Independent Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1842-1844, 1843-10-21

;, authority 10 appropriate money to ezecUi
!. the objects Of a law deemed uncons.Itu
tional-5lh. that the Supplement havinl
h changed the conditions on which The Stat'
pledged her faith, and not having received
} the legal assent of the people, was contra
ny to the letter and spirit of the constilu
tion-6h. that the bonds issued under sale
; Supplement are not binding upon the peo
pie, and cannot be paid by the State, while
the forms of the present constitution re-
main. These are The principles and the
only principles embraced in this "uncon.
stitutiona Legislative edict." 1t would be
difficult 10 conjecture how "unconstitution.
a" can be predicated of said resolutions,
whether regard be had to the power of the
Legislature over the subject matter, or to
the doctrine therein contained. However
unwise and inexpedient it may be on the
part of legislative bodies to consume time
in passing useless resolutions and manu-.
featuring public opinion, it is now too late
in the day TO question their constitutional
right to declare their views in regard to
matters deeply affecting the interests of
their constituents. To condemn such de.
clarations by the representatives of the
people, would come with a bad grace from
those who necessarily reproach US with our
long and silent acquiescence in the sale Of
the Union Bank bonds: and to question
tho constitutional right of making such de.
claralions, would come with worse grace
from those who quote with so much appa-
rent confidence and sincerity the cclebra.
ted Legislative RESOLVES Of '9S und 80.
Presuming, in the true spirit of charity,
that this ground ofopposition 10 the legis-
lative resolutions of 1912 would not be
occupied, We are yet at loss TO conceive
how an Obj ec;ion TO the doctrines therein
asserted can be maintained with greater
show of reason. Have men become so
infatuated with the bond.paying mania,
that they are prepared not only 10 break
dowa every constitutional barrier, but 10
call in question the sacred duty of the ci,i.
zens to maintain invlolate the fundament-
al law of the land? We thought the time J
far distant, when the era of written consti-
utions shall cease to be hailed as the mos.
auspicious epoch in the history of human
liberty! We dreamed not that the day
vas at hand. when the hallowed volume {
'f our written constitution was TO be
brown aside with the forgotten lumber of i
ne past-the useless vagaries of sophists r
md schoolmen, or laid upon the shelf to b
noulder in silent repose by The side of Pla- p
o's Republic and Moore's Utopia! Be- n
folding all around US the propitious inhl. p
nee of these written guarantees for the fi
ecurity Of civil, religious, and political s,
liberty, we have turned TO that sacred vo- e,
lme with something of the everential cl
we, felt by the ancient Roman, as he te
azed upon the repository of the Sybi- &C
ne Books, containing within their mystic III
aves the fate Of the Republic. To writ al
n constitutions we have been accustom- bl
TO look, as TO sacred landmarks amid SC
G storms ofparty rage, and The convul- W
ons of society. They are regarded Fl,
nong men, however Influenced by int. fr,
st or inflamed by ambition, as con aiming in
confession of political faith, statement co
truths not to be lightly questioned, fixed &C
incipies upon which the mind may rest lie
ring the widest spirit of speculation, a ito
netting 10 the defence of which yirtu. an
IS people will instinctively rush. Yet, mf
hat is oil this TO the fanatic blindIy bent to
the accomplishment of an underlined of
cam of philanthropy, but damnable he del
sy promulgated by ''an unconstitutional era
yiSlatire edict" ~,
The resolutions of lS42 further asserted wa
1t the power of taxation, and the right to wo
&c: the objects Of appropriation are at to
Dutes belonging exclusively TO the legis. rem
i've department OF government. 1t NAV the,
that this assertion has, in the estima. of
n ofour learned disciple of Esculapius ing
i astuie political economist, fixed upon of
resolutions the character of tan IN I
lstitutional legislative edict.n This is can
only remaining "Ioop to hang doubt slit,
> fof, he tells US himself that eff the Graf
Elemental act had heen ever so uncon. 1873