The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-05-04

I1nas aud authorizing its connection
and copsohdahon with the. other
roads. This was rendered essential
by the charter granted by the State
OF Georgia, one Of the requirements
being that the road should intersect
with the railroad in South Carolina at
Anderson, Il privilege and franchise
which the State of Georgia was in
competent to confer.
By subsequent legislation, the State
agreed to subscribe 81 ,31O, 900 to the
capital stock; the city of Charleston
had previously subscribed 81, ,O5o. 600.
which, together with private sinh.
scriptions anl the sale of $500. 900 of
mortgage bonds, produced an aggre
gate sum of 50, 600, 900; all of which
has been paid up and actually ex-
pended upon the substantial work of
the road, such as excavation, tunnel
ing, embankments, excavation of
rocks, masonry for bridges, and other
expensive works that have cost a vast
amount OF money.
hecent examinations show that the
work thus accomplished is in a good
Have We III our Government the
s1mllltude or counterpart of these
principles, or do they exist among
our people? When we consider the
struggles OF parties, when we recol-
iect the history of our institutions.
from the period Of their formation.
the question can safely be answered
IN the Affirmative. In all popular
Governments, when the will of the
people finds its expression in the
laws, parties inevitably spring up as
men differ in opinion as to how their
laws are to be made or how admins
tered. And when these parties arise,
then commences that strife between
Good and Evil which the Orientals re-
cognlze as pervadlng every portion
OF the universe, 1t is impossible
that the principles of both should be
right, because they are antagonistic,
and have been so from their origin.
which dates back to the foundation
OF the Government. There, amid
the materials out of which our repub-
I1can forefnthers built this structure
OF freedom, We find the germs of the
two parties (for there were and have
Geen but two) which, under different
names and circumstances, have been
fighting for the possession of power
III this Government ever since it's in
stitntion. One was party the advo-
cate of consolidation, of strengthen
ing the hands of power to such AN
extent as even to endanger the liber-
ties of the people. The other was
jealous OF power, was tender of the
rights OF the people and the States;
advocated q strict construction of the |
constitutional compact which was
creative of the Government, and de- |
sired the protection Of certain checks |
anu balances, rs essential to the pre-
servation Of the whole and Of each
individual branch. One of these par
ties, from its centralizing tendency,
was eminently centripetal. The
other, SO far from being centrifugal.
contended for that Just balance be-
tween these forces, which they main
tanned was rs necessary in govern
ment as in the harmony of the solar
system.
These two parties, though often
assuming Protean shapes, have never
changed their principles, and have
always preserved the same relations.
the one to the other, which charac-
terlZed them at their starting points
Ihe Government has been alternately
III possession of both these parties.
but by far the most successful and
glorious administrations have been
those conducted by the representa-
tlves, and under the auspices of that
party which opposed centripetalism.
This party Is out of power now, and
as soon as it was dethroned, com
menced that war which has brought
such ruin and distress upon our coun-
try Is it not safe to say that had its
power continued the war would have
been avcrted? There the principle
OF evil triumphed
The dangers of the centripetal
party has ever been the source of
deep solicitude to our wisest men and
purest patriots, and the recent veto
OF the President was wholesome
correction Of that centripetalism.
Here the principle of good triumph
ed. But the contest is not ended.
The evil is repulsed, not DESTROYED.
1t still wages war with the good, and
seeks proselytes among the American
people, to strengthen its cause and
consolidate its empire But the good
has afaithful sentinel upon the watch
tower OF liberty, and the people
trustry -ervant. The principle of
evil will not triu,n,,J I,,o,, A.,