Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-08-26
POLITICAL Tricks WITH WORDS.

was national, secured verdict Of acqnittal
for a client, by an artifce. The story is
extant in choice Southwestern, how Felix
Grundy procured the printing OF an alma
mac altered in its weather notes, which he
adroilly substituted for the courthouse
copy at the clerks desk, and how the
meteorological testimony Of the new alma
mac completely overthrow the main fea-
ture in the evidence for the prosecution,
and brought feIon off in triumph over
the law. In the rough primitive time,
fifty years ago or when this strata
gem was carried through, it was consid
cred clever performance, and is told TO
the credit Of the ingenuity Of that eminent
advocate. II was, however, nothing but
a fetch-a trick, excilsable, perhaps, in the
state of society az it then existed, but moth
ing more could be claimed for it, or said in
its justification.
1t has modern imitation which il not
entitled TO the same praise for its clever
ness, and has no palliation. Readers of
the celebrated debate between Calhoun
and Daniel Webster in 1888, upon the
philosophy of the American system of gov
eminent, will remember the important
part played by ths words, Constitution, COM
pact, etc, etc, in that renowned dialectic
contest and how the construction placed
on those terms was regarded by each of the
great debaters as decisive Of the argument.
Noah Webster dictionary, through all its
editions down to that issued in 1868, con-
tanned definitions Of those words which met
the acceptance of philologists and lexicog-
rsphers generally, and in their political
Specification were eOnsonant with the re-
ceived ideas of our peculiar system of gov
eminent Neither Calhoun, Daniel Webster
or John Marshall would have altered them.
That standard work and monument Of
American eruditiCn, however, has received
Radical overhauling, and for some pur-
pose probably to adapt it to the doc
trines Of the dominant party-Noah Web
ster's definitions have been cooked and
modified We are indebted to a contempo-
rary for the following extracts from the
editions of 1857 and 1868, contrasting the
old definitions with the new. tangled, mod
ern-light interpretations
4" CONSTITUTIONAL The established
form Of government in State, kingdom,
or country n system of fundamental rules,
principles and ordinances, for the govern
ment Of State or nation. In free States
the Constitution is paramount 10 the stat
utes or laws enacted by the Legislature,
limiting and controlling its power; and in
in the United States the Legislature is Gre
ated and its powers designated by the Con-
Edition of 1879
CONSTITUTIONAL. The principles or
fundamental laws which govern a State or
other organized body Of men, and are en-
bodied in written documents, or implied in
the institutions and usages of the country
or society, organic law" Edition of 1861
"COEGREss.-4. The Assembly of Sena-
tors and Representatives of the United
States of America, according so the present
Constitution or political compact, by which
they are united in a Federal republic; the
legislature of the United States consisting
Of two houses, a Senate and a House of
Representatives" Edition of 1857
"CONGREss.-5. The Assembly Of Sena-
tors and Representatives of the people of
nation, especially Of a republic, for the pur
pose of enacting laws, and considering mat
lers Of national interest, and constituting
the chief legislative body of The nation"
Edition of 1869
CoMPACT-An agreement; a contract
between parties word that may lie APP
piled, in general sense, to any contract or
covenant between individuals, but is more
generally applied to agreements between
nations and States, AZ treaties and confed-
arations So the Constitution Of the
United States is a political contract be-
.weeu the States; national compact"
Edition Of 1879
"COMPACT-An agreement between par
lies; a covenant or contract, either OF IL
ividuals or nations" edition OF 1852
The alterations here present ed are essen
ial and readily perceived. The definition Of
Constitution in 1868 is a. loose and latitudi-
narian az the practice Of the last three or four
asst Congresses in It's application. 1t is not
low an Established FORM" a SYSTEM
paramount" in its operation, and " linn
ting and controlling" power IL is con
,erted into I" the principles or iundamen-
al laws" written or irPtisd IN i'e iI'stitE-
ions and usages Of the country" In 1857.
/ WAS an instrument every. word Of which
7aa weighed, and conveyed exact and eX-
ress meanings, and whose sense was not |
D be deviatcd from in construction. Ia
SOS, it may be made TO meau anything
ut " the usages Of the country" "a coR
rolled by majority OF Congress, may |
nply-a schedule ofinforred powers "as
road and casing as the general air Like
berries hsve been taken in the other
Instances cited. Congress has undergone
Important notifications. Indeed, of old
ioah's precise description Of what the
ongress ia Senate and House OF Rep
composing the Legislative de-
artment Of federal republic, it has
rown into the chief legislative body Of
10 nation" which may not only make
i've, bat consider matters Of
ltionai interest" aud do all and
snoral, whatever seemeth to itself
pod, or implied ia the institution
nd usage-, etc" and 80, also, with compact
Ir. Calhoun's definition a. given ia the
Fmer editio rs of the dictionary, viz: that
signifed Is treaty between States" is
lrefully omitted, and The term "confeder-
ion" is cast out as il it Gmelt oftreason, or
.rried the plague Ii ii now restricted TO
covenant between nations" /
The hand that has assumed TO amend
rebsler's text, was doubtless trained in
e tenets Of the Radical school Of politics,
"a has sought 10 give Dictionary authority
: the wild license Of his teachers, aud the
gu crimes against constitutional liberty
bich they have committed. But this I'M