The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1865-09-21
For tie MtelLiqencer. y
ANDsfTs INFLUENCE ON
THE CHARACTER OF THE STATE.

1t is supposed that the Convention will
have important functions to discharge,
and will, in a measure, determine the flu
ture destiny of the State. In theory a
Convention is indeed absolute, as. express
sing the will of the people; but in the
case of the present Convention its powers
will be found to be practically limited by
circumstances, and it will have q pre-
scribed work to perform, where fore
gone conclusion will not be much affected
by any freedom of debate. Besides, in
the unforeseen events Of time, futnrc
Convention may again modify the Con-
stitution, so that only in o limited degree
can the destiny of the State be said to be
in the hands of that body. 1t is the peo-
pie ultimately who must determine the
character of tic St:.c, and in them lies
its destiny for veal OF woe. This is a
power, the effect of which cannot be pre-
vented from without, and the rcsponsi-
bility of which cannot be avoided or
thrcwn off from within. For, such as is
the citizen, SO will be the State; and
whether designcdly or not, each one is
necessarily giving that impress to society
and circumstances under which his chill
dren will grow up and be moulded. Con-
stitutions. liberty itself, are valuelcss to
people whose character they do not ex-
press, and who are too ignorant and un-
cultivated to appreciate their import
There is, therefore, one respect, in which
the destiny of the State really lies in the
hands of the people; and this is; the
character, the civilization and tho en-
lightenment which by their conduct they
are about to impress, and leave as the in
heritance of their children.
/ 1t must be obvious to every one, that
things cannot now flow back into their
old channels; new state Of political-and
social life has begun, and the most serious
question for every citizen is-what shall
be the character of our society and insti-
tutions? In emerging out of the present
unsettled and .dislocatcd condition OF
things, two. alternatives arc within the
choice of the people. One is, to provide
for the future that the State be intelli-
gent and fit to be State of frcemen; or,
if this be neglected, the other alternative
is inevitable, viz to sink to the level Of
halkinformed people, unable to hold
their own against superior intelligence,
and the prey of any flood of immigration
which may happen to ovcrrun them. In
dcspotic countries, it is the policy of the
rulers to keep the mass of the people as
intellectually updeveloped as. possible, in
order thatthey may be, like children, de-
pendent for everything upon the ruling
power. This power, it is true, protects,
forits own interests, as well as enslavcsits
subjects. But what is to be thought Of.
free peoplc-it such a,-pcople a can be
found-who voluntarily reduce them
selves to the ignorant, uncnlightcncd con-
dition OF dcspot's subjects, while they
have no dcstot's power to protect them
against those of superior enlightenment
to themselves? Such people could not
continue free ); they would bo, and de-
serve to be, the interiors they would have
made themselves. 1t is by intelligence
and enlightenment alone that tho State
can maintain any position or respect
among tho members of the United States.
Her history demonstrates this. The
smallness Of her territory and population
render her but cyphcr in political re-
spects; but it was by such citizens as
Calhoun, Lowndes and Chcvcs, that she
was felt in the national councils.
Besides, however, sense Of respect for
her past character, there is another con-
sideration, which ought to be q most pow
ertul incentive to every citizen to pro-
vide, as far as lies ilt his power, for the
intelligence and enlightenment of the
State. There is no longer politically
privileged class. There is no STAKEHOLDER
who, however dull and uncultivatcd, yet
holds a superior position and influence by
virtue OF his large possessions. There is
no constitutional distinction of class
which placed the poor non-slaveholdcr,
however ignorant and stupid, in p1iyi-
legged rank above the slave. There is no
slave; and it must depend upon the supc-
rior culture and intelligence Of tho white
men, whether he shall maintain the rank
he has hitherto held. Enlightenment, in