The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-12-27

|. There,is ageneral awakening, said Mr..
Stephens, in the public mind through
out the entire country ~ to the nature
and character OF the Government, its
origin, objectsi history and powers.
Now that the peculiar Southern 1nstitu.
tions have been removed, which wore the
thorn in tho flesh Of the Federal body
politic all the time, and gave q sectional
character to all discussions Of questions
pertaining to the reserved rights OF the
States under the Constitution; now that
the doctrine OF secession, as Z practical
bic remedy against Federal agressions of
any sort. hos been abandoned in good
faith forever. there is nothing to prevent
the friends of the Constitution, under
the Union. from Maine to California,
from the lakes to the Gulf. from harmo-
nicnsly uniting in grand rally for the
rescue and perpetuation of the common
liberties os ell. The hssia Of on- entire
fabric, as established by the fathers, was
the reserved rights OF each State to regu-
late it's entire domestic policy as it
pleascs.
This is right inherent In each State.
and subject to no controlling power or
obligation. It is principle as dear to
the people of Massachusetts, Maine,
New Hampshire, Connecticut aud Rhode
Island, as it is to Ohio, Wisconsin,, Cali
fornia. Oregon, Georgia. Floridu and
Louisiana. The very germinnl idea at
the formation Of the Union was tho Joint
action of MI for the maintenance aud
security Of tie great right of locel self
government on the pnrt of each. It
was when the Northern country assumed
the principle Of q controlling obligation,
on her part, to Interfere with the chnr.
tered rights of Massachusetts, by abo-
fishing the port of Boston, that the CRY
went up from Virginia, and spread from
tho Penobscot to tho Altamaha, "the
cause of Boston is the cause of us all :"
This u what led to n union of the States
and TO the formation of the present
Constitution. It was the joint action Of
them all for tho achievement of the in
dependence Of each. The recognition
of that Independence by Great Britain
was not that of the United States as one
nation, as SEQ it stated in the Geneva
manifesto; but it was recognition of
thirteen separate aud distinct States or
nations by name. The United States, it
is true, do together constitute one na-
ton. 1t is, however, nation of nations
It is fur from being one consolidated ma
ton.
| ulS ID WuaU Gtlc CCulTuIISGS DHY6 OeCQ
attempting to effect from the beginning
Their object was openly avowed in the
Convention at the formation of the Con-
stitution; but failing there, their next
attempt was directed to accomplish, by
construction and usurpation, what they
had failed to do in direct terms. These
attempts were mado Curing the Presi-
denoy of the elder Adams They ex-
hibited themselves in the usurpations Of
the alien and sedition Acts. It was ut
this time that Mr.. Jefferson, at the head
Of the Democracy, effected that revolu.
tion in tue politics of the country known
as the signal triumph Of 1900. Baked
in their designs OF that period, the cen
traiists efterward seized upon the sub
iect Of the peculiar institutions of tho
South as the ono most likely TO give
them strength. From their movements
on this limo have sprung all our late
troubles. Their Object from the begin
ming was consolidation and imperialism
But this cause being now removed with
out the full accomplishment Of their
object, the field is open for rally of the
friends Of tho Constitution everywhere
The high and grand mission of the
Democracy now Is TO make this rally.
All that is necessary for most triumph
ant success is intelligence, patriotism
and virtue on the part of the people.
John Stuart Mill never said truer thing
than that "No people can long maintain
representative government who have not
the intelligence to understand its form
end structure, the patriotism to be de-
voted to it, and the virtue inf1exibly to
maintain it," Notwithstanding the de-
moraljzstion Of the times.
I have not as yet lost confidence in the
intelligence, virtue and patriotism OF the
toiling mi)lions-the honest masses-of
tho people, in ali parts of this vast
country. There arc hearts reudy in
Georgia and Louisiana. as in California,
New Hampshire and Maine. to respond
to the music @! the Union under the
Federal Constitution Of our fathers.
It was but for the maintenance and
preservation of the principles on which
that Union was founded that secession
was resorted to as a remedy. That rene
dy, as have said, has been abandoned
forever; but the cause is far from being
lost. It rests upon principles as essen
tial to tho liberties of Massachusetts, as
of Louisiana. This cause can never be
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