The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1850-12-07

State in which It happens 10 exist.
The South Carolina schools Of political Obi
losophers were the earliest who undertook to
show that The allegiance Of a citizen is due 10
his own State in the first place, and secondly,
it he have any loyalty TO spare, then, If it does
not conflict with his State devotion, he NAV
yield it up TO the General Government, A
man takes an oath as a member o. Congress to
perfectly plain and clear in its meaning to all
men of common sense. They think it implies
obligation to the whole Union over which the
Constitution the member has sworn to support
Is. extended. Not so, however, is the construc-
ton placed on that oath by the South Carolina
sect OF political c~asuists. They contend tina,
o South Carolina Senator, in swearing to 8 D.
port the Constitution, only swears to support
South Carolina as the chief duty Of his life,
and that, it any contest arise between the
Government Of that State and the General
Government, he is bound to sustain the State
whether she is clearly right or clearly wrong
in his opinion. Now, ii this view were gener-
al, then we should have the representatives Of
tnirty-one States, each one yielding allegiance
to the comparatively petty Interested his own
State and disregardiug the magnificent interests
of the whole Union. From such a state Of
things, cooperation for the promotion re the
welfare Of the whole people could not possibly
be looked for, and discord and speedy disun-
ion would ensue.
The men, who contend that in swearing to
support the Constitution they swear to main.
tain their loyalty to .one State, must admit that
the trainers of The Constitution were by no
means as sagacious and far-reaching in their
views as has generally been supposed. They
must suppose that our Constitution, althougb
for a Con(ederacy Of States, is in truth opera
tive merely to sustain allegiance to individual
States. They must regar il as being no more
universal in its character than was The famous
old Ach@an eague. This idea is unworthy
Of the Constitution and is not compatible with
the progressive spirit Of the age.
One Of the greatest benefits which modern
civilization has conferred on the world is seen
in the oblitera'ion Of small communities having
discordaut interests. Six centuries az, En-
rope contained a very large number Of little
communities, each one Of which b~rtstIed with
enmity toward all the communities BY which it
was surrounded. The necessary effect of this
subdivision of the territory of Europe into
thousands Of little communities was the fire.
qneRCy Of war. War was then tn only art
p~ractised to any extent. Men lived onl, to
slaughter other men. Had this state Of things
continued, the result would have been like
that which was seen on our own continent At
the period of its first settlement by white men.
The number Of those who were slaughtered in
battle greatly exceeded the numbe Of births,
and the native population was diminishing.
But, lOrtu ateIy for Europe, new ideas took
root in the minds OF her philosophers, and the
various pettv warlike communities which had
existed were abolished, or rather merged to-
gether into large communities in which there
followed a community Of Interests.
1t was by breaking up these little commune
lies that a way was opened for that better con-
dition Of things which has since taken place
The abolition Of narrow sectional views and
feelings is the great business of that higher
civilization which is now every year introduc.
ing changes in the relative condition Of States
and people. By widening the extent OF EN-.
pres, the liability to war Is Iessened. In former
times, a rupture between W petty communities
sometimes led to a rupture between OF iers, and
wide slaughter ensued. 1t is the prevalence Of
sectional feelings that paves the way for war,
its desolaiion, and its crimes. By aboIishin ;
these feelings, men learn that they are not
born 10 slaughter each other simply because
they happen to reside in neighboring States.
A better feeling and nOblel views are introduce
ed, and men come to believe that, as they have
a common Creator and a common DESTINY, their
interests, instead Of being hostile, are trul,
coinCident.
The prevalence Of sectionalism in the Uni
ted States must Of necessity lead to results
precisely similar to those which have TAX en-
place elsewhere under similar influences. His
tory indeed was never m0re dlorougly sustain
ed bv existing facts, than the history Of Eu-
rope six centuries ago is sustained by facts as
they are now seen in this country The
ul'raists-that is, the fanatics and traitors OF
both The Northern and tie Sourhern States,
who are men that have narrowed their hearts
down to the limits Of a miserable sectiODaIism
ARE now engaged in hurting anathemas at
each other. The spirit y Oh they Ieel 8 that
which aetuated the wretched little European
communities to go to war with each other.
The bitter fanatic Of Massachusetts has 60 ill>
ed his heart with haze tor the Southern sIave-
holder, and the bitter fanatic OF Georgia has so
q ~ g. - .s.N -.-