The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-05-26
COLUMBIA.
Sunday Morning, May 20, 1857
Difficulties OF ReGonstrucaon-iA
Splendid Passnue.H -

SPkenolu RasseSe.
Daniel Webster, one of the mos
eminent statesmen who graced tn,
councils of the nation, on an occa
sion, several years ago, discussed the
question of the future of the Govern
ment OF the United States. 1t would
appear that, ON the occasion referred
to, he was gifted somewhat with the
spirit Of prophecy, for, in the course
of his speech, with that splendor of
diction which always marked his seloI
quence, he warned his ccountrymen
Of the solemn duty of guarding,
with scrupulous jealousy, the noble
heritage of constitutional freedom,
which their ancestors had won and
bequeathed to them. He depicted,
even at that time, the perils to which
this noble heritage and magnificent
birth-right was. exposed, and how
difficult it would be to recover their
liberties, should they once be lost.
AS appropriate to the present un-
happy juncture in the political affairs
of the country, We quote the follow
ing eloquent extract from the speech
referred to-:
''Other misfortunes may be borne
or their effects overcome. If war
should sweep our commerce from the
ocean, another generation may renew
it; If it exhaust our treasury, future
industry may replenish it; if it DESC
lates and lays waste our fields, still,
under n new cultivation, they will
grow green and ripen to future har-
vest. 1t were but trifle, even if the
walls of yonder capitol were to crum-
BILE, if its lofty pillars should fall,
and its gorgeous decorations be CO.
yered by the dust of the valley.
"All those might be rebuilt. But
who shall reconstruct the fabric of
the demolished Government? Who
shall rear again the well-proportioned
columns of constitutional liberty?
Who shall frame together the skillful
architecture which unites national
sovereignty with State rights, indi-
vidual security and public prospe-
rity? Now, if these columns shall
TALL, they will be reared not again.
Like the Coliseum and the Pantheon,
they will be destined to melancholy,
mournful Immortality. Bitterer tears,
however, will flow over them than
were ever shed ion the monuments of
the Roman OF Grecian art, for they
will be the remnants of more glo-
rious edifice than Greece or Rome
ever saw-the edifce of Constitu-
tional American Liberty"
"WhO shall reconstruct the fabric
OF q demolished Government" What
amomentous question! How solemnly
do these words echo from the midst
of the accomplished ruin he foresaw,
while he yet lived in the glory and
strength Of the Republic! We cannot
look to his successor, the Natick shoe
maker, as q reconstructor. We would
expect in vain to find in the fippaht
and polished Sumner the genius or
skill for such work. And, oh! how
different the mastery eloquence of
the speech we quote from, from the
demagoguish and partisan harangues
of him who occupies Webster's chair.
The ago of intellectual giants, We fear,
has passed away forever in this coun-
try, and as far rs the present genera
tion is concerned, we have to lament
that there are mono left who can
"frame the skillful architecture which
unites national sovereignty with State
rights-individual security and public
prosperity" All the master archi-
tects Of the temple of State have de-
parted, and n race of pigmy politi-
clans have seized upon its pillars and
demolished the fair fabric. Dare we
hope that some master spirits will yet
be raised up who can avert the doom
and prophecy enunciated by this great
statesman of Massachusetts,, in the
above extract, that ''if these columns
should fall, they would be reared not
again" Let us hope and pray, and
each in his sphere do his share. in the
work.