The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1859-07-20


sion of the South, it stands forth the per
mauent element Of the predominatina
party of The North. How false have
been the expectations Of peace TO the
South from the California compromise O
1850; and how completely have events
justified the policy you supported 20 NEE.
its evils
Gentlemen In order that We NAV
comprehend the true condition Of the
southern States in the Union, it is neces.
sary to understand the nature of the gov.
ernment by which il exists and the mo-
tives which established il. If the views
entertained by The northern people Of the
constitution are correct, nothing was ca,
sier than to establish the government OF
the United States. 1t is consolidated
democracy ; and every one of the thir-
teen colonies furnished an example for its
easy construction. Throwing off the au.
thorl;y of the parent country, there stood
thirteen States. with all the great ins,ru.
mentaIitics Of free government inherited
from our English ancestors. They had
representation partition of powers
between the executive, legislative and ia
dlcial departments of government-trial
by Jurv-tls h0bcdS corpus ac;-lhe in
dependence of the Judiciary, and the
toIerations Of all religions. Cast all the
States into one-make Of them one peo
pie and there WAS precedent in every
colony for grand consolidated re1rcsen
tatve democracy in which majority
should rule. Nothing was easier than to
set up such government. But it is a
n 'tOrous fact that the formation Of the
Constitution Of the United States was a
most difficult enterprise The convention
which framed It sat for months; more
than once 1t came to a dead stand from
an impossiblity Of agrecn ent. Some
thing, therefore, besides consolidated c de
mocracv must have been required. Whist,
then, was the great motive for establish
ing the union of the States ns it exists
under the constitution, and the great III:
iicuIty in establishing it! TIE answer
to this question may show us our true
Condition and the source Of all our dis
contents and dangers.
The great leading motive for the union
OF the States urder a constitution, WAS the
fear OF foreign powers. The States were
100 weak TO stand alone. it required all
| their united power was equally Necessary
TO pro,c,, nma i"s".~ -. Ic H. -,
ia 1900, had had the wealth and pupu!a
ton they now possess, no such constitu'
ton as that OF the United States would
ever have been adopted The question
was, how could we be SO united as to be
one people, i'll relation TO foreign nations
for self protection-and yet, IN relation Ia
one another, be separate, distinct and in
dependent STATES. Here was the Difficult
ty in making the constitution. The states
men of that day had been taught hard
thinking by hard fighting They had
not thrown of the British yoke to submit
to its being imposed 10y any Of the Ame,,
lean States on others. They knew per
fect.y well the dissmiarty of the States
in climate, pursuits of industry and insti'
tuiions. Some were necessarily CONNER
cial, others manufacturing, and others ag
ricultural Some could grow tie great
tropical productions, on which the CON
merce of the world has always lived
Others could hardly grow their bread
Some could be cultivated only by Africa,
slaves; others were best ad6pted to the
labor Of the Caucasian race. African
slavery was, therefore, an evil to some
and to others blessing. 1t was, there
fore, the grand design of the constitution
to reserve to each State and section the
exclusive control of every interest whic!
was peculiar to it, and to impart to a gen
eral government power Only ever these
interests which were common to all the
States and sections, With the view of oh
tanning thereby protection from foreign
nations BY such constitution only
would the people of The several States bt
protected, and yet1ree. To have giver
, power to general government over sec
, tional interest, amongst such incongruout
. people, would have been the establish
, ment Of despotism, unless the section
having such interests was the majority =
! and then it would be superfluous and use
less. Representation would not protec
the minority section, because the ruling
representatives would not be elected by
the minority or responsible to them. AnC
! If the majority or ruling section have in
, terests or passions antagonistic to the in
terests or institutions Of the minority sec
ton, the government would not only b
. an arbitrary despotism but an oppressiv
tyranny. The trainers of the Constitution
: OF .he United States thoroughly under
) stood these principles. They designed
! the Government of the United States I,
, be in conformity Herewith. They es,ab
: Iished free government, not despotisn
"A confederated republic, with very linn
, tied powers--not consolidated democra
/ cy with all powers.
9 Whilst the great cause which produ
ced the Union-the fear Of foreign ma
tiops--continued the constitution, in th
! main, fulfilled tie purposes Of its crea
!, lion, and the people Of the States live,
; in peace with each other. One even
D however, did endanger the continuanc
!. Of the Union and that event shove
e clearly how any sectional oppression. res
: or imaginary, in the operation OF the gov
a eminent, would occasion lbs overthrow
Tho war of 1910 Waa nroducal hy MOI