Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1851-04-19
From the Democratic Rerielo.
The Philosophy Of the American Union |:
OR, THE PRINCIPLES OF ITS CoHEsIvENEss.
THE ELEMENTS OF DIsUNION.

an Injunction applied TO and woman in matri-
mony, and is founded on the correlative organza-
tion of the welded couple. God has created each
of the parties incomplete without the other, and
endued each with organs, desires, intellectual ten
denotes and physical powers subsidiary to the So
cia coaleScence of the two The same Injunction
is occasionally applied fondly to the political union
of the sovereign States in our national confedera-
cy but shall speak more proftably, in times
like the present, if examine less poetcally the
characteristics of federal nationality, which
instead of being union that nature dictated, is a
result Of consummae art 10 unite those whom
God separated. making some of them powerful
and others feeble, scattering them also apart with
vast intervening distances; diversitying them with
great differences of climate, natural productions,
social habits, industrial pursuits and capabilities,
so that even uniform tariff of imposts, which
shall be compatible with the prosperity Of all the
States, is constantly result Of eaborately ad djust-
ed compromises between the antagonistic interests
of the respective cOntederates, So violent were
these antagonisms brought into conflict in the year
1892 by a tariff that was deemed too favorable
10 protection, and consequently too aggressive TO
the non manufacturing States who were only con-
sumers, that South Carolina organized a system of
resistance to its collection though tariff is the
most Indispensable want of the general govern
ment and to insure its uniformity III all the States
was one of the principal motives for the formation
of the Union. So the long embargo that occurred
during the presidency of Jefferson, and the long
commercial non-intercourse with foreign countries
and subsequent war during the presidency of Madi-
son, results of some of the most indispensa-
bic functions of every government but they af-
ftcted our States SO differently, that while some
prospcred Hereunder, others injured, that
a Convention was assembled at Hartford to give
organization and efficiency the dissatisfied, with
a view to the coercive termination OF their grev-
ances.
The foregoing elements of disunion are inveter
ated by the constituent formation of our national
legislature. In the French chambers the mem
bers are all Frenchmen but our members of Con-
gress are effectively Georgians, Newly orkers,
Carolinans, Pennsylvanans DC. every member
being identified by interest and by tilial attach
mentS with the State he represents, and to whose
partialitv he owes his station and ordinarily his
hopes of future advancement; hence the impor-
tance which is attached by the States respectively
to the admission Of new States into the Union,
influencing the balance of power in Congress be-
tween the geographical divisions of the confeder-
acv. The practical effect of this want of homo
geneity in our legislature is seen In the hostility
which existed to the purchase of Louisiana and
Florida, to the acquisition of Texas, to the pro-
gress of our victories in Mexico, and in our chur
lish reception, by treaty, of California and New
Mexico.
The elements of disunon which we thus exem-
pllty rather than enumerate, are not an unexpect-
ed ingredient IN our Confederacy They manlfeS
ted themselves i'll the convention that formed our
national Constitution, and constituted an obstacle
which seemed for a long time iusurmountable, and
which ultimately overcome by only numerous
compromises. To draw with precision the line
between those rights which must be surrendered
and those which may be preserved, is at all times
difficult" said the conventions 50 and on the pre-
sent occasion this difficulty" say they, Ewas
increased by difference among the several States
to their situation, extent, habits and peculiar
interests. The Constitution which we now pre-
sent is the result of amity, and of that natural
Difference and concession which the peculiarly of
our political situation rendered Indispensable
That will meet the full and entire appreciation of
every State is not, perhaps, to be expected but
each will doubtless consider, that had her interests
alone been consulted, the consequences might
have been particularly dsagreeable or injurious to
others.
''By the unanimous order of the Convention,
GEORGE WASHINGTON, President"
The most efficient compromise in forming the
general government limitation of its pow
ers.
When we speak of the compromises of the Con.
stltutIon, we are prone to regard only the provl-
siOns that relate to domestic slavery. These COM
promises proceeded from the cashng interests of
the several States but the most important COM
promise is referred to in the above address of Gen
eral Washington, where he speaks ''of drawing
with precision the line between those rights which
must be surrendered, and those which may be
preserved" This compromise consisted in recon
cling the clashing interests of the federal sover-
eighty that was to be created, and the States SOW
ereignty that was sought to be retained. The
reconcilement was eventually perfected by limit
ing the action of the general government to q
small number of expressed objects. The States
had recently emerged from contest with 6rea
Britain, whose monarch had, by dehnltiye treaty
ceded his undoubted sovereignty not to the Unltet
States as whole, but to each State severally
and by name hence the States went into the con
stltutional convention as Independent soverelgns
They severally determined to make no surrender:
OF power not dictated by their respective interests
and they left the convention in the belief that they
retained all the sovereignty they had not specf
caly surrendered We may we'll admire the elab
orate precautions that were taken in the constitu
ton to render this belief apparent and secure
but to make the restriction as definite as language
can make it, the Congress that assembled under
the new constitution, March 4th, 1897 added
thereto an amendment, which was subsequently