The Madisonian. (Canton, Miss.) 1850-1855, 1850-06-20

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lative act, is repeslable at the will of
the maj jority then the compromise be-
comes Temporary expedlent to post
pone Troublesome subject until the
majority by means of this very COM
promise, shall acquire sufficient
strength to enforce some other and to-
them in better bargain. In the one
case it is gross assumption Of power
not granted but denied.and in the other
it would be a perpetual abandonment
Of important rights, in consideration of
Of supposed security Of comparative
ly inconsiIerable interests. The Miss
souri, compromise furnishes strong il
lustralion oflhis truth.
There are many OF her serious ohiac-
tiop to the plan Of the proposed compro.
mise If understand il rightly. have
neither time nors,rength sufficient to
enumeraie these. There is one how
ever so strong in itself as to render
such an enumeration unnecessary, |
think. 1t would,be a palpahI, vlola-
lion of the public faith pledged to Tex
as at the. time Of her admission into the
Union. if it proposes to strip her,
without her consent of a large portion
of territory admitted to be hers in or
der to eke out the promised consldera-
sion to the South and if her previous
consent to such dismemberment be
required the time and mode of giving
it are left to Texas. So,that the con
templated compromise while it is to be
executed at once SO far as it Injuries the
South, is left contingent and executory
so fair as the South may hopeto derive
any benefit from it hereafter.
Entertaining these opinions, | could
never yield,my assent to the proposed
Compromise, whatever I might think
of its expediency and policy. am
we'll aware, however, that The notions
of abstractionists will never have any
Influence upon public opinion, in re-
gard to questions supposed to involve
great public interests: All men feel,
although but few reason; and with the
mass, the impulses of the passing hour
will ever overrule the most wise sugr
gestions as to an unknown future. -
Hence while for my own amusement
merely, continue TO build my own
"chateau. en- Espagne," it is with such
conviction of the inutlity Of The work
1 that have long ceased to trouble any
body else with an explanation ofits ob'
ject or design.
An ardent friend Of The Union oI
the States, and at one time sincere
believer in the efficacy Of the Fedora
constitution to preserve that union, and
withlt the freedom Of our citizens,
long since discovered that neither the
one nor the other Of these objects c0uo
be attained by any mere paper guaran'
ties. Unwilling however, to abandon
ntirely my original convictions; | mex
| inaulged the hope that the divelsltle'
existing in the social organization OF
The different States would blnd the ml'
nority together by the strong cement
of similar interests, aud would enable
1t to resist successfully any importan
encroachment upon its equal rights
that the majority would certainly at
tempt. But when fanaticism reared
its head among us, as no humln sagac
ity can measure its force lost all Don
fidence in my former calculations; anr
i am now convinced that although th:
government under some temporary
modification Of it, effected by construC'
tiou, compromise and concessions, vii
last beyond the short space OF the hi'
of very old man, the next gene atloI
will surely witness il 8 annihilation.
III the Old world as in the New. po
litical power is always stealing from
the many to the few. There is Thu
difference however in the two cases
: There the many who are despolleC
are but a small portion Of the whole
while here, it is the whole who are
. robbed forthe benefit Of numerous
interested majority. You sir, are
young enough to witness probabl,
3. many Of the results Of such transl
: ton. In its first stage It will exhloI
the simple government Of an uhcheck'
ed majority, acknowledging no RESTRAIN
s upon its absolute will-of maJorlt,
proclaiming that there is law hIghe'
) than the constitution they have sworn
tosupport Of which higher laws the.
! are the only true expositors, But I'D.
: paper warns me to bring this dull pro
D sing to an end.
These, sir, are the deliberate opln
e ionof an old man. with whom t'm'
: his long since extinguished al inter
est IN the practical administration Q
: public affairs. They are given 70, yo'
E only because you have requested them
and ! pray you to excuse the very
! awkward manner in which they arr