Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-09-16
Gov. Piclsens' Proposition that the
Constitution be RemodeIed,

Constitution be Remodeled.
The newspaper press of tho day, referring to
the interview between Gen. RosEcnAas and e.r-
tain distinguished Southern gentlemen at The
White Sulphur Springs, naturally points to aro-
mark of Gov. PIcKESs uttered on that occasion:
" That femething more than the installation1of
tho Democratic Party into power, is .equirod to
save tho country. And that New York, as tbe
most powerful State of the Union, should call a
Convention of all the States, TO remodel tho Con-
stitution to suit the new order of affairs"
Wercgard this remark Of Gov. PIcKEss as the.
remark of Statesman, in contradistinction 10
tho crudities Of many Of our politicians. It is
repete with profound political ,agacity and phio-
sophie foresight. Forsthesmost thoughtless must
see, when their attention is directed thereto, TINT
tho old regime has passed away. That the Dec.
laration Of Independence, which is but little moro
than reduction Of the .Righ,s Of Man" of the
French Jaoobina, declaring equality and fraterni.
tys4that law is the expression of the People, and
thatliberty consists doing whatever one chooses
lis not;altegether suited to tho civilization and
wealth of the present day. That anything like
the exclamation Of the market women, when ar
rested for the murder of cisSn in the streets of
Paris1dWhGt! we cannot kill whom we please
whom wea entitled to the benefits of the great
charter of the Rights of Man?' ?'"-together with
the unlicensed freedom resulting from suchteach-
ing, cannot and will not be tolerated in country
now amongst the foremost in the worlds in popu-
lation, rank, wealth and intelligence. And that,
as Gov. PIcKESs says, something must be done
to meet the " new order of affairs"
The powor of the People, their equality, their
liberty, their fraternity, their sovereignty, as
taught in the rights of man, will answsr vory
we'll as long as q country is newly settled, when,
population is sparse, poverty general, and ambi-i
tion laudabe; because this very state affairs gives
birth TO purity Of morale, to virtue in Office, to-
economy in administration, to prudence in couL-
Gil, and to general probity in the people them
selves. But lit is inherent in the very nature of
things, thatas society bccomesmore advanced,
wealthmore general, and ambition of place end
power more vaulting, something stronger than
anything to be found in the famous Declaration
above cited, must be appealed to in order to gov
ern men.
.Jt'is n8w evident and admitted that our coun-
try has undergone great and marked change,
ittaying advanced from the purity of q sparsely
settled Democracy to m ambitious, powerful nnd
wealthy oligarchy, Of which seven. men, now
members of Congress, may be said to constitute
the Directory; that the termination of civil
war of the first magnitude, has decided the two
cardinal doctrines of the South, slavery and se-
cession, to be myths; and, substantially, that
the Constitution of the iUnited States is mere
parebment. -7,;.s.'ss 80 es'e.i . 80 : 3
Itcannot be denied that the worse. passions Of
men have been cngendeted during this war, and
now slumbsr only through policy; that those who
have lost their rank are empoisonsd, those who
have lost their. property, ore embittered, those
who have tasted of power in both Armies, now
sent back to civil life, aro disappointed and dis
contented that in fact, as in Rome after the par
tition of the Empire, graphically described By
SGllust, all who had lost their patrimouy, 'all
whewore most remarkable for deprsvity, all whom
wickedness or disgrace had driven from their
homes, found their way to that great Capital as
the common sewor of the Republc, SO now the
reckless, the turbulent the ambitious, tho disap-
pointed, the proaigatc, all those who envy The
good and extol the bad, are .cro%ding 10 our
great cities, with the view to dcride Government,
TO set up innovation, to encourage .nobocraoy;
| sediton and tumut. " q sG. .l.a" -
Itb not from Democracy or its teachings that
| in Auch 8 country and amid such corruption, any
aiesdRtan of thu praaant avid snould be expect
ed. The history of the world teachos that such
expectations have always ended 10 ruin and
disgrace. 1t ended in Byzantium in the faction
of'thte Blue and Green Ribbon of,the Circus. It
terminatod In Rome in the reckless oombats Ct
the Hippodrome,aad the glitter ofSl;censed pros
titution and ,misht7haye been foreseen in the
note Of assignaton from the sister of the 4groat
| Censor, Cato, to Cpsar, when read in the Senate
Chamber by the latter, to the modification Of his
rival and tie enjoyment Of reverend Senators.
1t made bankrdpt of the kingdom N the days OF
Louis XIV, and pictured itself in the scenes Of
Faublas, and afterwards in the celebrated and
SEDUCTIVE hiSntsOt mhn IL nasnlle tue e~frosi-
dsnhal chair with EaiLSpHttsrs and Tailora,
Congress with Shoemakers and Faro Dealers, and
Washington with thieves and prostitutes. 80.
Something moro than Democracy and the Ssin-
stallation into power of Democrats, is necessary
to meet the new order of affairs" And we ven.
ture that the accomplished gentleman and statos-
man who made this remark, does not anticipate
that the Rights of Man will assist in the emer-
gency. p. Y
In the redress of experienced evils and. the
dread Of present corruption, tie last and highest
responsibility rests with those who from their
ability and experience, see tho yawning gulf of
Democratic ruin, nnI will not, either from the
fsar Of unpopularity or Of faCtiols demagoguea,
attempt to bridge the dreadful cbasm.
We agree With Gov. PIcKESs that call for n
Convention Of all tho Statss, in ofler to alter or.
amend tho Consii,ution,of the Union, would be.
We ,ndrc::5ic advance in the-propsn directions
Ap,. NO earnestly. commend the suggestion to our.
contemporaries OF the press. :, ,.,4..f, u!
Charleston Advertisements.
JAMES c. MorrErr.
~ II. ~ y F-..-