The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-09-13
COTMON CAUSE.

its teachings. 1t is the part of folly to walk
blindy forward, needless of obstacles, thought
less AS to results. The sailor who would
imagine that he could dispense with compass
chart and nautical instruments, would waste
his life in seeking employment. The traveller
who would reject guide and avoid the beaten
road, could certainly scarce hope to reach his
destination The mechanic who would reject
the tools of his trade and refuse to profit by
the experience of others would starye. The
ruler of nation who closes his eyes to politi-
cal philosophy. and shuts out from his mind,
the accumulated wisdom of age must fail, az he
certainly deserves to fail He does not know
what obstacles are to be overcome. He can
not tell when to yield He is uncertain, unless
prevented by vanity from feeling uncertain
when to continue in his course. He certainly
does not know TO what result his course will
lead. PHARAOH would not profit by the les
sons which the plaques should have taught
and he and his hosts were destroyed. The
STUART could learn nothing from prosperity
or adversely, and the crown of England was
taken from his head, and the sceptre from his
hand The Bourbons failed to profit by the les
sons they had received, and the French throne
passed from them to the descendant Of a
Corsican The Radical party of the
United States like PHARAOH, like the
STUART, like the Bourbon, refuse to learn
q cf Twin 70 nUn
res, it vainly imagines that it has more wis
dom, more virtue, more greatness in its ranks
than has ever before been produced in the
world. The United States had constitution
framed by the wisest, and certainly the best
men, that this country has produced. That
Constitution was "a solemn compact between
States at that time sovereign; Constitution
meant to last for ages, and intended to pro-
duce happiness, and prosperity to the entire
country. To maintain that Constitution or
rather their Interpretation of that instrument
the representatives of the North declared again
and again that the war was waged. That Con-
stitution stood in the way Of radical ideas of
progress, and though the war was successful,
and by its success, under their own authorita-
tive declarations had decided that the Union
was one and indivisble, and that the States
that had attempted to dissolve their connection
with the government, had never for moment
been other than portions of the United States;
the Constitution, being an obstruction
and stumbling block to them, was over
ridden Ten States have been placed un
der military rule; their laws subject to
the will of the commander of the Military Dis
trict. Ten States are taxed without represent
alton Ten States may be deprived at any
moment of the right of trial by jury. In ten
States the haJedS corpus act is really suspended.
In ten States, elections are to be held in oppo-
sition TO their own State laws, and in the man
ner directed by a maj ority of those who style
themselves the Congress of the nation. In ten
States free government has ceased to exist in
defiance of the Constitution
Could these things happen, if The party in
power paid any attention to the lessons Of the
past? Could true craftsmanship permit any
portion of common country to be oppressed
by any other portion? Does not the past,
warn against such folly. Does not the natural
law teach that evil recoils on itself? Does not
the moral law teach that sin shall be punished?
Does not political science teach that injustice
to one part of u people will certainly react
on those by whom it is inflicted. When the
power of the nobility was checked in France
by the King, and the privileges to which they
were entitled curtailed, did it not develop the
popular power, which few generations later
deprived the descendant of that King of his
head? When popular power was abused, did
it not in turn fall before a despotism. Can
the American people not yet see the way in
which they are going, the end to which they
must arrive?
Liberty TO be preserved must be zealously
guarded The liberty Of the humblest man
should be as dear to q community as the liber-
ty of their best and most influential citizens.
In attacking the liberty of the humblest citi-
~
State The same power that deprives one man
of his liberty to-day will tomorrow strike at
the liberty of all. Power is seductive, and 1t
is seldom willing to 60 backwards, or to aban
don anything that it may possess. The world
has produced but one CINcINNATUs and but
one WASHINGTON. A few wearied spirits have
abandoned power from disgust or safety but
very few have abandoned it from principle.
IT, to preserve the freedom of community,
il is necessary to guard the freedom OF the
humblest citizen, then it follows thai, to pre-
serve the freedom of Confederation of States,
it is necessary to guard zealously the freedom
of the smallest State If that freedom IS not
guarded what must be the result seems to be
NJ certain as that the world moves by fixed
laws.
Leaving out of view the consideration Of
mere party knavery, party ambition, and party
schemes for the retention of power, the doml-
nant idea of the party in power rs, that the
mguided will of the ma iorty Of the party cap
able of seizing power is the law Of the land.
This unguided will, unfettered by compacts,
unelnbarrassed by moral obligations, can die
tate laws which, whether just or unjust, must
he obcyeL by all. Under their theory, there
is practically but one branch Of government, Of
which the President of the United States is
merely satrap, and the Supreme Court venal
tool There was n Rump Parliament in
England once that found master out of their
own school A Radical ruler might, if the
people permit, teach Congress the same lesson.
We do not say that such thing will be. We
hope not We believe mott. We think The
American people too wise and too great TO
allow themselves to be long deceived. They
will see their danger, and, in seeing, will know
how TO avoid.