The Yazoo Democrat. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1850-12-25
First Meeting in COngress.in the new
Era.
ON MAIN STREET, YAzoO CITY, MISS.

Era.
Congress meets again to-day under the
forms Of the Constitution; but the govern
ment has undergone fundamental change
Il is no longer Fedsrative-it is an elect
i've despotlsm. The will of the majority.
as represented in the Senate and House of
representatives., is absolute. A great rev.
olution is accomplished, and the Constitu-
ton Of 1889 survives only in form.
OF Lourse such an event could not hap
pen without deep sensation. Accordingly
III both sections of the Union, whose con-
dtion is affected by this change, Dispute
iul an1 discomfort pervade the public
mind, exceeding any previous period OF
our history.
In two Of The Southern States, South
Carolina and Mississippi, whose Legis.a.
lures are in session, the revolution is re-
cognized and denounced, and measures for
avenlng lis consequences discussed.
la Georgia, popular vote has just been
taken, which, although it has given a
large majority for submission, has, perhaps
given none for appreciation; whilst consid
cradle minority oil the people, who but one
year ago were unanimlmous in their sup
port OF the Federal Government, now de-
clare it TO be their enemy.
In Florida, at election for Congress has
recently been held, in which a candidate
who denounced the late meas ures OF Cou-
press as worthy OF resistance, was defeated
by bare majority Of a few hundred votes
in the whole South.
In Texas, we behold a State laboring
under financial embarrassment, and threat
ened with the sword OF Federal power for
asserting her territorial lights, finally indu-
ced by the fear Of power, ond the offer OF an
enormous sum OF money, TO surrender a
vast claim To territory, aud to abandon the
cause Of her sister States OF the South.
In a labanla, a multitude of public meet
ings have been held, TO declare the HOSTILE
ty OF the people to the late acts OF Federal
lerislalioG. Aud in ali the other southern
States, with TWO or three exceptions, the
people are earnestly canvasslng The policy
Of uon-intercourse with the North, retalla-
ton tor past aggressions, TO prevent future
ones and To prepare for the contingency
of final separation, which the people OF
the SoIth are compelled to contemplate.
The most submissive TO Federal authority,
OF the people of the South, talk OF submit.
ting to no more aggression, and even spe'
city the repeal of the Fugitive slave law
as an event at once so probable aud SO OIL
fenslve, as TO require them TO give pro
test in advance against it,
These are the results in the South OF th'
recent change in the character of the gov
ernment.
In the North, the STATE OF affairs is equal
ly striking and significant. The malOrlt!
flushed with victory, and spurning the au
thority Of a law themselves can repeal
have successfully resisted one of the lat
measures Of Conggess,-the only one tha
did not operate exclusively i'll their favor
And throughout almost the entire ftteel
Northern States that law is a nullity.
In the progress of events which ha
thus far gone-we have heard much OF Eh
sanctitY Of the Jaw. When Texas attemp
ed to establish a civil jurisdiction over tn
territory she claimed she WINS aPpnss
that the Federal army would be marches
TO oppose her, and troops were actually sen
off 70 Santa Fe. Yet at the very tim
when a mere assertion Of jurisdiction wa
attempted by Texas, and thus resiste
without authority Of law, some hundre
thousand people Of the North and OF iol
eign nations were trespassing on the pull
lie lands Of California, and were comm
ting waste TO the amount Of fifty mllllou
Of dollars annually, contrary TO law, an
no attempt was made t. prevent then
although the law expressly required the
removal aud punishment. On the contr'
~, they were still fprlher indulged, in al
Stunning sovereign powers, in eslablishin
a government not for themselves merely
but to exclude the Institutions OF fiftee
States and this not in the territory thr
occupied only, but over all the sea Goa
fCalifornia--and finally, they were az
mitled into the Union, through breac
Of the Constitution, and Of right, justiC
and equality. ~
The fedetatiVe system, which our fail
ers establishedein 1887, was regarded b
them with much solicitude and apprehel
sion.
4hey were afraid that il would be Il
compatible with the rights of the Stat,
and the libeTly of the citizens. It's oU
champions defended i against this lobie
ton, by insisting that itlefs prcponds
ance Of practical power d the State
andwas more liable 20 sll 81 their pow
than 70 Sacrifices them d ils on3ns1 Br
our FedsRl system had gual y Tor /
preservation in African slaverg hose B
liticaI value wat NOT then nnaeIs "a, y b
has since on several occasions I'D dew,
oPsd ia the most edsctiVo snd salpta