The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-08-07
col UNI a. S. {.,
sunday Morning, August Z. 1870.
How Ssands shoS General Government
{. Now--A Nntionnl Convention Demands

How ssands sho$ General Government
NOVA National Convention Demands
The question-how stands the General
Government now?--is one that demands
attention. IT is O. question that, rising
above PARTY, claims the consideration Of
every citizen of. these United States, in.
terested in the public welfare and the
public liberties. There were two classes
of opinions that prevailed in the ranks
of the founders of this Government.
The Southern view, upheld by Calhoun
& Co., was that each State has the
power to construe the Constitution for
itself in the last resort. The Northern
view. upheld by Webster & Co., was
that the Supreme Court is the arbiter of
any political disputes between the States
and the Federal Government, or between
State and State. Neither of these doc.
trines now practically prevails. In their
stead, the doctrine of San infallible ma
jority" is impressed upon the action of
the Government, ard the spirit of ''po-
pular unihcation, or of Capitalization,
,,usurps the place of the spirit of local
:self-government. The monarchist held
that the KING could do no wrong, and
athis sanctioned unlimited tyranny. The
sAnaerican radical or "Republican" holds
that the MAJORITY can do no wrong, and
this sanctions popular excesses and ut
terly ignores the rights and interests of
minorities. The Old World has suf-
fered from the despotism of Kings aud
Emperors. The New World is suffering
from the despotism of numbers. In the
one case, the minority trampled upon
the rights and interests Of the majority.
In the other case. the majority are tram
pling upon the rights and interests of
the minority. In neither case, is good
and permanent government possible. In
neither case, can the general good be
promoted. In neither case, does 60
vernment perform its proper functions.
We repeatit, how do westand gorernmea-
tally in these United States? If neither
the Calhoun nor the Websterian theory
Of the Government is accepted-if in
lieu thereof, we have an imperial majo-
rity which, through Congress, under
takes to represent the national will and
to reflect the national sovereignty-if the
State phase of government" has yielded
to ''the supreme rule of numbers" who
will deny that it is time for our peo-
pie, all through this broad land, to re-
view their course and consider their
bearings? Certainly, we do not stand
upon rock. Certain it is, that we are
living under government with powers
and limitations vague and ill-de6ned.
The power of numbers has virtually
taken control of every department of the
Government This state of things can
not endure consistently with the public
interests.
Even if the Statehood of the States
has passed away-even if the country is
not yet ready for the resurrection of
State rights. or to its return from exile
even if the rights of minorities cannot
now be protected by the medium of
State interposition- it not obvious
that even, with the prevalence of majo-
rity rule, some provision for the protec-
ton of minorities, should be introduced
into the fundamental laws of the land?
Certain it is. That we need grand Con-
vention of the country, to consider how
We stand and to re-establish on O firm
foundation the edifice of Constitutional,
Well-regulated LIBERTY. The Shin of
State is now sailing on with drunken
crew. Our Palinurus is an idle smoker
at Long Branch. It is time for the peo.
pie of the land-the passengers and pro-
prietors on board-to cast out the anchor
and hold solemn meeting to take coun-
sci together.
In the field of American journalism,
our voice must be comparatively unin-
huential and restricted in its range and
reach. but overlooking for a moment the
avi1Q of 1ooo1 II, n,,-t Ioo,1 o,,I..