The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1859-02-12
DEMOCRATS TIE TRUE CONSERVATIVE rs.


ruling design is to guard against tyranny In dcspo
tiSm the presence or absence of tyranny depends W"
on the dcspois will and capacity in 50 called consiI-
tutional mouorchics, it depends upon true balance
of interests or its absence in representative govern
mcnis II depends upon the powers given to n innlof
ty or upon the restraints places upon the majority
power.
II is not easy to say which form Of tyranny Is the
worst. True, we have more examples IN history 81
dcspotc or monarchol tyranny but this may be cher
" owins to the fact that almost all governments nave
been of these classes When the representative or re-
publican system shall grow old like monarchy ana
share the empire of the earth equally with 1t, ana
when its history shall he impartally written it may
be- found that the tyranny of prcponderaling majors
ties over represented but powcrlcss mnoiies, viii
he as great arbitrary and as mitchicvous rs ty'
ranny in any other form.
This is the form of oppression which, IN our dual
and complies system of State aud Federal Govern
mcn,s. we have to guard against specially. InwSc
legislation, though strictly in accordance with the
letter Of the Federal Constitution. may again as II
often has been caprcious and selfish on the part OF
the cnac,ng majority and oppressive to the opposing
minority. But the Federal compact wassomppily ar
ranged, the powers which il conceded were :" entire
" guarded. its implied conditions are so palpablc
thai, no serious aud durable oppression by the l"dcr
nj majority can occur without the grosscst corrnp
ton on the part Of the Federal Legislators or the
most sothiul and submissive spirits on the part Of
Tie minority whose rights arc nringcd.
II Ever since the wheels of onr naw federal engine
were in motion, there has been party. always MINER
Gus always aided by leading intrrcts, sometimes in
n ruling manry-whosc constant aim and labor have
been to consolidate the States forming the Union in.
to single supreme and irresponsible power. FEEDER
asts. Wings. Know Nothngs and Republicans have
/, all had this leading characteristic. They were all
consolidaoniss. They all ignored Slate Rights and
State Sovereignty. In their view the Federal Gov
eminent was The sole judge OF its powers. They
sought to explain away constitutional limitations
BY implication and construction they sought 10 MAKE
{ the Federal Government supreme, unlimited and
wholly irresponsible. They sought to derive FEEDER
nj power from final and irrcvocablc act Of the pco
pie considered as q mass aud not from the scparat,
act of the people of each State, acting a soparat,
and individual sovereignty. They considered The
act or a,ng the Federal Government; entirely with
IN, conditions or reservations as an eternal aud alb
solutc grant and s"rrender q powers when y" ah'''
~ on,,rscmcpt nor Infringement revoke o.
nullify. 49,
t I'M. system. II Il evident, opens the door to tn
tyranny Of the majority since i gives " wv N'l'''
supreme and unlimited legislative AID rN""'N' P'"
er. The party dominant in the No IN y p.'''
federal party and the Of what We have to- Tea
from its getting the control of the Federal Govern
mcnt is that it, powers will he stretched beyond jn,
and Wholesome constitutional limits. II is still The
unjust exercise OF the power Of the majority that ~
. have most to apprehcnd.
h Coeval with III" government arose another party
large sarcrs in the work of its foundation. This wa
the State Rights or Democratic party, who locke,
upon the Constitution grant of strictly limitc
# and clearly specified powers, and who have been al
ways active and vigilant in guarding against fedora
y cncroachmcnts upon local rights. They looked upol
the people Of each State the sole source from wc
,s any legitimate power could arise the sole author
s by which it could be delegated Theydid not rcgar
v that conventional nsrumn the federal Constitution
|. paramount to the sovereign natona mower wiic'
ST in each several State, gave it sanction aud Vita,
:, They did not arrogac 10 the thing established pow
/. CT unlimited over the agency by which alone il wa
Q. established. However solemn tllc compact ma
ID have seemed in their eyes, conditions aud limitg
tons, expressed or Implied were 10 less importau
e and no less obligatory. They interpreted hcs" gos
10 ornamental grants of power, not, ke their fdcras
II competitors, by the rules of convenience and cvpcl
n ency but by the broad rule of right aud Justice.
+ Hence, while Democrats rule and Democracy hold
n tcadast in is support Of State rights there is lt
= to fear from the tyranny Of federal majority in VIVA
y ever section it may exist Hence Democracy is til
true conservative power while federalism or Oonso
T. datlon is destructive Democracy guards local mino
~ ty rights federalism pavcs the road and supplies III
+ means for the tyranny Of maioriiies. ConsolIlnto
At is the direct path to national division and speedy r,
n in while faithful guard reserved rights str,
- construction Of granted authority and perpctua
" preservation Of State independence and State sovel
% eighty, is the only true conservatism.
IL a DANGEROUS FELLOW. In Liverpool Engfan,
~ on the 10Th ult. perfect Mormon in hs MARVIN
Nv propcnsiticc, named Egham, brought before t
ou police court for polygamy. This fellow was show
> to be most desperate character among the women
81 amusing himself by marrying all that were fool
j. enough to listen 10 his proposals lie commenced hi
pc career br marrying, under fictitious name a Mis-
-, Gee, of Tnrnhamgrecn lie next married Miss Cell
II NJ. Wye OF Remington, girl with considerable pro,
e ery Either the lady or the property fixed his afat
II M Al last hn