The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1867-06-05
From the Phenix.l
ENOREE PLANTATION,
NEwBERRY DISTRICT, S. O.,

% MILITARY DIS, May IS, 81.
MEssRs. EDITORS I saw in
your paper, Of the 14th instant, 9
communication over the signature
of "Many Of your Constituents, .
in which my views of our present
political situation are requested
I respectfully ask limited space
in your columns through which
to reply. In order that we may
have clear and correct concep,
tion and understanding Of what
should be the action Of the people
Of South Carolina with regard to
the bills recently enacted by the
Congress Of the United States for
the reconstruction and re-organi-
zation Of our State Government,
it is absolutely and indispensably
necessary that we should have a
clear, full and thorough knowl-
edge Of the principles Of that
great system of Government un-
der which we live and the posi-
ton which we at present occupy.
Upon an analysis, either analy-
ticaI or synthetical, the conclusion
is irresistible, that ours is a great
federal republic, and not q great,
grand, controlling national govern
meht. 1t is complex in its sys-
TEN, being compounded Of the
separate Governments Of the seve-
raj States which compose the I'm
ion and the General Government
Of the Union, called the Govern
ment Of the United States. That
the thirteen original States that
founded, organized and projected
the General Government Of the
Union were colonies Of Great
Britain, each with its own charter
and Government, and connected
in nowiSe with each other, except
as dependencies OF q common en-
p;re, is an incontestible fact,
That these identical colonies
did. in 177G, declare and promul-
gate the declaration that they
':are, and Of right ought to be,
free, sovereign and independent
States" and to establish this dec
Iaration as a fact, each one acting
voluntarily and for itself, entered
into and adopted Particles Of con-
federation and perpetual union"
and that they, after heroic strug-
gle Of seven years duration, were
Separately acknowledged by Great
Britain to be free, Sovereign and
independent States" is equally in
contestible.
These colonies having been sep
arateIy acknowledged by Great
Britain to be "free, sovereign and
independent States" the articles of
confederation and perpetual union
which had been entered into and
adopted by them had fulfilled their
main purpose, and being unsuited
to the then existing condition of
things and the requirements of
the times, the problem for solu-
ton with the statesmen Of that
dav was what kind Of Govern
ment to form. Shall there be one
or several federal republics, or one
great, grand, controlling national
Government ? This was the prob
lem for solution. Having just
emerged from a long and exhaus-
ting war, and external pressure
being great, and fearing possibly
a renewal Of the contest at an ear
Iy day, it was decided simply to
make 'more perfect" that union
which had borne them so triumph
antIy through the late struggle.
That the thirteen colonies had
each it's own charter and Govern
ment, and was connected in no.
wise with each other, except as
dependencies Of a common empire,
before they entered into and adop-
ted articles of confederation and
perpetual union, and that in the
adoption Of these articles, each
one acted voluntarily and for it,
self; cannot be disputed.
That these identical thirteen
colonies, after they had been sep
arateIy acknowledged by Great
Britain to be "free, sovereign and
independent States," had each its
own State Government founded,
organized and projected by the
adoption and ratification Of a writ
ten constitution, the people OF
each State acting separately and
for themselves, before they foun-
ded, organized and projected the
General Government Of the I'm
ion, by the adoption and ratifca:
tion Of a written instrument called
the Constitution Of the United
States, the people Of each State
acting voluntarily and for them,
selves in their independent, sover
eign character, is equally indispu
table. The General Government
Of the Union, then, having beer
founded, organized and projected
by States, the people Of each State
acting voluntarily and for them
selves, in their independent, sover
eign character, and not by the col
lected body Of the people aggrega
ted in an entirety, is s govern
; -,o,,+ - c+o+,c -n0iitic