Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-11-25
THE AMERICAN CONSTITUTION.
EzgTi,b Ops-ios iaas a g. F@sI..re.

From the London Post Oct q
It is now upwards of year and half since
the States at present cousiitu ling the Southern
Confederscy finally Withdrew themselves from
the American Unisn. Snort as the period hes
been, and barren though it has proved in practi
cal results, It's history may vie in interest with
that of any other epoch Of similar duration in
the annals of the world. That it has Witnessed
powerful republic, governed by political sys-
TEN In most respects unexceptisnable Fiven to
its centre, will not be the least among It's claims
to attract the attention of postarity.
Il would scarcely be jast to attribute to shs
American Constitution Itself the evils which
haSe scsndslized Europe during the past
eighteen months. 4 daed Of partnership NAV
be drawn up without flaw, tho rights Of each
Of the partners may be accurately asesrsained
and impsrtially spportioned, jet still the concern
may come TO dead lock from the inability of
the persons engaged in it 20 work together. Be-
tween Che Northern and Southern States there
Ses at the best of times decided Antagonism
Though slavery formed, aud notwithstanding
Mr. Lineoln's emancipation proclamation, now
forms no Part of the issue of the wsr
it undoubtedly occasi0ned tho secession of
the Southern States. That ths day xould
come when tbs South would withdraw from
the North was fOreseen by Jackson, one Of the
sblest Presi1ents the Union ever possessed; bathe
had the good sense TO counsel a peaceful seOs-
| ration. In such secession be saw, not ss at
present. the disruption Of the Uaion into two
| hostile and bsnkrups States, but the formation
of two distinct eontederscies, each of lhem il
Sepsrable in itself and both united by tho strong
est of all alliances-that dictated by policy and
| fraternal regard. That some Of the States com
posing the American Union should acknowledge
slavery, whilst others should disevoyg il, was in
cident to those principles Of State Independence
which formed tho striking feature Of the Fed
ersl Constitution. The apprehension that that
Independence was threatened when the RepRb-
lican party succeeded in eleeting their nominee
to the Office Of President, led to the Withdrawal
OF the Confederate States. Had the South been
satisfied, or had the guarantees which it re-
quired been afforded that the domestic institz-
tons of the slavehOlding States would not have
been tempered with, or, ia other words, had it
been assured that the Federal Constitution would
have been preserved inviolate, the American
Union might have remained iatsst to the present
day. These guarantees, however, were refused
and secession beeama necessary for the preserva-
ton OF the political liberties of the Southern
States
A chief magistrate selected by chance out Of the
common ruck, intrustsd With less authority than
is granted in mOnarchies to a constitutional
king, and invested with none Of those attributes
which insure for royalty obediencs and respect,
was utterly untitled to conduct ths dssrinies Of
psople under circumstances demanding q clear
jU7 ment aud strong will Finding himself
i 4pAble of conducting pablo affairs, under
circumstances like the present, conformably to
the institution, the American President was OBJ
hged to take refuge in desp0tism One By one
| the several bulwarks Of civil liberty have been
broken down, until at length nothing Of the
| Federal Constitution here rensins but the name
Ssata rights and idividual rights have in turn
been FILTERED away, and now independence is no
longer to be found either in the person of the ci
zen or in the conduct Of the State press
which, stthe eOmmencemen Mt of the war. knew no
other censor than the voice Of public opinion.
eau no longer publish an item of news without
recsiving the 5mprimatHr of provost marshal
Civil liberty has become mythe since no Ameri-
can citizen, no matter how remote may be his
residence from the seat Of war, can count with
certainty when he rises in the morning on not
occupying a military prison bsfore night The
Constitution has for the moment per she'd and
aud yet it is for this same Constitution that
hundreds of thousands Of human creatures are
sacrificed, the Industry Of millions paralvzed
and mountains Of gold iAvishly squandsred To
uphold this Constitution, which is now trampled
under foot by a government which is moi SO
much feared Es it is despsel and which has not
risen to the dignity Of being hated--to uphold
Coustitutiou which, though originally gained
BY one of the noblest struggles chroniclsd in
the history Of man, is nos dragged through the
mire without exciting the feeblest rnurmur
amidst population of milliOns-it is ts uphold
this Constitution that war of determination is
now wsged and servile insurrection has been
craftily projseted. To greater lengths human
folly aud human wickedness have never reached.