Piney Woods planter. (Liberty, Mi. [i.e. Miss.]) 1838-1840, 1840-02-08

tied States, and therefore, when once
made, irrepealable, unalterable and
irfeyocable, except BY the Judiciary.
The Judiciary can take no cognizance,
except of violations Of the law. But
let US suppose, sir, what fearis worse
than mere supposition among us) that
the chatter itself-the law making the
grant-or erecting the institutions
the evil to be complained of and not
a violation ofthis law. Let US suppose
the charter SO loosely or carelessly
framed, that it may authorize fraud,
swindlipg oroppFession of the most ru-
inous and burthensome character on
the community. The corporation may
then commit all these outrages and
still keep within the limits Of their au-
thority. There being no violation of
the law the judiciary are powerless to
act on the premises. The law being
a contract, as gentlemen would have
us believe, the Legislature has bartered
away and forever precluded themselves
from applying the only remedy for the
evil. Where then is the remedy? An
injured, betrayed, and oppressed peo-
pie will cry, where is the remedy? And
gentlemen, holding these monstrous,
tyranical and startling doctrines, will
add insult to already unbearable injury,
and coldly and cowardly give the
onlyanswer they can give-thereis none.
Sir, they would have the evil fastened
on the country, il may be forever be-
yond the reach of any branch of the
government. Like the image OF
Death-the grim, shadowy and terri
Bile spectre Of Millions fancy begot
by Lncifer, the angel of pride, on his
daughter, sin, in his hours Of dalliancc
-leaping into being, crowned with the
shadow Of a kingy crown, holding
in his hand his deadly dart-7and en-.
Owed with an immortal power Of inju-
ry-they would have such a law supe-
rior to its creators--aboye their con
troll hanging like curse around the
neck of the State, enduringi in its pow
ers Of evil and injury with its very ex-
isterce, and only ceasing its blight
when the government itself should tot
ter to ruins. Gentlemen will perhaps
say that the way to rid ourselves of
such an evil, would be to call a conven-
ton Of the people. who, being omnipo-
tent according to the theory of our
government, may abrogate or establish
what they will. Remember, sir, that
whether in convention or in regular
action under a constitution, no State
can pass any act violating the obliga-
ton Of contracts. 1t would not be suf-
fcient then, that one State suffering
under the evil Of oppressive charters,
should resolve her society into its origi-
nal elements. But for her to get re-
lief, the most improbable ease must be,
that the whole Union would consent
to be dissolved-destroy our federal
constitution-rush into the risk of
anarchy and perhaps bloody revolu-
tion-all to rid what may be a little
corner of our great Republic of
bloated and contemplate shin-plaster
manufactory-which gentlmen would
persuade us is so sacredly established,
so deeply ingrafted on our society
and SO strongly fenced and guarded
by the impossible barriers which en-
close vested rights under contracts, /,
that no other means remain to abolish
it. Sir, we have been taught to regard
the patriots who framed our system of
government, as band Of men whose
experience, and calm de-,
liberate wisdom was never surpassed,
and seldom equalled---as men who
brought to the task they undertook.
the result Of the observation of the his
tory of every age and nationwide
casting their eyes into the future, SO
framed the checks and balances Of
Dur constitution, that every exigency,
was foreseen, and every possible evil
provided with q remedy. But sir, nm
der the view which gentlemen take OF
The machinery OF our government, and
he absnrdity and confusion in which
/ would involve US, should be con-.
strained to pronounce them one of the
must stupid audeshortsighted collection
,f dolts that ever attempted to give its
lestinies to an empire, or over duped
4 people to their ruin. We have
been taught, sir, to look upon our gov
eminent as one Of the most perfect Of
The eaeth-one in which the greatest
amount ofliberty was allowed to the
ritizens,and yet the greatest safety aud
strength given to the Statc--one i'm
which the rights and liberties Of the