The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1895-02-08

over the delegates be selected, so deli
cate a work, necessarily compromis,
of many views, containing possibilitie.
of which experience alone can prove
the good or evil. could hardly mee'
the approval OF the people in every de
tail before it had been tested in opera
tion: and hence, were it the most per
feet of Constitutions, the costs of max
ing it would probably be wasted if il
must be referred back to the people
But If accepted it must be as it comes
from the Convention, without adding
to or taking from. If, therefore, the
people are to have their say in regard
to their Constitution it should be not
after the work is done, but be fore the
| delegates should nowhere be named
| by meetings, for in these the average
citizen takes no part.
| The Constitution must he made and
put upon us by one hundred and sixty
men, and must be largely compro-
mise of the individual opinions of this
small number. The character OF the
Constitution would be as uncertain as
the turn of Il die were delegates Sc
lected with regard simply to their
personal prominence and worth. But
as long as we do not depart from our
theory Of representative government
men of county with the prerequisite
qualifications of character, to be true
to their trust and intelligence, to be
competent to carry out their purposes,
are urged to go before the people as
candidates and present their views
backed by every bulwark Of truth they
can bring to their support, instructing
the people in the principles of govern
ment and becoming themselves in
structed by the new thoughts which
debate develops, the minds of the OPP
posing candidates, Of the people and of
the press will all be stimulated, and
the result will be that any one hun
dred and sixty of all these candidates
in the State could then make II better
Constitution than they could have
without this friction which generates
thought. But the one hundred and
sixty elected (if reason is permitted to
to rule) will unquestionahly make the
best possible ConStition for South Car
Olina in last decade OF the nineteenth
century.
They will be the opponents Of the
consensus of South Carolina needs and
purposes. What they agree upon will
prove to have been the resultant Of the
various intellectual and moral forces
of South Cnrolina-thc high water
mark of her governmental develop
mcnt ut this time. Aud We must well
remember that no State should have Il
Constitution for which she is not by in
ternal evolution prepared. Morcs
Utopia, like LOckc's Institutes Of Gov
crnmcnt. would be Il dismal failure.
That government is best which is the
product Of the genius Of It's people.
In illustration Of the justnoss of
these principles, consider. the disposi-
tion OF many to incorporate into Con-
stitutions matters of merS legislation.
All legislation is experimental and
liable TO early repeal or modification.
What folly 1t would be to give on"
hundred and sixty men, whose opin-
ions on this head had not been
thoroughly siftcd, the power to cm-
body in the Constitution statutory
laws which wOdld De almost as un-
chancablc as the laws of the Modes
and Pcrsians. Proper discussion be-
fore the people should result in Il gen
cral acceptance Of the only safe rule,
which is to put in the Constitution on
ly fundamental principles and policies
on which all agree. and arc confident
Of continuing to agree, leaving the
people ample power 10 deal through
the Legislature with any problems
that may arise. Matters OF legislation
should be left for future political and
legislative forensic contests, as physi-
cal, social, intellectual and moral con
ditionS shall unfold.
If such canvass aud such an cleo
tion as above indicated can be held,
then the Cons titution will be the pro
duct of the best thought Of the State,
vindicated rs such before the calm
reason of the people. In such canvass
present divisions would be obiitcrated
and new and temporary aIignmcnts
would be made, as should be the case
if debate is not mockcry. But such
canvass is impossible unless we can
keep off both evil vaccinations and
ill-adviscd quack remedies. Fortunate
ly we have at hand the means of do.
ing this-thc primary provided for
State officers by the new Democratic
Constitution. by requiring Of the can
didatc an oath that he is not pat for
ward by any faction or cliqucs il force:
him to stand on his merits and the
merits Of his views, and leaves the
voter to exercise his free choice. This
amendment of the party Constitution
is worthy Of admiration, for it is {
long step towards pcrfccting popular
government Now Of all times do We
need its bencticcnt operation.
The State executive committee
should provide for the nomination o
delegates to the Convention by II pri
mary held in all the counties on tho
same day after II canvass, and pledge:
similar to those required OF State can
vasscrs by the new Democratic Consti
tuition.
The distinguished patriots who com
pose the party" doubtless con
template such II canvass, and they an,
the Convention they have called cal
concentrate in its behalf the norma
forces Of the State.
| If | seem to regard the DGmocra ti'
party as the people," that is IN.
meaning. am not prepared to say
that in 1860 the South fought for mere
slavery and for no principle. that tht
results Of fOrciblc violation of cOnstitu
tional limitation have ripcncd int
right, that we owe any moral obIiga
tiOn to the war amendments To tn
United States Constitution, that pros
porous and successful crime shall b.
called virtue
JOHN NJ. MCMAnAN.
Columbia, =. c., Jan. p, lSDJ.
-
The New York Independent tell
this story Of the late DR.. John Lord
| the wcll-knOWn historical lecturer