secured. All the essentials of the old Constitution, which have endeared
it to the hearts of the American people, have been preserved and
perpetuated. Some changes have been made. Some of these I should prefer
not to have seen made; but other important changes do meet my cordial
approbation. They form great improvements upon the old Constitution. So,
taking the whole new constitution, I have no hesitancy in giving it as
my judgment that it is decidedly better than the old.

Allow me briefly to allude to some of these improvements. The question
of building up class interests, or fostering one branch of industry to
the prejudice of another under the exercise of the revenue power, which
gave us so much trouble under the old Constitution, is put at rest
forever under the new. We allow the imposition of no duty with a view of
giving advantage to one class of persons, in any trade or business,
over those of another. All, under our system, stand upon the same broad
principles of perfect equality. Honest labor and enterprise are left
free and unrestricted in whatever pursuit they may be engaged. This old
thorn of the tariff, which was the cause of so much irritation in the
old body politic, is removed forever from the new.

Again, the subject of internal improvements, under the power of Congress
to regulate commerce, is put at rest under our system. The power,
claimed by construction under the old Constitution, was at least a
doubtful one; it rested solely upon construction. We of the South,
generally apart from considerations of constitutional principles,
opposed its exercise upon grounds of its inexpediency and injustice. *
* * Our opposition sprang from no hostility to commerce, or to all
necessary aids for facilitating it. With us it was simply a question
upon whom the burden should fall. In Georgia, for instance, we have done
as much for the cause of internal improvements as any other portion of