The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1862-05-07

had been accomplished. 1t would have
been certainly the best and safest course
fo- them to have pursued. but ii WAS the
opinion Of many men among them (whe-
ther wise ones or not the people must de-
termine) that the times called for ex,,a.
ordinary legislation, and they therefore
adopted the "Ordinancs for Strengthen
ing the Eqeculive Department"
The question naturally arises. in view
| Of these circumstances, as TO whether the
Inauguration Of extraordinary legislation,
in times like these, will effect anything
for our cause. or whether il will net take
away from the power Of our common
Gov ernment. whose hands should lie
! strengthened, in every possible manner.
10y the authorities e the States which
compose lhe Couf.deracy. Ours is an ~.
fSnt republic, and there can lie no safety
for il excsp, in unity OF action. Why,
then, cr.x,e IN iuepressble directory,
| when before we mad MI the power in the
State vested in the hands OF one wise. en-.
ergetic and patriotic man, who WAS re-
sponsille for his actions to the illegally"
constituted Legislature OF the State D.
! Under the administration OF Governor
P,ckens, our State affairs were conducted
with promp,ness, energy and despatch.
| In all the S,a,es Of this Confede,scy,
there has not been one. as far rs have
beea abe TO learn, which has contributed
10 the Confederate Government all the
.ne,ns IN her power. more freely aud
cheeriuliy. than has South Carolina. |
take pride in remembering that she WIS
the banner State in our present snuggle,
which, il successful, lids fair to erect n
temple Of liberty founded upon the mos.
enduring basis. Solitary and alone she
plucked her star OF empire from the Dag
of the old Union, and dared to say she
would be free So sublime spectacle
excited the admiration Of her sister States,
and that admiration WAS changed into
sympathy, when, for length of tine,
she maintained herself free and ind-pen.
dsnt. withs,sndinv the threats ui the
iawl-ss Northern Government, and the
inockery Of their twenty millions. Du.
rin. the time when she was alone xs
State, one single man stood n, her helm,
and st-.r.d her amid the dangerous
bre~kers oi tba dawning revolutiou.-
True, lie ~as surrounded hy a Council Of
State. given hun hy the Convention. hut
the resolution. Of the Convention, giving
him authority TO appoint said Council,
expressly declared that the Governor
should. in ~lI cases, decide upon his own
action. Be it remembered the Conv-n.
ton WAS then almost iL its Infancy. 1t
MAS then sounding. the spirit Of our peo.
pie, and dared not then assume to
change. in toto. our whole form Of Gov.
eminent, IA they have since done.
The people have right TO demand
and know the reasons why their ruler.
see fl TO change their form Of Govern
ment and in this change, which form.
the sui jec. Of this communication, ,hsi'
reasons, IL they had any, have been com
piet-Iy clouded in mystery. The Con
ventiou assembled in our midst. held ,
long session, and the nemt-rs wouIc
come out e~cl, day from their meeting
with longer faces that .,hey had the ds,
! tbefure, M IL the fate Of nations hun!
trembling IN The balance aud still ih
people could not learn one word as I,
their scGons all WAS shrouded in the 81
isnce Of dsstl,, until At last the bubbl
burst aud the fact came ont that, in u,
sslonishingIy short space of three week,
U the Convention had en,irely changed ou
system oi Governmeut from n r.presentr
rves to ,h~, OF nn oiigarchy. End ih
= people have been given four more ruler,
with absolute power. without as much II
saying, "hy your leave, sIrs."
Again. say. where nre the reason
J for this chang-l Was there in-ffic'enc
, In the then Government Of the Sla,sf
" there WAS. the people indeed SAW il not
but " there really ~ss in-fficiency, III
- question then arises, has the "Exscut,,
Department" been "s'rengthenrd" b
, Salding four gentlemen Of the Conveniiv
. to il This question is not hard to Al
I" swer any thinking man Who reads Il
papers can easily answer IL. The e,
scu,iye Department" has not bee
u "arengthen.d." The instances. TOO. Al
! sasy TO cite. The papers Of our State II
med us, sometime in the middle
u February last, that the Confederate Go,