The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1851-09-13

ion, aud the will Of the people subserviant to this
right. The declaration of Independence, aud the
sovereignty of the people he considered fallaces
The innovation by which our Federal and State
Constitutions were established, is virtually con.
demned by bls principles and practise. He had
no confidence IN the people. 1t was his declared
belief, and 1t Is repeated in his own words, that
the people did not understand liberty" DE.
mocracy" he said, was leyelllng and lnconsistaut
with liberty"
He had no interests in common with his fellow
citizens IN those cares and trials which absorb go
large portion Of their time and their thoughts
To provide by constant labor and unccasing anx-
iety for the means of subsistence; to embrace
such humble opportunities for such enjoyment as
these indlspens ble nvOcatOns will allow to take
those practical views Of the existing wants of So
eiety which are forced upon the mass of the peo-
pie by their own necessities; To ali such experi.
rIence he was a stranger, the iron hand of neccs.
sly had never laid its icy fingers upon his yitals
and constrained him to claim fellowship with the
people. He could not appreciate their feelings,
their wants, nor their muIt.
! Give him power, and his intelligence and his
Genevocncc would prompt him to make a wise
use Of It for the general welfare; but equality
and fraternity with the mass Ofhis fellow citizens
was al impossible condition He must be an ac-
There Is no halfway house between Arstocra.
cy and Lemocrncy. If the people are not sover
eIgn they are but the instruments Of undclrgated
power. The only test that has yet been discover
ed of popular supremacy, is found in the control
OF the majority. This control may be imperfect,
| 1t - sometimes apparently udicruus it may even
seem outrageous and scaudalcus in its exercises ;
but no other principle can be introduced into hu.
man government that will not result in grea ter
abuse, or which can give equal security to the
common welfare Deny this principle, and the
only remaining question is, Who shall govern
Yon or And II so, howi BY force or fraud I
The same intellectual and phy steal habits which
confirm the belief IN the mental superiority that
places an individual above the "rabble,' must
lead him also to the conviction that a portion Of
the human family may justly be denied all poti-
cal and social rights aud remain III serytude to a
more fortunate or superior race.
Deriving our laws, our literature. and our social
habits from to'eign sources and from arbitrary
Institutions it is not a matter Of surprise that so
many Of our distinguished citizens should enter.
tain sentiments that cannot be reconced to the
republican doctrine of equa rights, nor to the vul-
gar requl-ltluns Of practical democracy.
The Constitution of the United States is but an
experiment. No one denies wisdom and patriot
ism to The men who framed il. By some il is
supposed 10 rxVo-e great defects, and to need
correction whilst others deem 1t perfect Would
It not be miracle were 1t found competent to
adapt Itself to the constantly varying relations
which are induced By tue wauiS of growing ma
ton, and By the experience Of mo,e than 60 years
OF nccssant legi-latiorSi II bode- no good to the
permanenrc and STABILITY, nor to tic competence
IS ;,--s.,seII- To rpeot tse psi da-,an5s of
intelligent people, that we lax the moral aud
al Ia Ntsfft in ii A
d,ty of searching and thorough ,eeision must
cDmei
Relative TO many important provisions of the
Constitution, men who are deemed wise and
whose motives are pur9 differ in opinion And
singular l. tia effect, not merely Of party bias
but of loetl aul less colnprehended influences
that Il constitutional doubt which no force of rct-
son can ohvId'e. {, determined by the geogr1phi-
cal position of the sagaciou- citizen who cxpounl-
It. So true l. Il that circumstances and cxpedi
cnrv are adequate 10 control the Judgment Of the
Wlscst snd best of the human race. and the more
extraordinary the individual, the more striking
may bc his alteration from the plalnest dictates
I ui common Seu'e.
4 man eminent in one department Of science
may be glarngy deficient IL others, yet his ad
unrers are ready to adopt hi, opinions, with no
gust conception OF the consequences TO which they
/ lead.
| Wa-l ing'on, jefferson and Madison aud with
them the prominent men Of the slavehuldng
states denounced the institution of slavery as n
curse inflicted upon them by the mother coun.
/ try, and looked forward with confidence to the
day when the nation would be relieved from its
! parilysiug influence. Mr. Calhoun boldly avow.
ed himself a defender Of the nstl:utonas right.
eOUs one. and demanded of the nation some mel.
surcs OF p sitive n sufanfe for It's pcrpetuity EX.
a-perated hy opposing Influences. respectable
portion of the savehoding interest have adopt.
ed his views, and exhibit tie singular incungrui
ty of demanding as the privilege of freemcn,
right to consgn portion u the human family to
hopeless bondage
Mr.. Calhouns name has given tho doctrine a
sanction which It could qe'cr have obtained un
der inferior auspices 10 'ur mltedvi,lon, how
ever 1t would seem unfnHunate that this great
man should be taken fran Us at the moment
when question which deeply agitated our
national councils was Sudcndgd American peo
pie had reason not only TO coufdc in his general
integrity ofpurpo>e, but upon his ultimate sound
ness ol Judgment IN emergencies where the wei
fare Of the nation was apparently at stake. The
incunsdcrate men who are at this time endcavor
ing to propagate scdition il his name, might have
found = FAR different and more acceptable chan
mel ur their patriotic ebuitlons, had his life been
spared. ~ D.
There has been, andtheru can be no serious
danger TO the country " the immediate or uItl-
mate decision of the slae'qucstion. secession
or separation whether peaceablc or violent, Is at
this time impossible. ANY lapse of years will
find it equally so. Mr.. Calhoun perfectly un.
ders,ood and acknowledged this fact The intel
liyent men of the shyeholdiug states generally
understood it, and it 3 much to be regretted that
tn, idle vaporing which Is still rife in some quar-
ters upon this snbjec, should continue TO vex the
public ear
Mr. Calhoun, like many other eminent men
whose talents fitted them to adorn the station,
aimed TO reach the Presidential chair 1t is no
credit to the nation hat his claims were set aside
in behalf Of inferior men, But his talents aud
virtues will be freshto the admiration OF succeed.
, Ing generations wien the names of some who
have reached that distinguished position will be
found only upon the official records Of the nation
To have obtained tliS distinction would have add.
ed nothing To his FINE, ani could scarcely have
failed to- diminish rather than increase his politi-
cal and moral intlu,n9.
1t may be necessary for fair experiment in
free government tha office should only be Oh
/ tanned by men of cay virtue, who are ready Ia
( immediate their own dnscience and principles u,
the shrine of popularity. But the sacrifice that
E is made to assume tie cares and responsibi,ltie,
p. Of Office is wre,che1y compensated by its re.
, wards, even when secured by noirreparable wear
e and tear of eonscisnce..-To the truly great man
d il adds positively noihng.n the estimation of a
, discriminating puslt, whilst to the undeserving
. and incompetent, Who has been thrust into power