The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-06-03
COLUMBIA, s. : G.
Wednesday Morning. June 3, 1874.
Re.Rctlon.

North, from the foundation of the Co.
vernment, have been towards a latitu,
dinarian construction of its powers.
1t has been the policy OF that section,
aided by this enforced construction, tc
make efficient and practical. and sub.
sidiary to private enterprise, the views
Of strong Government. which were
promulgated BY Alexander Hamilton.
It's powers have thus been welded in
the interests Of q section. It's tariff
laws, Its subsidies, it's grants OF public
!snds to railroads. its hsrbor and river
improvements. it's protection to fisher.
les, its special iavors, shown in thou.
sand ways, to Northern States and
cities, forced the growth Of that SEQ.
tion, and established between them the
relation and bond of hot.house
plant to heat. The sympathy was
quickly shown when dangers threat.
ened the central power. Under the
propulsion Of war. it became passion,
sentiment. the echoes Of whose ex.
cesses OF utteranee still linger in the
air. IT grew into Increased opportu.
mites TO seize the powers Of govern.
ment which, belonged to the people.
Under such advisers as Seward and
Stanton III time Of war, and OF Thad-
deus Ssevens, Butler and others of that
ilk in ,the period OF reeopstrpction.
they. were not neglected. Tho Go.
vernu1eff driHeaAway from tts moor
ings. aud no longesu aails by the chart
Of the o ConstitdH49::,,' ~. ~ ~
A glance etl the provisions OF the
new Civil Rights Bill would showsthat
tho Constitution, mutilated as it is, to
suit prejudice. enlarged to meet all
she insane demands Of ignorauSe aud
prurient sentiment, with, q lingering
ais6guriog tpnGh, of sectionalism, is
really hardly ever present to the minds
OF the legislators Of the country. In
losing it's conservative features and
protecting spirit, it has lost authority
and respect. It is considered by the
party in power as an obsolete instru.
ment-a compact which may be quoted
to bind the weak, but which the strong
may safely disregard. But there are
some gratifying signs OF reaction from
this fatal tendency. There are think.
ing aud patriotio men who see the
dangers to which it will lead. From q
disregard of constitutional obligations,
the step is easy to the oppression of
the States. to the engrafting upon the
central government the spirit. if not
the form, Of imperial power. The
bold declaration of Senator Eaton,
touching the virtue of the old-fashion.
ed Jeffersonian doctrines OF State
rights, the remarkable comments upon
it Of the New York Times and its ap.
peal to it's party to return to sounder
principles, and to do justice to the
South. are as cheering as they are Gig.
niaoant. The language used by Mr..
Potter, Que of the members from New
York. inithe House. q few days ago, il
of the same character aud much more
startling. He professed himself to be
''an extreme States rights man." and
claimed for the theory of equality
among the States that it was right.
He went still further, and looking Mt
the consequences of the tyranny and
misrule Of the General Government
over the States of the South, directly
exerted by i.s hostile legislation and
ita domination by military power. aud
indirectly through thieving and cor
rupt State Governments Which it has
planted and watered, he uttered q
vindication of her principles which
will be sure precursor of the verdict
Of history. He taid:
II am free to declare. what I pre-
sums few men in the House would
venture to admit, that if I was now to
make II constitution for the future go
vern nment Of these States. would put
a provision in it whereby certain
number or proportion of the States
might go out of the Union whenever
they pleased; for I believe that good
government can in the long run only
be maintained by its BEING in aooor6.