Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-01-21
SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE UNION IN
FORMER TIMES

| From the National IlltelIioencer Of SGturlaY.
| If we 10 )k back to the foundation this Govern
ment, we shall find that it was called into being
by the very general conviction, on the part ofthe
leading patriots in every State Of the Confedera-
| ton of the United States, soon alter the close of
the War of Independence, that the Government,
| as it was then composed, was too weak to sustain
itself, and if not strengthened by the process of
a reorganization, must fall to pieces, and leave
the States and the People tc be the pray of wild
| anarchy, with a probable certainty of civil war.
! The cause of this imbecility in the Govern
ment was the absence of any authority in Con-
gress to enforce its acts but through the agency
of the State Governments, and that agency vol
untary one merely. The United States, as then
constituted, had an indefinite discretion to make
acquisitions upon the States for men and money,
but had no authority to raise either the one or
the other by regulations extending to the individual
citizens of the country. The consequence of
which was, that though, in theory the resolutions
of Congress concerning those objects were lars,
constltutionally binding on the members of the
| Union, yet in practice they were mere recommended
| tons, which the States obeyed or disre.arded at
| their option.
| The concurrence of as many distinct wills as
| there were States in the Confederation was re-
| quise to the complete execution ofevery impor-
tant public measure that proceeded from the Union.
! The result of all this was-as might we'll be ina
| gined, had we not direct testimony to the fact
that the measures of the Union We're not executed:
''the deinquences of the States had step bv step,
matured themselves to an extreme which had at
length arrested all the wheels of the National
Government, and brought them to an awful stand"
| The greater deficiencies of some States furnished
the pretext of example and the temptation of in
terest to other States. "Whv should we do more
(said they) in proportion than those who are en-
barked with lis in the same political voyage?
Why should we consent to bear more than our
proper share in the common burdens?'' "These
were suggestions" says the high authority from
which we quote, switch human selfshness could
not withstand Each State, yielding to the per-
suasive voice of immediate interest or conve-
nience, successfully withdrew its support. till
(says our author) the frail and lettering edifce
seemed ready to fall upon our heads and to crush
us beneath its ruins!''
Under circumstances such as these it was that
the patriots, who had carried the country through
the great crisis of revolution and war, saw the in
dispensable necessity of infusing into the existing
Government greater energy and vigor, o. of SUBJ
stituting for it one which should have the capacity
of executing as well as resolving what was for
the good of the country. In view of this state of
things, Gen. WASHINGTON, availing himself of the
occasion of resigning his commission in the army
in the Confederacy circular, calling their aten-
ton, in the most impressive terms, to the condi-
ton of things which we have concsely described,
snd pressing upon them, with The greatest earn
estness, the necessity of infusng greater eficen-
cy into the Government-upon their conduct in
regard to which recommendation, he assured them
depended whether the country would be respecta-
bic and prosperous, or contemplate and miserable
as nation for, he said according to the system
Of policy which the States should then adopt they
would stand or fall; and, by their course in that
conjuncture, it was yet to be decided whether the
Revolution must ultimately be considered bles-
sing curse, not to the present age alone, but
to unborn millions whose destiny was involved in
this question.
This letter. much less generally known and
studied than the FareweU Address of WASHINGTON, |
is worthy for its fervid patriotism and its pro-
found political wisdom, of being engraved, by the
side of that Address, on the base ofthe Monument
now rising on the bank of the Potomac to his memo
ry. In this Letterthe General specified three Things,
which, he humbl conceivedy were essential to
the well-being, and he even ventured to say, to
the existence of the United States as an indepen-
dent Power viz
81. An indssoluble Union of the States under one
Federal head
"2 A sacred regard to public justice.
&c. The prevalence OF that Pacific and friendly dspo-
son among the People OF the United States which
will induce them 10 forget their local prejudices and
politics, to make those mutual concessions which are
requisite to the general prosperity, and in instan-
ces, to sacrifice their individual advantages the nte
rest OF the community
In this enuncation objects essential to an effective
Government of the United States, though preceding by
four five years the birth ofthe Constitution the rea-
der tail to perceive the great lneaments of the
existing Government of the Union; those features the
destruction OF which is now demanded by the Dsuni
onsts the alternative to their project OF Southern
Confederation. For take away the ndissoubility of
the Union, the Federal head" the supremacy of
the Laws, the compromise OF Individual interests tor
are now demanded by all South Carolina and parts of
two other States ofthe Southland what would
remain of either the Government or the Union?
But, to pursue historical review After three or
four years of most anxious socitude and continual in
terchange of opinion the part of the distinguished
patriots of that day, Convention of Delegates from
twelve OF the thirteen States at length got togeth
err having met in the city Of Philadelphia the 18th of
May, 1887 and continuing in session until the 18th day
of Septemhsr 10 this Convention were present all the
States OF the South including the State Of South Caro-
lima, than which State one had greater instrument
tally in framing the Constitution, the invaluable re-
cord preserved by Mr. Madison distinctly shows. In |
ndivduazng the State OF South Carolina as we have
heretofore lntmated, we do so because OF her being
though among the foremost in the construction OF the
Government Of the Unon the first to enlist in scheme
for disruption Oft
represented by four of her most distinguished sons,
John Rutledge, Charles Cottesworth Pnckney, Charles
Pinckney, and Pierce Butler One otthese gentlemen,
Mr. Rutledge, seconded the nomination by Robert Nor
rls OF General Washington for President of the Con-
venon, expressing his confidence that the vote in his
favor would be unanimous, and balloting being
had, the prediction justified by The result of the
election On the first day of entering seriously upon
business, OF two plans offered for the sideraton OF
the Conyenton, one was from Virginia by Governor
Randolph proposing to "conect and enlarge the Ar
tcles of Confederation, to accomplish the obecIs
proposed by their nsttuon and another, from South
Carolina. by Mr.. Charles Pinekney, the very title OF
which "Plan of Federal Constitution" sgnif-
cant oil its contents embracing, with the exception of
the composition Of the Senate (Which, by bis plan,
was to chosen by the Popular Representative body
most of the po,persto be delegated Congress which
are comprised within the Constitution of the Uni
ted States it stands and has stood for than
sixty years. Throughout the proceedings OF the Con-
vention the views Of the Delegates from South Caro-
lima Except perhaps, Mr.. P. Bute were generally as