Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1851-04-19

the United States by the constitution, nor prohibi
ted by it to the States are reserved to the State
respectively, or to the people. Z" The amendmen
grew out of desire therefor by several States
expressed when they originally acceded to the
constitution and for the avowed object of "pre
venting misconception or abuse of power"
i The cohesiveness of the confederacy, and the
circumscription of its powers made by nature
measures of each other.
When France adopted recently universal suf
frage as the basis of her republic Lamartine re-
marked in its favor that it the strongest basis
which any government could adopt, by reason that
all occasions for revolution were extinguished
when people can at all times legally adapt pub
lie measures to their own will. By like principles
a confederacy in which each confederate can regu-
late her own interests, must be the most cohesive
of all associations-no occasion for dsunion being
possible. But liberty so extensive would render
impossible any efficient general action hence the
trainers OF our constitution approxlmated to this
extreme liberty, as far as practicable, by leaving
to the respective States all their sovereignty, ex-
cept IN a few particulars, whose surrender was
deemed beneficial to each and all Indeed, no
mathematical proposition can be more certain than
that we diminish the causes of diSunion in proper
ton circumscrbe the number of occasions
IN which the action of the general government
can legally conflict with any local special interest.
The converse of this rule is equally true, and if
our States should unanimously alter the constitu-
ton, giving unlimited sovereignty to the general
government, our local interests, habits and pur-
suits are so conflicting, that the Union would soon
break into fragments, as all former large empires
have broken, whose cohesion has been military
force-a cohesion which alone holds together an
tagonstic interests that single legislature at
tempts to subject to procrustean laws.
The construction OF oar confederacyi IS aciser Man
its framerS
The preservative virtue which, as shown above,
is innate in the limited powers of general gov
ernment, was not foreseen by the trainers of our
National Constitution, wise and patriotic as We de-
light to deem them The limitations originated in
the accidental division Of our country into sepa-
rate colonies, with separate legislative organza-
tlons, and other concomitants of distinct sover-
eighties. Had our people been united under one
government before our separation from Great
Britain, the whole, after the attainment of inde-
pendence, would doubtless have continued united
under some singe organization notwithstanding
the lesson of all history that large consolidated
governments, whether monarchial or republican,
contain alike the elements of dissolution. Happi-
ly, therefore, for us, when our ancestors conven-
ed to 'form more perfect unon," the discor-
dant interests of our extensive country were al
ready grouped into separate State soveregntes,
and could be united under one federal whole only
government commenced, therefore in a separation
just where a consolidated national government
would have violently terminated after some years
of smouldering rebellion. The wisdom of no man
could have originated the conception of a govern
ment limited like ours, and we are yet to learn
whether man possesses wisdom enough to endure
its restraints To err in this particular is most
easy, for while the motive for limitations can be
seen only by laborious examination, the motives
for / thpir lat
apparent to every member of Congress, and
partisan orator. the blessings which he sees de-
ducible from any that will minister to his
prejudices, interests or selfconceit.
TIE Hnoitations Of orr Constitution are as ia.
voroJte to personal liberty to tie duration Of oar
coRtcderacy.
Notwithstanding the world has gazed at our
political system for more than sixty years. the
vulgar principle of forcibly subjecting one locality
to the interests and notions of another, is the only
kind of aggregative nationality that is yet practic
ed in Europe hence the first use which France
made of It's lately acquired republcansm was to
impose the philanthropy Of France on its West In
dia colonies by aboshing therein domestic slave
ry, irrespective wholly of the wishes and interests
OF the colonsts, who were thus summarily deprv-
ed of selfgovenment. Such an intermeddling
with other peoples consciences and property
though probably consummated in Difference TO lib
erty, is repugnant to the more pervading liberty
which results from permitting every community to
regulate its own domestic policy-a liberty which
is as precious to small community as to a larger,
and which is only surrendered by any, from ply
steal necessity.
The principle of interference by one community
with the local concerns of another, is however,
never limited to domestic slavery 1t is practised
towards the religious preiudices of Ireland who
evnces constant uneasness to be disconnected
from England. The principle of interference,
wherever established, obeys no limit, but the suf
ferance of its victims hence the repeated insur
rections of Poland to be severed from Russia, and
the late sanguinary struggle of Hungary to be in
dependent of Austria. The sad results of inter
ference contrast with the conduct of Texas,
voluntarily relinquishing her distinct nationality
and in the language of great man, lighting
her way into the Union.'' And look at California
when lately the steamship Oregon was deserted
in the bay of San Francisco, and by the contin-
ued booming of her cannon, gave note that she
brought great news. Soon mutitudes of joyfully-
expectant people rushed to the beach, and from
every pinicle foated suddenly the 'the stars and
stripes, for California admitted into the
Union. But let no man be so superficial to
suppose, that the bells which were pealed on that
occasion, the bonfres which lighted every hill, the
public meetings for congratulation, and the gen
eral enthusiasm, were produced by considerations
that California had become connected with pow
erful sovereignty. The enthusiasm arose from
consciousness that California had herself become
sovereign, with only SO much subjugation to the
general government California believed was for