Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1881-04-22
1DortG obQfr o Gimes
PORT TOBACCO:
Friday Morning, April 22nd, 1881
Mr.. Stevens's Views.

Friday Morning, April 22nd, 1881.
Mr., Stevens's Views.
Hon. A. 81. Stevens, of Georgia, has re-
Gently addressed a letter to the editor of
the Philadelphia Press, for the purpose OF
correcting an improper construction plac-
ed upon former speech of his, recently
made by ex-senator Cameron, Of Pennsyl-
vania, while on his late Southern tour;
which DEMONSTRATION, Mr.. Stevens thinks
has Leen generally current in the North.
Mr.. Cameron alluded to the fact that it
had been an openly declared and general
ly accepted principle in the formation Of
the proposed Southern Confederacy, that
the institution OF slavery was to be its
corner stone" Mr.. Stevens thinks that
the supposed authority for this statement
is former speech of his, made at Savan-
nah in 1861, in which he used nearly that
language, but with different meaning from
that conveyed by Mr.. Cameron. lie says
that in his speech he was pointing out the
similitude between the Federal constitu-
ton Of the Fathers and that of the new
Confederacy. Alter successivsly referring
to the many other points of similarity, he
alluded to its having slavery, the sole
cause which led to its formation, sill re-
tanned as it's corner stone" He explains
that lie used the term ''corner stsne" not
TO convey the idea that slavery was the
great foundation upon which the whole
structure was to be based, az. Mr.. Cameron
would interpret it, but that he borrowed
the metaphor from Judge Baldwin Of Su-
prene Court of the U. s., who few years
before had alluded to slavery az constitu-
ting the "corner stone" Of the Federal con-
stitutien: Mr.. Stevens merely intended
to refer to it as occupying The same rela-
ton to the new Confederate compact a. to
the old Federal constitution. a-
This is all very good and satisfactory,
and had Mr.. Stevens confined his letter to
this point, and RETAINED from such pro-
fuse commentator of General" Cameron
and the great wisdom and pecu lar excel
lsnce of his views as to the future prosper
ity of the South, as delivered in various
Southern cities during his late trip his
communication would have been more
generally appreciated. 1t may be very
easy for General Cameron to 60 tramp
ing through the cities OF the South, now
that the most outrageous policy of his vile
party which he has always seconded, has
failed 10 uttery annihilate her people and
she begins to progress in spite of it, and
prattle about the future OF the South; -
but it is hardly probable that the strength
fairness and candor" of what he said will
command the admiration, of anybody
except Mr.. Stevens. IF the General
would only now, through the medium Of
bis brilliant G) son, and his well known
influence with the slalwart element in
Congress, exert himself to relieve the
South to some extent of some Of the vii.
famous Federal legislation now hamper.
ing and depressing her, which the seen.
eral" helped 10 enact, the fairness and
candor' Of his cheap prattle might i'm.
prsss some one else except Mr.. Stevens
but until then they will not The fact i,
gsod old Mr.. Stevens has been 50 much
fiattered and petted by these stalwart
leaders, in their scheming way, that in the
weakness of advancing years he finds
much more to admire in them than any
body else. This we think accounts for a
number Of unaecountable things Mr.. Ste
vens has said Of late years. But the good
old gentleman, unintentionally no doubt
hit the General q home thrust in one
paragraph Of his letter. 1t is as follows:
IS 1T is the man that makes the land,
And not the land that makes The man ,
'Wh hat is first wanted for building up high
order of civilization in any land is good gov
eminent. Good Government is that which Sc
cures the rights Of person and property, with
just and equal taxes upon all classes of society
and equal protection to all kinds oflabor. Such
is our present State government in Georgia.
If be naintoined with lake federal action it will
to make US great and prosperous people.
How can the prohibitory tariff, class
protectionist, ultra radical General Cam
eron, who has been SO. loudly and con.
stantly Joining his faction in their SANDER
Gus lies that the government of Georgia
of which Mr.. Stevens speaks, il un-repub
lican in form and fraudulent in its me
thods, after reading this paragraph, pos
sibly accept the unmerited and unneces
sary compliments the good old gentleman
pays him in other portions of the letter
Truly, if the minority faction that is mis-
managing the Federal government would
cease their villainous interference with tn,
States, and allow them to continue tc
themselves "geod governments, which Sc
cure the rights of person and property
with just and equal taxes upon all classe,
of society and equal protection to all
kinds Of labor" and would conform tn,
conduct Of the Federal government to the
lame principles. then the prattle of hoary
headed old radicals about the "futur,
prosperity of the, South might be endur
able; but until such time it certainly il
not. .Ee.-l s.z IL. Fs5-.-
Powers Of the vice-President.
The detection of Senator Malone and
his desertion of the party under whose
celors he had been acting has given the
Republicans in the Senate an equal mum.
Der of members with Democrats, and Vice