Arkansas intelligencer., 1858-06-11
Letter from Hon. Samuel Edmondson.
Fort Smith, Ark, June 4, 1858.

| the frame work Of such government called
the constitution, it viii not be expected that
| should write a commentary upon that IN
| strument, such a task has taxed the ablest
! statesmen Of the age The rival opinions of
/ these have shed a flood of light, whose efful-
| genco has not been limited, but has had
mighty influence upon the European mind.
My purpose is simply to state my indvd
| ual views wtheut argument, rs they are de-
/ duced from those trusms that strike the mind
/ of the unsophisticated reader Of the constitu-
! ton as saei-eydent, and to make the proper
4 application OF the unfettered operation upon
tue State of Arkansas and her citizens, and
| particularly upon that portion of her people
| with whom | am best acquainted. HudIng
the opinion as ncontroyertible, that any good
principle will operate equally and uniformly,
regardless OF section or local interests, If ntlu
enced by extrinsic and adventitious influences
which are too often found TO be the weapons
of the demagogue and political aspirant.
Our present republican government is the
immediat ottspr'nc of a bloody and fratrici-
! dal reyo on. but matter Of eX
/ perimcnt others -,e ~eceeded this and
/ have ." | away, only known
/ IN lDes Il i the people to gov
Ell Ives w Iouglt dangerous eX-
/ pen olt tyra ny and'oppression in for
cirg chiyalrous 7 ople into IA revolt against
/ Their government, ade it obligatory for them
/ to supply the people with one 2 stable and
! safe, while it sh' j protect the individual
rights of all alike. The government from
/ which they had Withdrawn their allegiance,
was perhaps at the time the boosted master
piece OF civil liberty then in existence, it WAS
constitutional government, consisting Of three
estates, king, nobility and commonaty,
or the people who were entitled to be repre-
/ scented in the lower branch Of parliament, and
! in this lower branch Of their national legisla-
ture originated all sulsidios, or appropriations
/ in money, so that the king and his mobiles
/ could declare war, but without the consent of
the people represented were notable to com
mand the sinews OF war, money and men.
! The fathers Of our revolution had been sat-
| isfed with such government, but it was
against the unjust and unequal exercise Of
this model government that they rebeled-
| And at the close of the struggle, availng
themselves Of all the warning of history
! against the over action Of free people in all
! previous attempts II govern themselves in
! conierring franchise and immunities with pro-
fusion upon all, and all alike, in every instance
| sought by restrictive clauses in a written con-
! sttution, 10 restrain the ambitious and un>
/ pnucipled demagogue by thoir sworn allcgi-
/ anco 20 the whole constitution, as much to the
/ restrictions rs 10 the free exercise of pryil-
/ eyes. lie that can define the difference be-
! tween pure democratic government and a
! republic, viii necessarily perceive this to be
/ republican as in the law making, and law
| exacting power the masses are r6prescated by
| agents. In the legislature or law making de
I partment, our man represents Il number, the
/ precise or approXuative number is fixed by
some rule laid down in the r7sraIr,or,,lt Jaw of
/ the land, which is the constitution, and 50 bv
each Of the other departments, Judicial and
| executive. So il our government was pure
/ democracy instea IF a republic, the people
enmass would be required to be present and
! decide a.. questions, WHICH would result in
| clamorous debate with little dehbcration.-
/ Our representative form Of government in
/ guarding against an evil 50 serious, has still
| provided IN the It liberal manner possible
for eyely citizen be heard and his influence
felt, either dire J or indirectly in the ap-
| pointment OF every office to execute the law,
well as those hose business it is to make
and establish the laws. What more could
any one ask in the name of liberty! The
voice Of the people is potent and all control
ling as the correction for all public abuses,
are substantially under their control Had
the people of the colonies, as well as the sub.
| jects of Great Britain been in possession Of
the peaceabIe power Of dethroning King
George the Third, we Of disposiug Of our
chief magistrate at the ballot box, in place of
the terrible resort to "A bloody and sanguinary
war with and among themselves, our present
constitution would not have been brought
into existence.
If injury is need into the manner Of ex-
ercisng he rights Of the citizens under our
constitution which is prescribed by laws en-
acted by their sworn agents, if any defect is
discovered, 1t being Their right as ii would be
Their interest also 10 make a charge in such
agent or representative if needed to perfect
Their rights; bdt If custom should spring up
not the creature of the legislature enactment
| be fairly liberated from any provision in the
constitution, and being outside and independ-
ent of both, which had tendency to deprive
the citizen of his constitutional rights in an
indirect manner. and thereby pervert the
meaning and intent of such law, then it is
reasonable to suppose a wise people jealous
of their rights would take the earliest oprer-
tnnity, and use the readiest means in their
power to overthrow such a custom Altbo'
It's friends were able to boast its precious val
able service, and its establishment in public
confidence is time honored custom, for its
abuses often repeated with impunity, and not
atfording an easy and ordinary connection,
should necessarily subject it to merited ex-
termination.
lfthese exists no such abuses except in the
imagination. Then ours is the most perfect
system of government on earth, and requires
none OF the jealous guardian watehfulness
that haunted the mind ofor.e of the first men
OF his age; and most considerable statesman
among that hand of i,,,rnor,,l ra,,oa e. -.