The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-01-25
COLUMBIA.
Saturday Morning, January 25. 1868.
The Coming Crisis.

The country is rapidly approaching
o crisis of vital importance to its ex-
istence as Il republic, and to the fu-
ture freedom and prosperity of its
people. Like the Roman Senate,
after the fall of Carthage, like the
Long Parliament, after the death OF
Charles, and the French Convention,
after the death. Of louis, the Ameri-
can Congress are attempting to usurp
sll the powers of the Government.
Under the pretext Of giving freedom
to the blacks, defending The Consti-
tuition, and maintaining the Union,
they are endeavoring to enslsve the
whites. they are, sdbvetting the Con-
stitution,- and they insist that there
is no Union, Like those three
memorable bodies, their "i1ustrious
predecessors, they entertain very lit
tie regard for the rights Of the peo-
pie; indeed, to them, the people are
aothing. They got into power under
false pretenses, by the use of .shib-
boleths, and, as they have not been
-over-nice in their mode Of gaining it,
they seem determined not TO be over.
scrupulous in the use of means to
keep it. The Roman Senate usurped,
the sole power of dividing out the
provinces and. the appointment Of
their officials; for power, even in
those days, was fouud to be profit
able. The Long Parliament We're
governed by similar. motives,N and
had, besides, the disposition Of the
confscated estates of the royalists.
While the French Convention had,
in addition to all these, the plumber
of the property Of the church. Are
the motives which direct the policy
of the American Congress, any purer
or more disinterested than thoss that
governed the corrupt patrieians
pagan Rome, or the puritans of Eng.
land, whose hearts, notwithstanding
their sour visages aud pretenGous
sanctity. hungered after the good
things of this life, or the gacobins,of
France, who denied God and dsfled
his altars? The Mobile Advertiser
reminds the people of the North, that
the Constitution made the Govern
ment to consist of three departments.
each possessing separate and distinct
powers, so that each might serve as q
check upon the others. The present
Congress are endeavoring to concen.
trate all the powers of the Govern
.snent in one department, by absorb
ing those of the Executive, and
rendering less effective those of the
Judicial department. If the North
ern States submit to this usurpation,
the Constitution will be at .au end,
and the Government will become a
despotic oligarchy, as a preparatory
step to military or imperial despot-
ism. The critical hour is approach
ing. Congress seems determined to
revolutionize the Government by
usurping all its powers. sWill the
President, who is sworn to uphold
the Constitution, submit 70 the
usurpation? Will the people Of the
Northern States offer no resistan oe to
the complete subversion of the Co.
vernment? Will they consent that
their Chief Magistrate shall be set
aside, in violation Of the letter and
the spirit of the Constitution, and by
q body of men the majority of whom
no longer represent the public senti-
ments even of the States that elected
them? If the President determines
to uphold the rights of the executive
department., will the chief General OF
the army refuse to obey the orders OF
his Commander-in- Chief2 If he
does, will the President hesitate to
dismiss him, and appoint another in
his place? If the President yields,
ne falls, and the dignity of the Pre-.
o. IL