The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1874-06-18
REVISION or THE FEDERAL con-
sTTFUTION.

Senator Bayard, Of Delaware, at the re-
cent Tammany celebration in New York,
advocated the revision Of the Federal Con-
stitution, by convention Of the States.
The Constitution Of the United States as it
now stands with the construction which
has been given to its various provisions by
the representative men of the different sec
tions and political parties is about as har-
monious and intelligible as the present
government Of France. The South always
contended for strict construction Of the
delegated powers, which the North, as 4
general rule, did not hesitate to violate or
bend them to suit popular opinion. Mr..
Calhoun-who was supposed to be a
hot headed secessionist, or Southemer more
bent upon the protection Of the peculiar in
stitution of the South than the general
good, but who was in deed and in truth one
of the strongest and most consistent friends
Of the Union, however paradoxical it may
appear to some who cannot see that any
thing good could come out of South Caro-
ADVOCATED the sovereignty of the
States. and the limitation Of the legislation
Of Congress to the powers delegated and
well defined as the only policy which could
preserve the government in its purity and
cement and perpetuate the Union. Lati-
tudinarian construction and Legislation, ne
contended, would destroy the harmony Of
the machinery and bring on collisions be
tween the General and State governments
which would destroy the Union. Hence
he was intensely solicitous to keep the
government in the orbit marked out
for it by the good and great men who
framed the Constitution, so that no
collision could be possible; as each State
would move on harmoniousIy in the. exer-
else Of its reserved rights, and there would
be no cause for violence and disagreement.
So he told Mr.. Webster, the great expoun-
der Of the views of the North, that his ideas
would lead to destruction, and that the
time would come when, Acteon-like, he
would be devoured by his own dogs. But
he was not believed. He was too far ahead
of the men of his day, Their minds were
not able to penetrate the dark mists Of dis
cord and strife which were even then gath
ering ominously over the country. But the
great statesman of the South had scarcely
been laid away in his grave before
there was a fulfllment of his proph
ecy. Mr.. Webster dared to interpose
his voice in arrest of the sectional views of
the North and in favor Of the execution of the
laws passed in pursuance of the Constitu-
ton. He warned the North of the danger
of refusing the South her constitutional
rights, and of their duty towards all the
States. He went to Boston and proposed
to address his telloB-citizens upon the ex-
citing topics Of the day in Faneuil Hall, but
10, and behold, the privilege was denied
him. And he who had held the North spell
bound by the magic Of his eloquence was
denied the use of Faneuil Hall to stay the
onslaught upon the Constitution. Cal
houn's prophecy had been fulfilled. Time
rolled on Sectionalism prndnced cnn=
tention, contention strife, and strife
secession, with the late war, which
ragged for four years, tearing and
mangling the whole country. During
its progress some of the most sacred pro-
visions of the Constitution were violated
by Mr.. Lincoln. War was inaugurated and
armies raised without authority of Congress.
The writ of haJsas corpus was set aside, and
a policy adopted which ignored the organic
law of the land. We know that there are
many persons who pretend to deny that
Mr. Lincoln was capable of doing such a
thing. But the facts have passed into his
tory, and he above all others viii be held
responsible for the carnage and desolatiOn
which followed.
The people of the North did not love the
Constitution. There were provisions which
were held as dead letters upon the statutes
at large. The States refused to execute
them. After the war closed the changes
which were born of the violations Of
that instrument were pretended to
have been adopted by the States as amend
ments to the Constitution. But how were
they adopted9 Nearly all Of the Southern
States were under military rule, and in the
hands Of strangers and enemies. They had
no voice in the government. The bodies
which assembled at the various capitals
were the creatures of the officers who had
led on the hosts against the South. They
only recorded the decree Of their masters.
But not only in the South was the voice of
the people stifed by fanaticism in the
North--at least in one State, If not more
the vote Of the people was disregarded,
and the amendments declared to have been
adopted in accordance with the Constitu-
ton and laws. They stsrs nerer e0nststution-
ally adopted. But they have been held
valid BY a judiciary chosen to interpret
according to the viii of the majority.
Il is time, therefore, that the people Of
the country the bono and sinew-should
elect delegates in every State, men of sound
Judgment and high standing, who win not
be governed by prejudice but by reason, to
reuiss the Constitution, and once for all
time, determine the powers and duties of
the general goyerament and the rights and
privileges Of the several States. Let them
make the various provisions 50 plain that no
party can ever claim more powers for the
general government thsn those laid down in
the Constitution. Thslegislative, the judi
cial and executive branches should each be
assigned separate and specific powers and
duties. and 50 hedged in as to prevent any
infringement by the one Of those belonging
20 either Of the others. Let ambiguity be
avoided, and let wisdom and craftsmanship
breathe out in every provision.
A NKW FaNAIlCAL PARTY.