The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-03-12

the rising and setting sun, and among the
ices Of the poles, and the protecting arm o
the government should follow it in the gal
liant battle-ship, that tho pursuits of lawful
trade may be nnobstructetl, and the colcrs
OF the Union he respected. On question
OF this kind there can he no difference ot
opinion. The Old Confederation was not
strong enough to perform the duties Of q
government. 1t could maintain neither its
domestic authority nor foreign dignity, and
broke down necessarily. The truth is, il,
strlctncss, the Old Confederation had no
regular government. As you learn from
your textbook OIL this point, it had its Con
sress, or Council, or body representing it
sometimes called government, but it was
nothing more ut last an assembly of diplo-
matisls, like similar bodies in all confeler-
ated communities which preceded our pres
ent government, and the author Of the
Disqnisition and Discourse says in words
that our system is the first that ever
instituted government in lieu of such TO-
dies. This, in fact, constitutes its peculiar
characteristic. 1t is new, peculiar and I'M
precedented." And in this assertion he
declares that he is supported by the author
i'y OF the convention which framed the
Constitution. The Old Congress, then, was
not government i'll organization nor essen
,al requisites; it was merely an advisory
body, and the couic,lera,cd states were ut
perfect liberty to pursue its advice, or to
disregard it. 1t had no Constitutional pow
er; it was not clothed viii. the necessary
;; sanctions; it WAS not subjected TO Consti-
tnlional restraints or obligations, and it il
not wonderful, therefore, that our Jealous
ancestors refused to delegate to it great
and necessary political trust. A new or
ganizalion i'll consequence bccane necessary,
and that organization consisted in sul,stit,,-
ting government in place of The Congress
: of the Confederation. But 1 refer your to
the text. By the common consent, then,
let the powers OF that government be so
great and So respected, even SO feared, that
. the claims OF American citizenship shall
he sufficient for the protection of the c;i-
mant in every cline. Whilst, however, this
much is gsantcd to the patriotic but misla-
ken advocates Of consolidation in favor of
their views Of the powers Of the govern
Inent under the Constitution, still it is alto.
Sctler proper that the American youth
should be guarded against the dangerous
seduclions Of the doctrines Of that political
school. 1t is i'll the seductions Of those
doctrines that the danger turks. The the
"ry OF consolid' d'tioa is fascinating, and its
practice imposing. 1t lays hold Of the in
cautious mind with more force than that of
state tisats, its opposite, because it is a
splendid theory, while its practice affects
The Imagination in the gorgeousncss Of is
displays. And it requires less labor 10
comprehend it, as it embraces one simple
idea. 10 understand how king may GOV
ern people successfully, and yet arLitrar-
lily, blessed 10y, and blessing his subjects, be
benignant and gentle and yet absolute, is
not at all difficult And so with great con.
solidated democratic government in which
the majority is king. 1t may use power dis
crcety, although, despolicalIy. 1t may
manifest skill, vigor and impartalily, and
still, III principle, be "vulgar tyranny :"
and if it should he wise and just in tue use
Of political power, it must be regarded as
an accident, or the mere luck Of the mo-
men', not a result superinduccJ by great
and pcrvading principle. I: only happens
that despotism of the +aasority, welding
power without acknowledged restraints, is
not guilty of injustice and cruelty, and f.
nally of hloood. 1t is mere good fortune
that power, thus unchecked, does not domi-
peer rather than govern, aud that caprice
docs not usurp the throne of reason. BE
assured it will soon become fretful anil inn.
patient, then insolent, then furious, until
finally its trophies and the ornaments Of its
car will be the broken bones and mangled
forms of deluded people. Human rights
crumble into nothingncss when they Oh.
struct its pondcrous wheels, aud human
happiness can offer no available plea when
it comes in conflict with its will The his
tory of power proves that its tendency is
to abuse; that its encroacl,lnents are grad
ual, and that it's strides grow bolde, in pro.
portion to the apathy Of its victims, until
the widest extravaganza Of aggression and
the pro!oundest depths of corruption become
perfectly legitimate prerogative. It is my
duty, then, to guard you against the vicious
seductions Of political ceMralis,n and con.
solidation. The nature of power has not
at all changed because it has adopted new
forms, or because the scene, in part, Of its