The southern press., 1851-10-15

The political excitement with regard to the
election To- morrow, is on the increase and a very
| large vote viii be poed. The results consid
cred very doubtful tes9
| The despatch from Baltimore, announcing Q
bank panic there, cccasioDed considerable un
easiness here, until an authentic statement OF its
entire falsity was received
The Birque Emily has arrived with Rio Janet
70 dates to August 3lst. The general news IL
devoid Of interest. Coffee was exceedingly
scarce, very little was expected from the interior
The Emily left at Rio the briggs Cynthia and
Silas Manan, of Baltimore.
New YORK, Oct. g.
The steamer City Of Richmond arrived this
morning from Norfolk and Richmond.
The new ship Invineibe is now loading for
California. She was consigned this morning.
The money market is considered easier.
Delivered before he Society Of Alumni of the
University Of Virginia, al its Annual Meeting,
held in lhs Rotuada, on The 2sth June, 1851.
BY JOHN RANDOLPH TUCKER. 1
(Coneiitacd from fourth pdge)
do not design mooting quest ons of party
contest; but no one will deny, that the wants
incident to the war did suggest, during it's con-
tinuarce and after its close, the exercise of pow
ers heretofore denied or resisted. History con-
firms what we cannot deny, that those who had
before the war most ardently supported the JEFF
fersonian school, subsequently outstripped the
latitudinarians In their own mode of construc-
ton and when the strife between the old op.
ponents was no longer heard, or was forgotten
amid the joyful glories of the era of good
feeling" tho philosophic historian will remark
the progressive advances Of central power, and
the growing weakness and lessening influence
of the States. He will note the fact, that in the
midst of that era, when all seemed to speak OF
prosperity in the present, and promise glorious
success in the future; at that moment there
rang out upon the peaceful air, that dread a,arn
bell, which startled the Southern mother from
her couch, and reused the retired sage of Mon
ticello from the delights of literary pursuits, to
speak for the salvation of the Union; a sound
whose echoed horrors, fatal to our peace, have
not yet died away npon our ear.
Year, rolled on, and in their progress bore the
ship of State farther and farther towards the ia
tai moorings of centralisnl. In its progress, in
the opinion Of State, it transgressed the sacred
limits of its constitutional powers and that
State pronounced the ominous veto. Central
ism was alarmed. The States were reused from
their slumber, to find one of the smallest stars
of their constellation shining with lustre
which paled not before the glories Of the proud
est Of them all
moot not the propriety of the step, nor the
constitutional of the remedy she proposed.
note II as a fact, in the struggle whose course !
am tracing, and one whose moral power mas
truly great 1t summoned from their long sleep
the principles of the revolutions of l776 and
1900, and by their resurrection warned the States
of the danger to which they were exposed Ii
called halt in the progress Of consolidation Ii
struck the key note of the maintenance Of right,
ever to the point of resistance 10 wrong!
| But centralism was not idle. When did power
ever yield without a struggle! II issued its
| manifesto, in which its supremacy was asserted
its power proclaimed to be unlimited except by
its own discretion and its judgments were us.
sumed to have the force of constitutional au
thority, to be executed il need be, by the sword.
speak not of this celebrated proclamation with
the feelings of parizan, nor in connection with
| what | have reason 10 know were the real
opinions Of its nominal author but / speak Ut
il in the light Of histo: ical criticism. IL was a
deadly llow TO the principles Of the Constitu.
| ton seed Of ruin sown amid the flowers of
our peace; a barbed arrow ranking unseen, per-
haps, but oil the more fatally, and distling its
subtle poison through our entire political sys.
TEN.
The struggle ended in compromise. but not
so its results. II is useless to disguise the fact
that federal power has wonderfully increased
| from the incubation into the popular mind OF
the lesding idea Of that fatal pap,r; the indrisi.
| bic oneness OF the States, oneness more fully
represented by the man, who csn claim that be-
is sustained by its numerical majority, the OH.
nfpbtent Of the system.
/ Upon this subject, think ] may appeal 10
men Of all parties whD have noted the progress
Of events, 10 shy whether the idea of real
State sovereignty, Of a strict construction OF
the Constitution, or Of any limitation upon the
powers Of the general government which may
not be surmounted by necessity or expediency
are not almost extinct in the halls Of Congress
or if entertained by any, are not the subjects oil
the sneers Of n large majority. j. not the scope
Of federal action more enlarged than il has eveI
been; that Of the States more contracted
Have not the extensive views Of that profound
statesman, already quoted, and under whose
| guidance the government went into operation
been almost realized in its present nctioni
While a difference for differences OF opinion
will not permit me TO refer TO particular measures
which occur 10 my mind, may not safely ask
those to whom address, IL an institution pccu
i liar to our section, has not been drawn within
the influence Of federal legislation 10 greater
extent than was originally designed, or was evel
anticipated, but BY those whose prophetic warn.
ings were disregarded or condemne at the foun
dation Of the government!
II this be so, am | not right in concluding
that q struggle between central and State powei
has existed IN our system from its foundation e
the present day, and that thus Ear thstriumph o.
centralism has been decisivel
4 L. % he. fa1a.at,,o a 4.
Of the central element in our system, are inter
esting facts, the causes Of which are numerou:
and we'll defined IN noticing some Of them
the existence Of the facts Themselves will BE-
confirmed As already indicated, they have beer
both external and internal, though the latter now
4 are principally in operation
i Among the most prominent m be mention
ed the geographical, social and commercial ties
which having so long bound, have almost become
necessities The newress OF the country, the
resources in our Western wds for development:
and the impetus which modern discoveries are
giving to every species Of enterprise, tend still
more TO increase them. The pursuit Of wealth