The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1866-03-01
7 From Tic Ns,p York Ne,rs.
Drifting Towards Capitalization.

w haCeVcr may DC tIe tlieOretiC >eAooi-
lence of our system Of government it has
one defect in common with every other
government instituted upon earth. 1t
must of necessity be administered by hu-
man agency, and however perfect the de-
sign, the frailty of this practical agency
calls for perpetual vigilance to protect its
salient principles against abuse. Power
is, in its nature, encroaching; its un-
winking eye marks with keen penetration
wherever it's adversary is vulnerable; (;
and no slumber of repose is permitted to
arrest the march Of its malignant ambi-
ton. Machiavel very truly remarks
.that nation to maintain itself free hath
need every day of moro than Argus like
vigilance in those who would preserve it
free;" and certainly no free government,
nor the blessings Of liberty can be pre-
served by any people, but by frequent
recurrence to fundamental principles
Unfortunately, just at this period, through
the agencies of corrupt power, built up
through the instrumentalities of the most
frightful civil war the world has ever
known, an unprinciplcd faction have OBJ
taincd control of this Government, and
its object appears to be to overthrow and
tramplc in the dust all the fences and
guards erected by our fathers to protect
us against usurpation. The Constitution
intended by them as an instrument of de-
fined and limited powers, has been treat
ed by this faction, literally, for the last
four years, as if it was an obsolete idea,
a dead letter, whenever it appears to clash
with the new-fangled fanatical ideas Of
what they understand by human progress
and human liberty. "Liberty, fraternity
and equality" were the watchwords of
that band of assassins who delugcd France
in blood at the close of the last century,
enabled them to override the Constitu-
ton of the kingdom and, finally, kindled
a confagration in which they themselves
were fortunately consumed. 1t is this
same war cry under which the blood
thirsty f,ctionists at Washington, led by
Sumner in the Senate and Stevens in the
House, have rallied for the overthrow OF
onr Constitution, the complete extinction
of the natural division between races and
the establishment of central dcspotism.
.DThis proud sovereignty of States must
be humblcd," was the reasonable utter
ance of one of the Massachusetts Senators
during the exciting session of 1868. lie
comprchcndcd thoroughly that here was
tho vital point at which the blows must
be aimed, and himself and co-conspirators
have been thrusting their daggers at it
ever since. The effort is being made by
the leaders of the Republican faction, and
the prominent journals of the Republican
press, to educate the public mind to the
idea that the war has declared that we
are one nation, and destroyed what they
are pleased to call "thc hercsy of State
Rights" In such condition of things,
it is WE'LL from time to time, to recur to
fundamental principles, that the people
may not lose sight Of the origin and scope
of the Government their fathers founded.
The people of each State in relation to
their State government were intended to
be considered in separate, federal or po-
litical capacity, as citizens of the partcu-
lar State of which they are members; and
in relation to the General Government,
they were to be considered in an aggre-
gate, or national capacity, as citizens of
the United States. The rights and in
terests of the people in one capacity were
not intended to be opposed to their rights
and interests in the other capacity, but
to be in perfect harmony. What is ne
cessary for their security in one capacity
is necessary in the other. But the safety
of the people in both capacities depends
on the preservation of each government
within its proper limits. But now things
have gone so lar that without blush,
measures are forced through both houses
that ignore altogether the distinction in
these rights. The reserved powers of the
States which the trainers of the Consti,
tuition thought had been so zealously
guarded, are treated as nulitics, and the
States themselves, as though they were
mere municipalities, deriving all their
power and curtailed of all their privileges
by the central head. If the plans of these
Radicals should triumph, and meet no
check from tho present Executive, then