Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-03-05

The result was, that after brilliant career
of more than 500 years, the Republic sank
into ruin by disgracelul struggle for SIT.
periority between the Ephori and the Senate
While, therefore, the Senate was originally
built upon the minority interest, and thus
exercised highly conservative influence, it
was deficient in the other main feature Of
a Senate chamber, viz: in proper lmita-
ton Of its powers.
At Rome the Senate was at first consti.
tuted only from the higher class Of citizens,
chiefly from the Patricians, who were de.
scendants of Senators appointed by Romu.
lus. 1t had unwise and extravagant powers;
and being bound by no law, but its own
caprice and wautonness, it frequently per-
petrated great cruelty and injustice in the
exercise of its power over the lives of Roman
citizens. Yet for 400 years, while the old
laws Of Rome were preserved, Roman liber-
ty was rendered famous through tho then
known world; the Republic was every where
prosperous and powerful; and it fell into
decline when the Tribuues Of the people
broke away the old land marks of the SEN
ate, and, by enlarging the number of in
terests represented therein. destroyed the
conservative influence Of this body in its
political and Legislative powers. A mser-
able scramble for supremacy ensued be-
tween the Tribunes and the Senate, which
finally caused the Republic to fall prey to
the rapacity Of ambitious, military chief
tains
In the Republic Of Venice, noted in the
history of the middle ages for its high pros
perity and freedom, the Senate was com.
posed Of members from the nobiity--a mi
nority interest in the State-and, though ex-
ercising the power of previously preparing
! all laws to be propounded afterwards to the
people, it made no lasting encroachments on
popular rights, but, by preserving, in its Puri.
ity, the constitution Of the Republic, secured
to the people state OF freedom for Gen.
turies, under Il government they loved and
which they sought to uphold.
The House of Lords is the Senate cham.
Der of England, and is likewise formed from
a particular class of citizens, constituting Il
minority interest in the nation. Though,
when cooperating with the crown, the
power of this body has often been too great
for full development Of popular freedom,
yet so nice is the balance of power be-
tween the various departments Of the gov.
ernment, that no one can encroach upon the
rights and privileges of the other; and while
strong conservative Influence is impaired
BY the House of Lords to the practical ad
ministration of the Government, which is
likely to transmit TO remote ages the great
blessings Of the English Constitution, there
has been progressive, vital development of
popular liberty, Of political us well as Of
physical science, Of the arts of industry, and
of all the elements of true national great
ness.
!. American Legislators, in establishing our
Senate. chambers, were forced, in the ab-
sence Of particular castes or distinctions
among the people, to adopt some substitute
iu order to form body, the members Of
which should be intelligent, experienced and
conservative in their principles, while, to a
reasonable degree, they should be exempt
from the ordinary influences Of popular pas:
sion and excitement. With us, us with all
other free States, the Senate chambers are
constituted on basis different from that Of
the popular branch Of our Legislatures. The
former represent territory, or the States in
their corporate capacity the latter property
and population. And territory is represen-
ted without regard to equality AS to size, or
as to the elements which enter into the Rep.
resentation of the Lower House. Thus in
the United States Senate, New York, which,
in point OF territory, is nearly twice AS large,
and in population, nearly five times larger
than South Carolina, and more than thirty
times larger than Rhode Island, has no
greater representation than these small
States. Should New York Senator from
his seat in Congress complain of the gross
inequality of Senatorial representation be-
tween his own State and those named
would he not be charged with an utter ig-
norance Of the true nature Of free govern.
ment, and OF Il proper organization Of a
Senate. chamber Our fathers in their efforts
to form Senate, worthy of free Repub-
! lie, like wise men acquainted with their
business, looked for those elements only,
! which enter properly into the organization
of such 4 body. They sought for a basis
by which they might secure wisdom, expert
ence, calm deliberaion and sound, ration
! al conservatism. The existence Of small
States in the confedelacy accidentally fur
nished them with this basis, and they wisely
took advantage of it. With sage forecast,
they saw, that the smaller States, by having
under the Constitution, rights and influence
in The Government above what they would
have had upon comparative estimate of
their size and numbers, would steadlastly
cling to that Egis of protection, lest, in any
new adjustment Of power among the men,
bers of the confederacy, controlling ma
ority, led on by the impulse of faction or of
sectional feeling, might invade the territory
of their rights and oust them of their liber-
ties. Nor could they, in reason, have ap.
pretended danger from amy positive, legis-
la,ive tyranny Of the small States for, apart
from their inability TO achieve any such
thing, small States, surrounded by larger
ones, are usually more concerned in holding
to what they have. than in making vain ef-
forts to seize from their more powerful neigh
bors, unbought portions of their wealth and
power. Our fathers, therefore, wisely gave
to the small States, power in the Senate be-.
yond their relative strength, to enable them
to protect and to defend themselves, as a
minority interest in the Government, and, in
doing this, to protect and to preserve the
Constitution. They left out of view those