Daily national Democrat., 1861-04-30
Dailp NatlOnal lfmotrat.
A tt. stephens upon the Cotton Com
federacy Constitution.


touow;ny is an extract. We think it has not
been published before in California. We
oocv from the Augusta Chronicle:
This new Constitution, or form of govern
IAN, constitutes the subject to which your
attention will be partly invited.
In reference to it, make this first general
,omark: 1t amply secures all our ancient
r;ghts. franchises and privileges. All the
areat principles Of magma charta are con-
se,;ned in it. No citizen is deprived of life,
liberty or property. but by the judgment OF
h;s neers under the laws of the land. The
Great principle of religious liberty, which
F. t"as tbe honor and pride of the old Constitu
,;"n ia still maintained and secured. All
.io"' .no essentials of the old Constitution which
"U hnye endeared it to the hearts of the Ameri-
oo neopIe. have been prescribed and perpet-
o,ed iAppause) Some changes have been
,nade-of these, shall speak presently.
Some of these should have preferred not to
have seen made, but these perhaps meet the
cordial appreciation Of majority of this au-
dience, if not an overwhelming majority of
the people of the Confederacy. Of them,
therefore, will not speak. But other i'm
portant changes do meet my cordial appro-
baton. They form great improvements upon
the old Constitution. So, taking the whole
new Constitution, | have no hesitancy in
giving it as my Judgment, that il is decidedly
better than the old (Applause) Allow me
briefly to allude to some of these improve
ments, The question of building up class
interests, or fostering one branch of industry
to the prejudice of another under the exer-
else of the revenue power, which gave us so
much trouble under the old Constitution, is
mt at rest forever under the new. We allow
the imposition of no duty. with view of
giving advantage to one class of persons, in
anv trade or business over another ALL
under our system, stand upon the came broad
principles of perfect equality Honest labor
and enterprise are left free and unrestricted
in whatever pursuit they may be engaged in.
This subject came nigh causing rupture of
the old Union, under the lead OF the gallant
Palmetto State, which lies on our border, in
1888.
This old thorn of the tariff which occa-
stoned the cause of so much irritation in the
old body polite is removed forever from the
new (Aprlause.) Again, the subject Of iu
ternal improvements under the power of
Congress to regulate Commerce, is put at rest
under our system. The power claimed by
construction under the old Constitution was
at least doubtful one-it rested solely upon
construction We of the South generally apart
from considerations of constitutional prin
cipes, oppose its exercise upon the grounds Of
expediency and Justice. notwithstanding
this opposition, millions Of money, in the
common Treasury had been drawn for such
purposes. Our opposition sprung from no
hostility to commerce. or all necessary aids
for facilitating it. With US it was simply a
question, upon whom the burden should fall.
In Georgia, for instance, we had done as
much for the cause Of internal mprovem
as any other portion of the country accord
ing to population and means. We have
stretched out lines of railroads from the sea-
board to the mountains; dug down the hills
and filled up the valleys at a cost of not less
than S25, 900 600. All this was done to open
up an outlet for our products of the Interior
and those TO the west of US, to reach the
marts of the world. No State was in greater
need Of such facilities than Georgia, but we
had not asked that these works should be
made by appropriations out of the common
Treasury. The cost of the grading, the su
perstructure and equipments of our roa' s.
was borne by those who entered upon the
enterprise. Nay, more-not only the cost Of
the iron, no small item in the aggregate cost
was borne in the same way, but we were
compelled to pay into the common Treasury
several millions of dJllars tor the privilege
of importing the iron after the price was
paid for it abroad What justice was there
in taking this money. which our people paid
into the common Treasury on the importation
CT our iron, and applying it to the improve
rnent of rivers and harbors elsewhere
The true principle is to subject commerce
of every locality to whatever burdens may
be necessary to facilitate it. If the Charles
ton harbor needs Improvement, let the com
tnprcp of CturlpstNu Ipnr he bur1an the
mouth of the Savannah river has to he clear
ed out, let the sea-gcing navigation which is
benefited by Il bear the burden. So with
the mouths of the Alabama and Mississippi
rivers. Dust as the products of the interior,
our cotton, wheat, corn and other articles
have to bear the necessary rates of freight
over our railroads to reach the seas. This is
agaiu the broad principle OF perfect equality
aud Justice. And it is specially held forth
and established in our new Constitution.
Another featur- to which will allude, is
That the new Constitution provides that
Cabinet Ministers and heads of Departments
ehall have the right to participate in the de-
bates and discussions upon the various sub
Jects of administration should have pre-
ferred that this provision should have gone
farther, and allowed the President 70 select
his constitutional advisers from the Senate and
conformed entirely to the practice in the
British Parliament, which, in my opinion, is
one of the wisest provisions of that body. 1t
is the only feature that saves that Govern
ment. 1t is that which gives it stability in
its facility to change its administration. Ours,
as it is, is great approximation to the right
principle.
Under the old Constitution, Secretary of
the Treasury, for instance. had no opportun
ty, save 10y his annual reports, of presenting
any scheme Or plan of finance or other mat
ter. He had no opportunity of explaining,
expounding enforcing or defending his views
of policy; his only resort was through the
medium of an organ. In the British Parlia-
inent the Premier brings in his budget and
stands before the nation responsible for its
every item. Ifit is indefensible, he falls be-
tore the attacks upon it, as he ought to. This
Will now be the case to a limited extent un-
der our system Our heads of departments
can speak for themselves, and the admins
tration in behalf of its entire policy, without
resorting to the indirect and highly ohiec-
uonaole medium of newspaper. 1t is to be
greatly hoped that under our system we shall
never have what is known as a Government
organ.
Another change in the Constitution relates
10 the length of the tenure of the Presidential
once. In the new Constitution it is six years
instead of four, and the President rendered
,,uelhSlole for reelection. This is certain
~ d decidedly conservative change. 1t will
e."p!e from the incumbent all temptation to
lie, lie "is othce or exert the powers confded to
IItu Tor any Ohaots of nersona1 amlition