The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1851-03-26


! il habilnal and linus destroy lhe eonfidenrs
OF The people m The sIab lily oi their in.
siiiniions. This 10 the trying ordeal
through which ilne people of Tie sese
raj States of This Union are now pas.
sing.. and from The destructive evils ol
which nulhing bui The conservative. cohe-
sise rhararirr Of Anglo Saxon institutions
can preserve IN, m. Consultations. or rather
The elementary principles Of constitutions,
should be permanent. am one Of those
who have ma faith IN lie adapisblliiy oi
eeiiain defined fundamental principles OF
what is commonly termed liberty. 10 The
wants and conditions of any and every
people. France for ihe last sixty years
has given us The best practical illustration
Of ihe ulopianism Of constitutional iinkers.
The besl constitution for any people Is
that which secures most happiness 10 The
citizen consistently with the power Of the
government 10 make itself respected and
10 preserve lis stability. When the erea.
AIhenian law>giver was asked il he had
given his counirymen the best possible
system Of laws--he answered that lhey
were The best ihe Alhenian people were
ihencapable Of enjoying the blessings OF.
Scion showed his wisdom. as much by
adapting his laws 10 The peruliar wants
aud conditions of his counlIymen, as in
he Intrinsic excellence Of ihe laws lhem-
selves. Where any people are sufficient
y enlightened, or where lis enjoyment has
accustomed them 10 its blessings, civil
liberty will Of course enter more largely
into their happiness than any other eIe-
ment Of government, and when aconsIilu-
lion secures this, the only change 10 which
the people should accuslom themselves TO
look, is mere adaptation Of its machine
~ TO the wants and Developments Of the
age. ln.lhis lies The strength and power
and harmonious working al the English
constitution. From 1888 To the present
time, It's great cardinal landmarks and ele.
menlary principles have in the main, con-
linued The same. Il has from time 10 time,
been merely modified TO adapt il 10 The
exigencics Of The spirit Of The age, and
only then with The most extreme caution
and deliberalion. Nothing is better pro.
ven by experience than that permanence
and stability are necessary in order TO Sc
cure the affection Of the people for the
government, aud 10 insure peace and quiet
and conlenimenl in The community. In
luslry aud enterprise have no Stimulus to
excr,ion without il. All the impulses Of
a patriotic ambition, all The high and noble
incenliveslo professional fame. 10 scientific
and literary renown, all ilIe social ties of
kindred and home, best flourish and pros
per under she consciousness of stability
and iirmness in the institutions under
which we live. Consequently, The pub
lie mind, instead Of being accustomed 10
look To constant changes in their fnnda.
mental law. as the panacea lor every .lem-
porary III, should rather view with iea-
lousy every atlempt 10 unsellle its long
established principles; and il. as in our
case, il be the work Of AN llusirious an.
ccslry, instead Of being derided for It's an
tiquily, il should be venera,ed on account
Of The associations which marked It's for
nation. fear If we now sci the prece-
dent oil changing the constitution by legis.
lalive provision. that The character which
North Carolina has SO long enjoyed for
conservatism and siabillly-wil be gone
forever. Fault-fnding is one Of the com.
monest Ingredients in mans nature. Eve.
ry moral, social and political evil will be
traced TO some defect in the organic law
The General assembly, instead of attending
TO the duties for which they were chosen,
and Of surviving To promote the honor and
character Of The State, will be session after
session. engaged in solving constitutional
problems, and endeavoring TO show how
much wiser they are than were our FAITH
ers--mlil that venefaied instrument,
which has so ling been our boast and
pride. will have finally disappeared forever.
suppose ! need scarcely insist on
what wall be admitted on all hands, that
all changes or notifications OF The funda-
mental law should be free from the bane-
Iul influences Of parly-spirli. In such a
work Of wisdom as that Of making or re.
yising a constitution under which posieri-.
" is 10 live, The minds Of those engaged
in il should be diveslcd Of not only parti-
san jealousy and bitterness. but Of all
those other disiracling and unhappy asso.
cialions, which must necessarily attach 10
those selected for The business df ordinary
legislation. The various questions Of q
local character, the aglta,ing subjects of
Stale Eolicy, the conflicting interests Of
rival sections, together with all the other
exciting elements that enter into The or.
dinary contests Of the huslings, are calcu.
lated 10 disturb that spirit Of harmony
and compromise, and 10 prevent that calm
and dispassionale consideration, so abso-
lutely necessary in affixing The landmarks
of the constitution. This is matter bet.
ter understood BY the great. body Of our
people, Than some gentlemen seem 10 sup
pose. Call convention 10 revise the
Constitution, and Delegates will be select
ell with an especial view TO that objec.
alone. Men will be selected with &c.