Southern telegraph., 1836-09-27
FOR THE sourueRx rELrGnArm.


FOR THE sourIERN TELEGRArm.
Mr.. EDIroR:-In presenting my humble,
but, hope, honest sentiments to ydur read
ers, have not the vanity to believe, that
any idea which may be advanced, has not
already occurred to the most common un-
derstanding. BIT how often do we Slnmber
over subjects of vital Importance, and FORGET
even their existence, until the time for de-
cisiye action has past, and the advantages
we once had, have left US forever. In this
communication | have an important object
in view, and shall rest perfectly satisfied
with having done my duty,if through any
agency of mine, public attention can be
aroused, and the spell which has 50 Iong en-
chained the free exercise Of thought, be
broken and. scattered to the Winds. Let
each member Of this confederacy reflect,
that he owes heavy debt to The govern
ment under which he lives; that. in all his
public acts, whether Of state OF national po-
icy, he has a duty to perform, not only for
The present, but for the future generation,
and that no matter how humble bis station,
or how small the sphere in which he re-
wolves, it does not release him from the
heavy responsibility whicheyery man, who
is lover Of his country, should feel t'F the
perpetuity o! her institutions. In our coun-
try every man is presumed to be free, and II
lhere is one who yet wears the chains OF
ftyranny, he is unworthy to breathe the
pure air, or tread the fair soil of.this empire,
1 gedicqted to liberty,
I Our goverRment' is styled republic,
and, in the broadest sense Of the word, is
Justly entitled to the appellation, SO far, Al
Eleast, as Mississippi is a party to the com
pact. But are not extremes to be dePre
Gated? May we not be in the possession
| of too much liberty? And would not libcr
Itv, without the usual checks and balances
degenerate, and finally becomesin the hands
of the wicked and designing, an engine tol
the propagation Of tyranny, which wo,Ilt
ultimately overthrow our boaSted mstlu
tons, and rise upon the ruins ltad created
The space allotted TO myself, will not war
rant heightened discussion of.the abov'
remarks. Nor will it permit me to draw
} parallel between the old and the new con
stitution, even if | were capable If under
taking the task, and shall therefore treat tn
subject as briefly as possible, and leave th'
public to make their own deductions. An'
if the subject be worthy Of serious conside
ration, surely there is talent enough IN ou
| et,to to H.. IT annie iuSfirc
Under the old constitution, most OF tn
imporlant offices emanatcd from the goVol
nor, in whom was vested, with certain rt
strictiQns, the appointing power. Il ape
sofiaI knowledge of the most eminent Inc
Of the state did not qualify the executly
and the senate to make a judiciohs appoln
ment, how are the people to gam such II
formation, as will enable them 10 fiil all o
fees, whether local or general, when pr
badly one-fourth of them are even ignoral
of the names of the respective candidate
and 90 to the polls prepared TO vote the fir
ticket that may be presented? ask ever
candid man if, with few exceptions, tt
II old constitution of this state was not ;
d sound, and based upon as equitable prime
V pes, as the constitution Of any other sta
j. in the Union? Bat the people were TO
rt that change was necessary-Qhoy we
ID not, however, told that the old one would
5 entirely annulled) d)--that they had alienat'
e a part Of their pferogative, and that to ?
<, them once more in possession Of it, shou
n be the care Of few phianthfopists, "
a would sacrifice their worldly prospects
IT. the public good. And now commehcedt
reign Of demagogneism--eVery stump
ne came ros!r1r1, and every pettltogger
We consummate politician and statesman, I
g. thing was heard, but Down with the
Nv Constitution, and up with the People3
land truly more of them have swung, sir
Of that era, than in all the years of our p
90 vious existence as state, and that
without the benefit of Law or Clergy,
.eThe dear people," was in the mouth
n on the tongueof every officesseekerthrou
ar out the state. Fhe peoples rights had b'
y, trampled under foot--they had been q
grievously oppressed, and these politi
Herculeses were determined to stran
,en the monster--eyen though they lost ey
rse thing in The epattempt They succeeded
ISL completely in their designs, that the P
lcb pie at last came 70 the conclusion