The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-03-19
The Southern Drift TOwnrds DeSPOIism.

Thr southern Drift Towards DesPOIism.
De BOWS Southern Reujew, last August,
threw out this significant suggestion:
A nation trammelled with a written consti-
tuition is like a man with his hands manacled.
Its capacity for action is cramped and di-
minished. The Confederate Constitution is a
mere tub thrown over the whale. No intelli-
gent man who voted for it deemed it would
be permanent but only considered it a tenn
porary expedient,a giving way, for the time,
to popular prejudices, a bridge or passway
between mobocracy and anarchy, and con-
servative republicanism. No people can be
well ruled by a Government of limited pow
ers by a Constitutional Government"
There is no doubt that this is the real belief
of most of the Southern conspirators, and there
are not a few indications that they mean to
realize their hopes, and build up a strong
Government. Governor Brown, of Georgia,
who has always been jealous Of the usurpa-
tons Of authority at Richmond, said in his
message to his Legislature:
ct may not be inappropriate for me to re-
mark, in conclusion, that the Abolition Gov
eminent at Washington-from which we Sc
ceeded on account of it's disregard for and VI
~oIation of State rights-has, in this respect,
shown itself more attached to the rights OF
the States and more careful not to violate
them. than our own Government, which had
its very origin in this great doctrine"
The Raleigh On. O. Standard, comment
on this declaration, says =
Governor Brown discloses the extraordinary
fact that the Lincoln consolidation IS more
liberal and just towards the old United States
as to the appointment OF their officers than
the Confederate Government IS towards the
Southern States. He concluded his message
with the startling question-'1n the Whiri OF
revolution, whittier are we driftlngT We
do not propose to answer the question. I'VE
feel that events will answer it soon enough"
1--WE have for months had fears tlat an Or
oanization existed in the Southern States, or
NAV be in process of formotion, to pull down
the fabric Of the Southern Contederacy-to
establish in its stead a despotlsm or a mon
archy. We assert what we know 10 Deferue'
that there are destructive otficeholders III
North Carolina who ignore the CoIlederaUe
Constitution and Republican institutions
Tbev are avowedIy in favor of military
desnotism or a king. They are tired Of free
dom Oh SIttIl dilu Il 1IOCP lNDpt
to morrow. if they could, vote to change the
character of our institutions. That these
views are entertained by a large number OF
the secession, destructive oficeholders, both
in the army and civil life, we have the best
of reasons for believing. These views are
held both by the destructives Of the old Wing
school, and by fiery, open-mouthed' States
rights Democrats"
m AL1--Ao no \ IofeIin9nPpr &C Syo ON tha
same subject:
sJt is bv no means to hear men
saw. "Well after all, the Eng E'sh Government
is the best government on earth" Others say,
seThere is a movement ON foot to establish,
during this revolution, a Southern monarchy;
that officers high in position are working to
brine.about this very end" 1t is really as
tonishing that any native American should
siqh after the ''1esh pots Of Egypt'-should
prefer a monarchy to the glorious form OF
Government which among ourselves, as States,
we have already established. Perhaps most
or all of this class of men would prefer the
English form Of Government, provided they
could be kings or lords, or wear the badge Of
nobility themselves but dlvest them OF all
such hope, and they would still cling to re-
p~ublicamism."
This jealousy Of the central power at Rich
mond is real on the partofthe people in North
Carolina and Georgia, and the Georgia Legis-
lature has recently made a demonstration OF
independence by voting to raise two regi-
ments for the defence Of the Satte, against
the d~sclared and violent opposition Of the Da-
Wis Government. When papers protesting to
be loyal to the Confederacy 60 so far as to de-
nounce the leaders ST the dominant party as
secession destructives," we may infer that
there is reality and vigor in their opposition
and may hope that when the success OF the
Union armies creates the opportunity, these
Southern enemies of the rebel despotism VIII
return to loyalty and lead the reaction for inc
Union. For the present, perhaps tneif oPPo-
sition to the Confederate rule may be WORTH aS
much to us as the Copperhead movements al
the North are to the rebels.-Ch'cGgo JOURNAL
The Provost Marshal at Charleston; va " az
;ss,ed an order suppressing the circulation tS o.
i9S"S :. :.a4+; Eon1mrey in the district OF Ine