Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1852-09-01

these you shall not have. stake my life and
liberty upon them, and if You take them, you
musttake my fifesand liberty too. l am ready
to 60 to any extremities to maintain them;
Sir once reduce this Government 10 inc ne.
cessity of.appealing:to the intelligence OF the
people Of the country regard to tine oD)ects
of taxation,. and twill be controlled by Inc
people and the different States OF the Union.
Butleave it without such control, and II lnere
is no power TO confne it, within It's consliiu-
tional sphere, what becomes OF it! Sir. It be-
comes at once an elective dcspotism.. J do not
choose to disguise words. If you can take
money, and appropriate it to any obJecf' ana
there is no power to control it, this Government
must necessarily be an elective despolsm. Call
it Democracy if you pleaseG.nnmes 40 not
have any influence upon ME. Democracy IS the
worst form of despotism, when it becomes IT.
responsible. Sir, Rome itself underwent a
great change in fifty years. Before julius
Cesar assumed supreme power, there were no
people on earth, orsin history, that held such
severe notions of morality in the administers.
lion of public affairs They were people of
foriludr and justice. The Roman Senate con-
ducted its proceedings, if not with regard TO
the world, at least with regard to the Roman
people, on principles of inexorable Justice. The
virtues of the Roman people, grew out OF SEN
liments, of Roman people, practising the sim
plicity of an unadultcrated people. But in
less than fifty years, what was. the change in
that people! They retained many OF the
forms of Il free government, but under various
influences. Domestic morality had departed.
Public virtue was professed, bat wholly disre-
rarded. Acquisition of foreign territory, and
notions, had introduced facility and casuistry,
that dcbascd the people and corrupted the Gov
crnment dare say, contracts, made TO DC
fulfilled from the national treasury for private
interests, had much to do in this change The
Senate was no longer the Senate of Cicero.
And the virtues of Cato and Brrtus were but
subjects of lewiston. An Eastern faint of
licentinusncss had seized OH the healthy sys-
TEN. The river that had carried with it asso-
Citations of Roman purity, had been fatally cor
rupted. The foul waters OF Orontes We're
,, colnmingled with the pure stream OF Iiber.
The elements, which formerly gave strength
TO this Union, are dissolying and crumbIing
away by the admixture of opinions for the ap-
praion of money. The school Of Jefferson in
lines of late, is only appealed to, to carry out
the most extraragant doctrines of the most
ultra Fcderalists. Territories have been an
nexrd, compromises rcsorted to, constructions
introduced, which have in their operation sl,-
rerceded the Constitution. The Constitution
will be sacrificed under professions Of love for
the Union.
Sir, know this thing will 60 on. have no
idea that what can say, will arrest this helm
GUS abuse But speak as a sentinel, and not
MS soldier. capable of arresling the tide OF
abuse which is likely 10 flow from the aPpro-
pration of money for local purposes believe
the public money could be expended for rivers
and harbors, and other great works in the
country, by compact between the States.
That power has been entirely overlooked. !
see no difficulty n'the different States on the
Mississippi, or the States interested in this
work, entering into compact to construct it,
and asking Congress to lratify it. What pre-
vents that! What prevents the States, who
want local improvements, from entering into \
compact, and asking Congress to ra'ify it?
Nothing except that We have the money, ard
that it is much easier Inappropriate it, than to
require the States interested.in l""r' - ..-lH..
Wcnts to anni- ''."-F 80 :'rssyv