The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-11-11

70 lis lcueral character; however
necessary that may be as first
stcr. What has been done cannot
bc, undonc. Tic equilibrium be.
tween the two sections has been
permanently destroyed hy the tncas.
urcs above stated. The Northern
section, in consequence, will ever
concentrate within itself the two ma.
iori,ics Of Which the Government is
composed; and should the Southern
be excluded from all territories, now
acquired. or TO be hereafter acquired,
it will soon have so decided rrc-
pondcrance in the Government and
the Union, as to he allie to mould
the Constitution to its pleasure.
Against this, the restoration Of thc
federal character Of the Government
can furnish no remedy. So long as
it continues, there can be no safety
for the weaker section. It Ilaccs
III the hands Of the stronger and
hostile section, the rowcr to crush
her and her institutions; and leaves
hc:'' no alternative, but to resist, or
sink down into colouial condition.
This must be the consequence, if
some eilcc'ual and appropriate
remedy he mol applied.
The nature Of tho disease is such.
that nothing can reach it, short of
some organic cl'angc-a change
Which shall SO modify The Con.
stitution, as to give to the weaker
section, III some one form or another,
a negative on the action of the Gov.
crnmcnt. Nothing short Of this can
protect the weaker, and restore
harmony and tranquility to the
Union, 10y arrcsting, cilectually, The
tendency of the dominant aud
stronger section TO Cypress the
weaker. When the Constitution
was formed, and the impression was
ssronssthat the tendency to conflict
-Nonl,l. be between ..ihc lasscr
aud aud siral.er Statsss aid eff,S.sssl
- s a.nst .G:s iGs Bnt q psiiei,cs
h. s'"'i!a@5, d ,'lia Is have been =
mistake: and that, instead Of being
as was then Supposed, the corhic,
Is between The two great sections,
Which arc So strongly distinguished
ny Their institutions, geographical
character, productions and pursuits.
Had this been then rs clearly rcr,
ccivcd as it now is, the same
Jealousy which 50 ,isilantlv watched
against tlic danger of the larger
States opprcssin. The smaller. would
have taken equal prccaution to
guard against the same danger he
twccn the two sections. 1t is for
us, who sec and feel it, to do, What
the framcrs Of the Constitution would
have done, Lad they possessed the
knowledge, III this respect, which
experience has givca MS; that is.
provide against the dangers Which
the system has practically developed
and which, had they been forcsccn
at the time, and left without guard,
would undoubtedly have prevented
the States, forming .hc Southcr,,
section OF the conFclcracv, from
ever asrccin. 20 the Constitution
ana which, under like circumstances
were they now out of, would for ever
prevent them from entering into, the
Union
How the constitution could best
be modified, so rs to effect the object
can only be autholitativcIy deter
mined by the amending power. !,
may be done in various ways
Among others, it might he effected
through a reorganization Of the cx
coulivc department; SO that its powers
instead Of being vested. as they now
arc, in single officer, should be
vested in two;--to be SO elected. rs
that the two should be constituted TIC
special organs and representatives Of
the respective sections, in The cx
ccutivc department Of the gov,
ernmcnt; and requiring each to
approve all the acts Of Congress be-
fore they shall become laws. One
might be charged with the admin
istration of matters connected with
the foreign relations Of the country;
and the other, of such as were
connected with its domestic institu.
tions; the selection 10 be decided hy
lot 1t would thus effect, more
SIMPLY. what was intended by the
original provisions Of The constitution
IN giving to ono Of the mnjoritics
composing the government, a decided
prepondcrancc in the electoral