New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-02-26
State senates What would be thought of a |
NewYork statesman who, complaining that the
two Senators from the little State of Rhode

STATE Senates. WnAt W0ulo Oe bhougub oi u
NewYork statesman who, complaining that the
two Senators from the little State Of Rhode
Island, had carried some measure in che Senate
Of the United States against the interest Of the
great State Of NewTork, should denounce the
power Of that little State, and propose as .
remedy. to give NewYork thirty six Senators in
the Senate Of the United States. What would
our democratic friends think Of our abolishing
the Executive veto, and thus destroy this great
and as they deem, this indispensable restriction,
upon legislative power Why, sir, can take
any Constitution Of the States Of this Union
and point out innumerable clauses, containing
restrictions as palpable as the one which is now
called, and opprobriously denounced, as re-
strictiou. Sir, this Convention has the plenary
power Of adopting any principle, Of conferring
any power, Of providing any restriction, which
it deems for the interest Of the State to be in
trodueed into the Constitution, and in the exer
else Of this power 1t is its duty to look to the
whole State and every part Of the State, and in
spirit Of patriotism, compromise and concession,
guided by the maxima Of experience and mode
ration, provide for and protect the interests Of
every portion, and all classes ofthe Statk, andss
far as practicable, provide just, durable and
harmonious government for the whole State
Sir, the people Of the country, by which l mean
| the whole State, outside Of the city Of New Or
leans, the agricultural portions Of the State,
the farmers, planters, mechanics and working
classes of the country will never be satisfied
with the existing and increasing power Of the
city in the Legislature Of the State; power
which promises to be overwhelming This pow
er not only consists in her numerical vote in the
House, which of itself promises to absorb the abb
solute voting power of the House but sir, added
o this will be the moral power of her repre-
sentation, acting with the energy that uni
ted will confers on body, operating against
others, distracted by the jealousies Of confic-
ting interests, real or supposed. Add TO this
the power of the city press, and the unity and
immediate action Of the city population, on
every subject Of public interest, and you viii
fnd introduced into the Legislature, moral
power from the city which will be overwhelm-
ming and which if added to the prospective nu-
merical vote of her delegation, will leave no al
terative to the country but unresisting sub-
mission to the Legislative will of the city, when.
ever she sees fit to exercise the power Mr..
President, from o., knowledge Of the human
heart--its selfishness, and the workings Of its
passions, and from the history of mankina-w
are taught that exorbitant power, wherever
lodged from the probability Of its abuse, is high
ly dangerous but when lodged in the hands o
numbers, which act together in the Comparatively
small space of a large city, the power can b
brought 50 speedily, energetically, and effec
| = ba irrn=istfhla if m
counteracted by the moral effect of a dense, an
intelligent country population, or by some con
tracing wheel in the machinery Of Government
I think, Mr.. President, that the history OF tn
. world equally proves that no country has bee
successfully governed, when the predominant
# power of the government, has not been place
l. in the hands of the farmers and planters, al
/, the other working classes Of the country porti
e of the State This is the numerous, the great, Il
s. bone and sinew interest of the State. nproof
e this proposition, let reort to the experience
st History. Let us recur to some of the featur
q of ancient governments let US refer TO tho
l. the most renowned, the most highly civilized
l. to those TnIUlI 1vssvtrs. tiT- rz.--;
l. ments ef taste--where Literature and the III
L of Poetry, and Eloquence, and some Of the pril
# ciples of good Polity, have rendered them in
1 mortal--the governments Of Athens, and
e Rolne-of that Rome, which conferred upon II
civilized world the inappreciable and inestiml
: ble boon of the best legal polity with which
d has ever vet been blessed But will the state:
h man ever point to the political government
n these renowned States as models for imitation
r Will their admiration ever be excited by the tuI
: bulent, naughty, conquering, tyrannical cha,
y acter of their administration, when it passe
t the limits of their municipal walls The leg
II polity of Rome doubtlessly blessed an immen
n Empire, throughout its whole extent but tn
T empire, outside the walls of the renowned cit
:, had no due share in the political power of Il
y State. The influence of the agricultural porti,
:, of the state--of the tillers of the soil-was II
: felt that main conservative element of go,
=, government was wanting Politically, it was
Il bad government. Let us, Mr.. President, in pu
! suit of more familiar illustrations recur to Il
t history Of more modern times Let us take Il
is example of modern France What solea
8, and instructive lesson does it not afford VIII
might not now have been unfortunate Franc
It politically, but for the political sway for half
century past, of the city of Paris, in every efol
Il at political progress and regeneration made b
/ that great and glorious people The balanc
n of France rural, agricultural France-hf
Is ever been annhilated, Even when they SCENE
: to possess power, they had it not Paris eith'
: destroyed, or directed as she pleased, their infl
: ence in the State In matters of Taste. Scienc
}. Fashion and Government, Paris is, and ever HI
d been, France. And what has been the result
j. what is the present aspect of that agltated al
iasnlted people Let her present position const
TO tute the answer Bearing the name of a Republi
i she grosns under practical despotism, abou
rs probably, to terminate in an cctual and acknow
X edged one, But it may be inquired, has not Lol
'e don the same sway in England | answer, n
and for the reason, that the political power of En-
te land unlike what exists in Francois lodged in a
O. ricultural hands and this has been achieved
n the legislative power of the House of Lords, "
IN are all agriculturisis-by the constitution
r the House of Commons itself, majority
pit whom are agricul lturists-hy the law Of prin
vo geniture, which only applies to landed proper
ly and by the difficulties thrown by the laws
on that country, around the alienation Of laud
property The agriculturists Of ofEngland, throu