The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-03-05

Why is It that instead Of sweet concord,
the malignant genius Of discord is in the
ascendant, shooting from its bal em,nenco
its fiery arrows thick and fast into every
portion Of the land, inlaming individual
animosities anl engcndcrng the consuming
hates of hell itself in the heart of section
against sections All this flows from
reckless disregard Of the Consti,ution.-
And why is it that the Constitution is thus
disrcgardcd, ovcrridlen and down.troGdcn?
Il it alienation from it, or willul treason to
t, on the part of tie people! Is this
blighting apostacy from that sublime polt-
ical conception mali gnant and of inlention2
Is 1t wicked and devilsh rebellion against
the genius and spirit of that amazing tri
umph OF patriotism, philanthropy aud po-
litcal sayacity
1t is einincntly the duty of the young
American thoroughly to ilnbuc himself with
tIl the learning of the Constitution, because
on it the government rests, receives from it
I'LL its authority ard vitality, and is really
the agent of the Constitution, to give prac-
tical effect to our great and glorious polit
cal system. Without the Constitution, the
government is absolutely nothing. 1t is
the sole source of governmental vitality. 1t
dependent of the constitution and to say
that the government possesses any living,
Legitimate power, apart from the Constitu-
ton, would DC about as reasonable and
philosophical as to speak Of life i'll the ami
NAL system when the heart, the great seat
Of life has lie II extracted. Strike :lown the
Constitution, and political paralysis would
Immediately supcrvcne. In the language
Of the great Webster, ciorum ct pcneruJitc
nomcn the Constitution is the fundamental
law, which organizes the government and
points out its mode Of action. The govern
nent must therefore conform 10 the Consti-
tuition, and not tho Constitution to govern.
ment, us the latter is the creature, while the
| former is tho creator. According to the
immortal statesman whose dust sleeps hard
10y, and in his nervous and impressive die
tim, " it is the Deity OF our political system.
1t is indeed tic ror popuit vO.r Del, and
when pcris menace the government, it is
this Deity that must hc invoked TO interposc
its all powerful, creating voice to save from
pcrdilion tho creature Of its will and the
work of its hand. Ii it cannot be done,
ours, like all free governments preceding it,
must 60 the way Of all flesh; but if it can
be, its duration may DC from generation to
generation, to the latest postcrity."
Such was the living voice Of the now can
onized sage and patriot of Fort Hill. Nor
is that voice vet husl,ed, for it is borne to
lis on the softly breathing air of this quiet
evening hour from yondcr lonely church
yard. 1t amirnates us from the speaking
page OIL which, in lines Of fire, lie inscribed
his immortal tlcfences Of the Constitution
or it rolls forth its tllundcrs from the hall
Of the Federal Senate where, clothed in the
haOiimcnts Of sovereignty rs the Represen-
tativc Of a sovereign State; by the flaming
terrors Of truth lie scattered its enemies i'll
confusion.
Without charging OH tic point, l shall
not have fulfilled the task lave uu,lcrta
|; ken, at all satisfactorily, were to oIti't te
call your attention to the cardinal distnc
ton between Il government OF n majority
> > and u government of Il Constitution. OUR
, is Of the latter description but considern.
the course of reading and instruction through
Which Ill. Of you have to bc conducted VI
the great doctrines Involved in this distinc
tion, could not pardon myself were l to d'
! more than make All allusion to it. Th
! GROWING excellence, the richest praise 9
! our system is, that it is the subject and crel
r turc Of II written Constitution, 10y whose en-
:, ergy the rig hts Of the minority are protect
:. ci against the licentousness, lawlcssnes
; and Injustice of The majority; and unlcs
) our fathers succeeded i'll engrattng mpon i
q this great feature, their work is con,par1
=. lively failure, and the eluogiums whic
If have been pronouced upon it are idle IN
:. undescrvcd, The majority is ever capabl
~ Of taking care Of itself under any system {
=, government. This our ancestors well knew
- and therefore the all absorbing considerable
-. with them was to provide, in the nature
;. tbs organic law itself of their political sy!
-. tenn, the means for thcsccurity Of the ri,l
III and interests Of tho minority, o;hcrwis
powcrlcss and dctcnceless. 1t is for you
.r improve the learning which vou acqui
ri here Oh this vital question, and, 10y labor
he ous study and observation, in the future
or determine to what extent the projectors
nj the Constitution accomplished that gra,
Is. object. According to the view OF the illu
,e- lrious Statesman to whom have just rcfy
"a. red, this Is a question, III its bearings,
IN vital Importance to that wonderful and 81,
~ lime system Of government Which our pal,
q.
,;c their wisdoun-wisc and experienced us tn
,lv wcrc-as by their guidance 0: kind Pro
,I idcnce who, i'll his divine dispcnsation.
,jo ordered events as TO lead to the cstaLIis
IN, mcnt Of a system wiser than those W
IT. framed it."
nts The great characteristic principle or {,
his tarc Of pure democracy is, that the NUM-
OH ical majority shall rule, while the csscnti
lily discriminating principle Of confederacy
ny Republican States, which distinguishes
lis from all other forms Of government is, Il
I the Constitution shall govern; and h'
is, been amazed ut the pertinacious zeal a
ons cloquence with which it has been contend
ng, that under our Constitutional system
the numerical majority is supreme and al.c
Dric trolling. While would not cast an upg
mic erous imrutation upon the character of
un- living, or llIc slightest dislionor upon