The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1877-12-19
SUBSIDIES AND SOUTHERN
NEEDS.

rests reasonably ask he aid Of the General
Government under the name and form Of
subsidies, two classes Of opponents present
themselves the full fed. satisfied or en-.
vious reci,ients Of past farors land the thin
skinned, over nice construers Of the federal
Constitution. The first, as matter Of
course. are found at the North. The lat
ter, fossil representatives Of past, era.-ot
thought, can only exist at the South.
The former. having received almost al
they wanted. or, convinced Of the near ex-
haustion Of resources once apparently so
bouadless, conceal their opposition under
an affectation Of public virtue. They dis
cover only fraud and wrong and ruin in the
longer abuse Of the generosity Of The gov
eminent. and. with clamoroas self abne-
cation in ludicrous contrast with past rapa-
city, cry alond against the farther squan
dering Of public monies TO aid private en-
terprises. They gorged until they could
hold no more, or, il haply not yet quite
satisfied. would deny to the South any par
ticipaticn in what there may remain to oe
appropriated. Bat whether acting under
the ilfuence 81 surfeit. or whether under
the conviction that they are eguitably en-
titled to no more. resolate hostility TO any
demand Of the South is the certain result.
The other class act from motives more
elevated aud sincere. but, in the changed
condition Of affairs. and modes Of thought,
with scarcely more nationality. In their
denial Of their right Of the General Govern.
nent to grant aid to what are enormously
called private enterprises, they plant
themselves upon the Constitution. Pray,
upon what Constitution Is il the Cousti-
tuition of their fathers. that Constitution
for which Clay aud Webster aud Calhoun
battled so manfully aud so vainly to pre-.
server Is II that Constitution which fsnat-
les and extremists denounced as covenant
with death, and league with hell? Is it
the Constitution. which, when these extIe-
Bists had so decreed its character. was qui.
city laid aside among the musty records of
the pastl Is il tost Constitution. which.
when the war was over. was drawn from its
hiding place with hyposritical reverence.
and set up again a. the ark Of national
safety. but not until il had been so tinker.
ed sith. and patched end altered as hardly
TO be recognized? Is il that Constitution,
which 50 patched and amended. was thrust
down the threats of unwilling States. with
the alternative Of swallowing that or the
sword? And hiis is the Constitution they
have as the objecl Of their sdorationI We
confess to little reverence for an instrument
50 despised BY one section as to be the sub
ject Of such mutilstiog. As it is. il is the
object Of obedience nothing more. There
is enough in that Constitution to keep the
country together. to preserve its component
parts in essential harmony With each other
and enable il 70 work out its national des
tiny not enough to excite interest as to
hidden meanings or a5strnso constructions.
Il Is enough to obey il Is we end il, and
accept il as practical guide for public con-
duet but il is eommon sense to take il with
all the latitude other sections have allowed
IL. end derive ell the benefits that are prac-
iicable under is powers.
We alluded some weeks since TO the pro.
posed aid to Southern Steamship lines By
aid IN the nature Of subsidies from the Go.
vemment. Ifthere was anything wanting
10 sLos the need Of such aids, il is the Off.
cal sssiements Of the dsplOraLls decsdencs
oftbe American Commercial Marine. which
has fallen from the second rank to point
20 low that the stars and stripes bid fair 10
be swept from the ceenb except 30 far as 1t
may be preserved BY the laws regulating the
sOas,ing trade. The foreign trade il mo-
pOpolissd BY foreig. sags. and the steam
marine has passed altogether in the hands
q European capital and enterprise. The
Natiooal Navy and the Commercial Marine
sre both falling into helpless iDefhcieney If
no, into eOntempt. That this has come to
pass In The face Of past splendOr both in
power and extent, Il one Of those dsplOrs.
bic results q legislation founded on pas.
sion, controlled BY sOrrsp,iOn, or guided
by ignorabes. Il is % anomaly aud
wrong; an anomaly. bscause never before
wass nation Of such magnificent commercial
resources made dependent upon foreign
Gag for The conduct 81 is immense trade
. wrong, because the character Of legislation
has utterly Ignored tie naturally self sus-