Year: 1862

/ COuStuOhAhS thc CouultlOu VI tulubo WhiOh wiz


supervene upon the declaration of peace. We
are troubled by no doubts concerning the fact
that a time will arrive, and that not many
years distant, when our Independence Will be
recog gnized by all nations. The North is strong,
stronger than we thought. But we are rising
to the full height of the emergency Each
effort exhausts her strength. Ours seems re-
newed under apparent disaster.


How will we come out of the war! How
shall we gather around us our robes, dlsheveled
by the conflict? How pick up and re construct
the fragments of our various avocations, all
broken up and scattered by the turbulence of
the times? How recall all the restless spirits
from scenes of adventure, and reconcile them
again to life of quiet and persevering indus
| try? Above all what will be then the prevail
ing ideas of government which will inevitably
control our future destiny?


These problems all present themselves to
those whose time of life, and whose interest in
the rising generation, will not allow them to


float excitedly along with the inspiring events
| of the day and who are daily admonished
that when they have passed away from these
earthly scenes and human cares, others dear
to them Will still remain to be affected for hap
| piness or misery.


The solution Of all these queries but the
last, is easy Regard for law, and respect for
government are all that is required. OF course
we speak only of our social and industrial af-
fairs. always pre- supposing the necessity of all
| the holy influences of the Christian Religion
| If we do not allow ourselves to become lawless
and demoralized by the times. If We hold fast
o our ideas of right and wrong. If We cult
vate in ourselves, and continue to encourage
in others habits of industry, and sentiments Of
Justice, and most esq recially if we preserve I'M
impaired our sacred regard fer the civil law,
which however imperfect is the best protcc
ton of the rights of all, and weaker for each
lesecration-lf We DO all this, the social and
business elements will soon arrange them
selves upon the return of peace. Many who
are rich will be POOR Some evil men will be
rich who i'll deserve it. But the march of in
dustry. and the increase of prosperity will
again begin, and all who arc worthy may Sc
cure in some way, ?. aceful competency
Each one may rest assured that IN the new or
der of things, whatever it may be, an hone st
and earnest devotion to duty will meet its re-
ward: an d his decline of lie will be brighten
ed with the assurance OF competent support
for those whom he may leave behind, and who
nav strive for it wor;hily.


But what will be that order of things? What
sort of government shall we have? What will
be the en- bodiment OF tie political ideas Of the
times To what conclusions will our best and
most patriotic men arrive, as to the best poll
tical machinery, for social happiness and ma
tional glory


We have indeed adopted the old Constitution
in the main. 1t series our purpose now. Ii
was essential to our organization. Al the oil
political IDEAS upon which it was based reigned
in the hearts and the minds of the people at
the time of its a.l9gt.4A. 1t then expressed
the political faith OF the south. 1t serves
temporary purpose. 1t will carry rs through
the war. better no doubt than the old articles
of Confederation carried our colonies through
the orr ginal revolution.


We ina CINE it will be equally evanescent.
In the midst of great political commissions, the
fallaey of Id political errors becomes appa-
rent 1t is a difficult SC ience, that IF govern
ment The world has studied it for thousands
of wears, by experiments which have proved
always unsatisfactory. Oftentimes our most
cherished articles of political filth are proven
by results, to be pernicious fallacies Hence
the future government of the South viii be a
different thing, no doubt, from any government
which has yet existed under the sun. Perhaps
the pendulum may have swung too far towards
an unlimited and uncontrolled democracy in
the experiment of 1887, and the new order of
things may seem to be return to the stlil pre-
vaiIing European ideas. If it be so at all, 1t
will only be so in appearance, however. ile-
reditary monarchy. and class privileged by
birth can never obtain amongst people bred
under the ideas of social equality expressed in
our old declaration of Independence.


But it cannot be denied that, amongst intel
lgent and thinking men there begins to prevail
growing desire for strong and stable gov~
erninent, free from the fluctuations ofpopular
caprice, and the arts of the demagogue. This
may be wrong, and may lead too far in the
opposite direction But the signs of the times
Indicate it Enthusiastically. We should consider
them in time, and bring all such ideas to the
test of reason, and the light of past experience


The tendency of public opinion sets strongly
at present towards Capitalization. Nothing
could better have illustrated that than the
universal popularity of the Conscript law.
Although it strikes out Of the hands oil all the
States, the sovereign power of raising its own
soldiers, and subjects the citizens of all to the
uniform operation of the central power, II
meets with nothing but plaudits from those who
in former days, have been the most jealous, OF
the sovereign rights of the States The people
are universally content to place in the hands
of the President and cabinet a power, which
if so directed ght at once be able to blot out
State lines forever, and reduce the country to
a homogeneous whole. The event is feared
by no one. 1t cannot be wholly accounted for
by confidence in the wisdom aud prudence of
the President. The old Continental Congress