Independent Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1842-1844, 1844-08-14
CANTON MIsslssIPpI EVENING H. as44

} advocated by the two sections. 1t is no
j torious, that the North has been habitually
! charactized, as compared with the South
! by greater latitude of opinion as to the
4 extent of the powers of the general Gov
eminent, and as 10 the purposes for which
J these powers should be exercised. What
has given rise to this difference, which is
as strongly marked in the two sections as
a the great features of Nature herself? The
answer is at hand. 1t is to be found in
the fact that the North, as compared with
, the South, is, and feels conscious that she
must always be, the stronger section.--
She feels, consequently, that the general
Government, TO very great extent, De-
longs to her; that she can weld it as she
lists; that it is machine in her own
hands, and under her own control. She
knows that her power in its councils and
over its action must always be such as
not only TO enable her to prevent it from
ipjuring and expressing her by its meas
ures, but such as TO enable her to cause
its measures to be of such character as
will be positively subservient to her inter-
ests and grandeur. Hence the North ma
turally inclines to favor the enlargement
of the powers of a machine of which her
superior strength in the confederacy rem
ders her substantially the mistress and
beneficiary. Hence, too, the people of
the North have been little accustomed to
feel dread from the stretching of the
powers or the increased action of the gen
eral Government. And why? Because
they well know that, under every exten-
sion Of its powers, and every multiplied
ton of its objects, it must still remain the
slave and instrument Of their will and in
terests in all its operations.
The South, on the other hand, is deeply
conscious that the precise reverse is the
case with her. She feels and knows that
she is the weaker section that she is, and
is doomed to remain, a sectional minority
in the councils OF The general Govern
ment; that it is a machine not belonging
TO her, but to others; which is not in her
hands and control, but in the hands and
control of others distant from her, having
views and interests widely different in
many respects from hers, and inclined, by
all the principles and passions inherent in
human naiiira, To consult their own views
and interests, and not hers, in tho direc-
ton which they give to the Government.
Hence the South feels that her liberty and
salvation depend upon jealousy combining
the Government within its constitutional
sphere, by rigid construction of its pow
ers, and of the objects TO which those
powers shall be applied.
The clue which have now presented,
untolds also the grounds of still another
difference in the constitutional politics of
the two sections. The South, feeling
herself TO be the weaker section, as re-
presented and participating in the general
Government, IS naturally ayerse to per-
hitting that Government to be the sole
and ultimate arbiter of the extent of its
powers over her, under the constitution.
She discards such doctrine, as being tan
tamount 10 making the will Of that Gov
eminent lin other words, the will Of the
stronger section, as represented in that
Government supreme over all sections OF
the Union, and over the limitations of the
constitution itself. To this the South
earnestly objects; and insists not only on
Stale rights, which the general Govern
ment may not violate, but also State rem.
edes, as means of checking and arrest
ing such violations. The North, on the
contrary, teels but little solicitude about
State rights, because she knows that the
Government being mainly under her con-
troll, will be in little danger of violating
them, unless 10 obedience to her will and
interests. Still less does she care about
State remedies; for she possesses the re-
quisite power over the general Govern
ment to compel it to administer its own
remedies in all cases where she deems it
desirable.
Thus, it is seen, that both sections are
addicted to contemplating and construe-
ing the constitution, aud The power and
policy Of the Government, very much
through the medium of their respective
interests. The one goes naturally for the
and free, use of powers
which she can control pretty much as she
oleases 10 her own advantage, and which,
1t all events, nobody else will be able 10
urn against her. The other, or Southern {
section, is constrained, by her feebIeness,
o regard the powers of the GovcrnmentI Il
.ather as being exercised oper than By her; {
ind as being impelled and directed rather Q
n accordance with the will and interest Q
If the sectional majority BY which, than b
If the sectional minority orer which, they a
ire exercised. Hence the South is sem {
tivcly jealous of the enlargement of i
federal power by construction, and ur-
rent for its confinement within the limits I
ixed by the Federal compact. a
C,,ob ,hap ara tho natural noiiticaI ian | :