what Is proposed for the fu- ture, will feel 1t their duty to direct their attentiansto 1t, as they must be sensible that, unless some fixed rule of action of the federal Government in this respect Is es- tablished, the course now attempted to bo arrested will again be resorted to. Any mode which Is calculated to give the great est degree of effect and harmony to our legislation on the sHhject-which shall best serve to keep the movements of the Fed oral Government within the sphere ill., tended by those who modelled and those who adopted it---whieh shall lead to the ex- ffaeuishment of the national debt in the shortest period, and impose the lightest burdens upon our constituents, shall re- ceive from me cordial and firm support.
 Among the objects of great national con eern, cannot omit to press again upon your attention, that part Of the Constitu- ton which regulates the election of Pres ldent and Vice-President. The necessity for Its amendment Is made so clear to my mind by the observation of it's evils, and by the many able discussions which theY have elicited on the floor of Congress and elsewhere that should be wanting to my duty where to withhold another express sion of my deep solicitude upon tho gub- lecte Our system, fortunately, -contem- plates recurrence to first principles; diff iering, in this respect, from all that have preceded it, and securing 1t, trust, e. qually against the decay and commotions winch have marked the progress af other Governments. Our fellow citizens, too, Tiio, in proportion to their love ofliberty, keep steady eye upon the means of sps- taIning 1t, do not require to be reminded ot the duty they owe to themselves to rem edy all essential defects in so vital part nf their system. While they are sensible that every evil attendant upon its opera fion IS not necessarily indicative ofa bad or ganization, but may proceed from tempora Y causes, yet, the habitual presence ,oreven single instance of evils which can be barely traced to an organic defect will not, trust, be overlooked through too scrupulous veneration for the work of their ancestors. The Constitution was an ex- pertinent committed to the virtue and in- feiiIgence of the great mass of our conn- trymen, in whose ranks tho framcrs of it themselves were to perform the part of patriotic observation and scrutiny; and if they have passed from the stage of exis- tence with an increased confidence in it's general adaptation to our condition, we should learn from authority so high, the du- " of fortifying the points in it which time proves to be exposed, rather than be de- tered from approaching them by the sug- gestions of fear, or the dictates of misplac- cd reverence.
 \ provision which does not. secure to the people a direct choice of their Chief Magistrate, but has tendency to defeat their will, presented to my mind such an inconsistency with the general spirit of cur institutions, that was induced to sug-