Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1849-09-26

publics. We are breaking in with The
great principle of Delegated power, so
conducive To order und just administration
in modern governments, and falling back
upon the antiquaed noIion Of absolute
and direct popular agency. We are also
fast discarrling The rniiuual, conservative
principle, so admiralty predominant, in
our variuus politics, which gives the
right Of rule 10 The concurring majority
of all The interests Of society aud we are
bringing again into practice the absolute
power of lhe numerical mgioriiy-lhe dan.
gerous aud exploded theory Of the ancient
Republics.
The important question arises, c,ti bono /?
What good is to be expected from these
changes? Are they really needed? Have
our Constitutions failed in their designs Z?
Have they not rather fulfilled the hig ghest
expectations Of their trainers, in making us
The freest and most prosperous people on
the globe? Did the people ii Turning them,
surrender into the hands Of government,
too many Of their rights and privileges!
Or did they omit to secure any important
charter rights The wisdom Of the pres-
enl day has not been able 10 point out
these defects. No people in any age of
The world, has ever experienced under
government larger share of rational liber-
ty, than may be enjoyed by The people of
this country, under the just Interpretation
of the American Constitutions. Il is re.
markabIe fact. that nearly all The abuses,
and all the expressions that have appeared
i'll our Republic, have been perpe,rated
against the express provisions Of those.
noble instruments, or by insidous perver-
sions Of their true intent and meaning.
They are not 10 be traced TO the govern
ments themselves, but to Observation-Disclosures
lralon; tu the rude experiments Of rash in
novalion; to the cupidity and ambition of
designing politicians. of factions, aud
rrongheaded numerical mGjorities
No governments ever existed, better
calculated, in our judgment, TO secure 10
fresmen all their true rights and liberties.
None ever looked more closely to the real
interests Of mankind-to the ,celfire Of the
people generally. When, with a reflect.
ing eye we view their ample. provisions for
popular liberty; their wise restrictions upon
legislative and executive power and their
wonderful adaptation 10 all the wants and
reasonable desires Of free, virtuous, and
intelligent people; we are almost forced
10 conclude, that some super-human agen-
cy contributed to their formation; that
Providence, in His inscruIable wisdom;
impaired to theil virtuous trainers, a more
than Ordinary share Of knowledge, virtue,
and patriotism. What could offer, then. a
nobIer field OF e(i1rI, than TO study out the
means by which these constitutions may
be perpeluatcd. and to give them practi-
cal success in our country! What a trea-
sure they might become 10 generations yet :
unborn The liberty Of millions Of our
FeIlow-beiugs, descencen's of our coun-
,rymen, depends, perhaps, upon their just
and equitable provisions
To preserve, then, in their purify, these
admirable Documents, is the part not only
of ,oisaom. but OF moral duty aud patriot-
ism. We may resi- assured, that. iu The
conflicting passions and interests iha, now.
and will. perhaps, forever agiale our
country. they can never be improred.
Every change, il is feared, will be for the
worse. We should hang ON, therefore, to
these, as The PuLLadia Of our rights-as the
great safety ships Of our nation liberties,
in the turbulent political sea of The future.
As abuses in administration arise chiefly
in departure from their noble provisions,
il is the first duty Of The statesman, vigi-
IantIy 10 atch over these Constitutions, and
10 see tina, they are executed ia good faith.
And it is the province of an intelligent
people 10 have guaranty Of their faithful
by always keeping at the
head of affairs, men who are prudent,
moderate aud conservative. In this way
alone, can our Liberties be perpetuated!
ONE OF THE PEOPLE.