Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1861-05-23
COMMUNICATED

[CoMMUNIcATED.
Mr.. EDITOR: Enclosed you will receive an
extract from the views of Jefferson on the SUBJ
ject of the final arbiter. This has for many
years been disputed question in this country.
1t seems to me that his views on the subject are
correct and wholesome. A Convention of all
the States might sit for twelve months or longer
if necessary, until the passions of the hour bad
subsidized, reason had resumed her empire, and
reflection and consultation had led all to reason
and rightly conclude upon the vexed questions
of the day. 1t is a fearful and disastrous con-
dition of republic when the arbitrament of the
sword. directed by delusion and passion, shall
become the final arbiter in lieu of the ballot
box directed by right reason. The sword is the
destroyer of republics, while calm and dispas-
sionate reason is their greatest conservatory
Men of meay brains, while under an artificial
or deluSve excitement may assert that conser-
vatism is cowardice; but it is not cowardice; it
is wisdom. It's received definition, among the
wise and sober and learned, and not among the
foolish, the drinking and the ignorant, is the de-
sire and effort of preserving what is established.
Il conservative is not a coward, but one wfi0-
aims to preserve from ruin, innovation, injury
or radical change; one who wishes to maintain
an institution or form of government in it's pre-
sent state. This doctrine has the experience Of
uioeOi lOdoou dLu udIuIC lOi lGo supporter duU
commentator. History testi6es that all the
greatest, wisest and most successful legislators
were essentially conservative in all their efforts
to found governments. The most conservative
have ever been the most durable governments.
have contributed to the greatest and most last
ing renown and happiness, and have wrought
the greatest beneficence for the human race
Reason teaches this must be so. The govern
ment which stands still and progresses is always
the most successful. In nature or the works Of
Deity, we find the great constituted globe, has
been still in its fixed course for billions of years,
and the only changes that 60 on are by devolu-
ton, anylization and progression. Innovation
is disintegration. When, in body formed by
atomical attraction, disintegration once begins,
nothing arrests it-nothng at least, short of cre-
alive power. Innovation in fundamentals, is
destroyer; God never innovates in fundamen-
tails; He analyses, decomposes and progresses in
fruits. The most conservative government has
been England. She is by far the most powerful
that has lived; she is not now and never was
coward. The banty cock, when strutting and
Growing, as is ever his won't, oe,ms all other
cocks in the wide, wide world, coward The
English people have been comparatively slow,
quiet, noiseless and progressive and great peo-
pie. They never strut and vainly flap their
wings. The very object of Mr.. Jefferson in the
views I send you is conservatism. Conserva-
tism is the source of progressive growth and not
dissolution and anarchy. Moses thought so.
Lycurgus thought so. Scion thought so. Nu-
ma Pompiius thought SO. The truly great
conservative and progressive Alfred of England
thought so. England owes the elements of her
greatness to him. Washington, the exemplar
of man Hamilton, Jefferson, Madison, and all
the best and wisest lights of the Revolution,
thought so. God in the structure Of his great
universe thought and still thinks SO; and why,
should artificial or deluded excitement think or
vociferate otherwise. Conservatism begets set
tied, deep devolving progressive thought enfo-
liation of error and reproduction. Innovation
begets chaotic, anarchical action, without the
fruits of wise thought. The English govern
ment has grown and has enacted the successive
and successful devolution Of error. She has
never clustered in cowardice or drunkenness.
CExTRAcT.
"With respect to our State and Federal Cow
ernments, do not think that their relations are
correctly understood by foreigners. They gen.
orally suppose the former to be subordinate to
the latter. But this is not the case. They are
coordinate departments of one simple and inte-
grail whole. But you may ask if the two de-
partments should claim each the same subject OF
power, where is the common umpire to decide
between them? In cases of little Importance
and urgency the prudence of both parties will
keep them aoof from the questionable groundi
but if it can neither be avoided nor compromised.
a Convention Of States must be called to ascrsbe
the doubtful po,cer to that department aohich they
may think BEST"
RELIGIOUS NOTICE.