The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1862-09-03
lfoR THE LANCASTER LEDGER.
The Executive Council.


Can there be devised no method by which
the almost universal clamor against the
Executive Counc! may be answered and
the State relieved from the domination of
that body, now so generally odious to the
peopIef Does the possession Of The purse
and the sword, placed with such reckless
folly in their hands by the Convention, Tx
them so h;mly in the saddle Give on one
horse) that they can in no way be dsmoun.
Ted Is South Carolina in addition 10 the
bnrthens Of ,he war, quite onerous enough
IN themselves, fhted 10 carry clear through
1t despotsm rs complete and more vexu-
tious than that which obtains in the kinu-
dom of Dahomenv Is the almost unver-
sal cry of an outraged people for the resto.
ration of their old, we'll tried and thorough.
ly trusted furm of Government, to pass Ell.
tirely unheeded! The late call of the Pres
ldent for the re-assembIing of the Conven
'ion Is hailed by many as the precursor Of
The relief so urgently demanded II remains
10 be seen whether their Ist expectations
VIII DO fully met. Certain j, is, that moth
ing short OF the unqualified repeal Of the
Ordinance under which the Council claim
ed the powers they have exercised, will be
satisfactory TO the incensed people. 1t is
IN vain to tell them that their State Consti.
tntion, except in the particulars wherein il
Is expressly altered by the Ordinance ofthe
Convention, remains intact. The picture of
that KIND intimated in the terms of the Or.
dinance itself is pure mockery. The free
access to the Treasury which that instru.
ment opens to the Council, would alone
furnish lever by which the firnesl and
most solid Government that ever existed.
could be overlhrown and de mo.shed Til.
Convention violently snalching the key of
The Treasury from the State Legislature, to
the custody Of whom alone il had been
solemhly entrusted by the Constitution gave
1t TO the CouEcil, and actually invited them
to open the door and pillage in the most un.
ceremonious manner and TO an unlimited
extent. Investing them with powers to
practice tyranny in almost every conceiva-
BILE form, in the exercise Of which an ex.
Pense would have necessarily to be Incurred
which would be appalling in ordinary times,
the Ordinance provides:.
T. "For these purposes to draw money
from the public Treasury. Tie Treasurers
being bound to pay their Draft from any
money in the Treasury"
Such a temptation as is here held out 10
rob The Exchecquer,' even men more hon.
est ii.an old Jack Ealstaff might not be able \
to resist. But even the for;as Of the old
Constitution have not been respected. In
stead of one Governor having very limited
powers, which that Constitution provides,
the Convention las supplied the State with
five and conferred upon them powers which
no sane people ever before thought Of yield.
ing to all the branches Of the law making
powers combined. Amongs, mapy others
equally extraordinary may be mentioned
tba; couched in these words:
]. "To declare martial law 10 such ex. |
tent, in such places, aud at such tunes rs
shall be required by the exigency Of public
affairs"
Now We all know without resorting TO
the bitter experience of New Orleans. that
martial law constitutes, in itself, the most
absolute as well rs The most CALLING form
OF Despotsm, and was, it is believed, never
before sanctioned in written chart proyi
ding in any degree for the welfare and gov.
ernment Of State. II is not only subver
sve of the Constitution, but likewise of all
civil Government. Nor has the Legislative |
department Of the State been spared by the
As before stated this D,par; !
ment has been robbed Of the excIusi'c right !
conferred by the Constitution of drawing |
money from the Treasury. This Of course
must greatly cripple its action in the per-
formance OF its appropriate functions. But |
does not the very existence Of this Depart
mcnt depend upoa,lhe forbeara rance Of the |
Council! cfemveL had even less ditlicul.
" OF dissolvi421he English Parliament and
driving the meksters igncmiuiously from
their halls than he had in chopping. OF the
head of Charles l. Aad W. Crom we'll had
but the naked power without even the sem.
blance Of right on his side 1, is idle, there.
fore. to pretend that the Ordinance of Tho |
Convention, IL IL be not bold usnrpa,ioo.
has Ieft to the people even shred Of ii,eit