Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-04-20

dangerous powers, and have st1feH y
destroy the equality Of the States every
IT is q pity that they entered
into a coalition, for that purpose, with
Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, which
has at last brought the bayonets Of these
States 70 all their Capitals. II is a PITY
tina. they should have preserved ambig-
uous phrases in the Constitution, which
enabled WEBSTER and JACKSON to con-
vince the people Of the whole North and
mart Of the South that the Constitution
was still what Virginia and the coali-
ton had vainIy e~ndeavored to makeit It,
1t is n pity thai the smaller States,
and especially Maryland should have
heen 40 anxious to establish some sys-
EN-. as not to have preferred breaking
I'D the Convention, to leaving it in
doubt, by the ambiguity or inconsistency
of a single phrase, by any feature at
variance with the general plan and with
the Federal character Of the Union,
whether the States, as separate units,
we're or were not the makers Of the
Constitution whether, by making 1t,
they did or did O abdieate their Sow
ereignty: whether their agents were
or were not to administer the Govern
ment, in all its departments and
whether a State could or could not
withdraw in peace.
1t was most unfortunate, and OF evil
omen, that the Republic had to continue
its existence, with its States and people
divided into two parties, as widely
asunder as the AntipOdes in their under
standing Of the very nature and general
character Of the Constitution n hold
ing that it was made by the States, and
the other that they came from the one
people OF all, as the great original source
of power one holding that it made the
people Of all the States u people the
| other that it did not one holding that a
State might Withdraw, for gross viola
lions of the compact; and others deny
ing this.
Il was precisely such a folly as il the
same number of individuals had asso-
elated themselves together in business,
and commenced operations, one half of
them understanding the association to
be a partnership, and the other half hold
lug it to be a corporation. In such 8
case there would be no compact or agree
ment whatever, the concurrence Of wills,
necessary to constitute a contract, being
wanting. There nerer WGs any real
Union bet,eeen the States, for The self
same reason.
OF course, setting out with so radical
a difference as to the very nature Of the
compact, the ~connexion could not con-
tinue very long especially when that
portion Of the country where the wrong
opinion was held, was to increase in pop
ulation and strength twice as rapidly as
the other. Each party and State would
struggle to carry out in public measures
its views Of the Constitution, and to
cause them to prevail in the con2uct OF
all affairs and As the coustitutionslity
Of the most important measures would
often depend on the nature and source
Of the Constitution itself, continual col
lisions and dissensions could not but &C.
cur, yearly destroying more and more
the cohesion between the States, and
preparing them for separation and war
st no very distant day. Constant jar
ring destroys the cohesion between the
PARTICLES evan of iron
But it was perhaps notles unfortunate
that the Constitution was so worded as
to leave the State Legislatures at liberty
to direct the election OF the Electors by
the people at large. For, whenever this
was resOrted to, the interpositiOn Of Elec-
tors was useless; and in matters Of gov
eminent, whatever is useless in the ma
chinery is injurious. It was scarcely
possible for the General Government to
infringe upon the rights O. individuals;
but it might encrOaeh upon those Of the
States. There vas no necessity for re-
sorting to popular elections as the means
Of selecting President and the presiding
officer Of the Senate. The former was
to be peculiarly the guardian Of the
rights Of the States, and it was most
unfit that he should owe his election to a
popular majority, which might not give
him the votes Of more than a third Of the
States. You would hardly elect a pilot
for a vessel, even in the fairest weather,
by vote Of the crew, the cook
and cabin-boys included. 1t is not
supposed that popular election by
universal suffrage is the best mode Of
selecting captains Of ships, generals to
command armies, engineers on railroads
or even judges Of courts Of appeal. Il
does not even secure good justices Of the
peace or Masters Of Masonic Lodges but
it docs give Us the worst possible sheriffs
and clerks Of courts, imbeele Governors
of States, and for Presidents men very
unfit for the Office.
The Vice-President might have 10 oc-
cupy the Presidential chair; and there
fore the reasons were equally strong why
he should be elected by the States and
moreover, be was to be the Presiding
Of the Senate, in which the States
themselves, equal and sovereign, each
by its two Senators. were to sit In coun-
ell and it was for this sso peculiarly
fit that be should be elected by the
each having an equal voice in his
election.