The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-07-25

In what has it been changed since 1922 He
was then living under the tariff of 1910, that of
1912 was pending before Congress. The tariff
of 1912 has been modified by the tariff of 1916,
for which Mr.. RHETT Doted. -
Then it could not have been that the repeal
of Wing tariff, and the subsequent adoption of
a Democratic tariff, varied the Constitution for
the worse in the esteem of Mr.. RHErT. If in
l642 he glorifed the "Union as It's" it could
not have been less dear to him when the Demo
cratic tariff of 1876 had still further modified
one of the features SO Objectionable to him. 1t
cannot, then, have been the expressions of the
tariff, which render the Union, in the eyes of
Mr.. RHETT, as detestabe now as II was admi-
rable then. Perceiving nothing in the condi-
ton of the revenue laws which renders the
Union less valuable than in 1912, directors
will turn, perhaps, to the change in the rela-
tons between the North and South, by the re-
lative acquisitions of power of these two sec
lions.
The first acquisition of territory was south
ern measure. The annexation of Texas was
confessedly an object dearest to the heart of Mr..
TYLER, and of the deceased statesman who
held the first office in his Cabinet.
The success of this measure certainly did
not make the Constitution other than it was in
1912, in the estimation of Mr.. RHETT. The
elevation of the Democratic party, aided by
the vote, we believe, of Mr.. RHETT himself,
gave the control Of our foreign policy to
Democratic Executive. A war with Mexico
gave us extensive possessions upon the Pacific.
We believe the Senators from South Caro-
lima voted for the treaty of peace and purchase
which was made with Mexico. So far there
was, then no change in the Constitution; il was
but what it had been, or, if modified at all,
derwent those notifications with the vote of
the South Carolina Senators, and were not,
therefore, in their estimation, unconstitutional.
But when new country thus acquired had
been thrown open to the immigration of the
whole American people, North and South, and
where it has resulted, as was evident to all it
must result in throwing into the new territory
larger number of persons from the free States,
having a population of three million five hun
dred Thousand free white persons, than from the
slaveholding States, having population of six
million five hundred thousand, who can be
surprised that this Southern and Democratic
policy of annexation, conquest, and purchase,
has resulted, as was alike obvious and inevita-
BILE, in the addition of more free States to the
Union?
Then we submit that those who sanctioned
the cause should not complain of the conse-
quences. And that, if the Constitution
be no longer what it was in 1912, it can
only have been changed in the prepon-
derance of the free over the slaves States
And those who sanctioned the acquisition of
new territory, leaving to the inclinations of the
people to settle it in such proportions as their
sectional impulses or comparative sectional
population may dictate, cannot complain if
more free white people than shareholders have
gone to the new territory, or that, finding
themselves in majority, they have chosen TO
establish such institutions as are satisfactory to
themselves. The Constitution is as it was
in 1912. If it be not, those who forced upon us a
new aud anomalous policy in the face Of the OPP
position and warning of large and influential
portion Of their fellow-citizens, cannot COM
plain that their own policy did not turn out as
they had hoped for.