1850 American Gold Baron

Chapter 490 Power and national foundation

Author: fish nest

Chapter 490 Power and national foundation

Law is the product of social systems. Social changes take time to adapt and laws need to be continuously verified and improved in practice. Therefore, there is inevitably a certain lag in law.

In short, by the mid-19th century, the "1787 Constitution" regarded as the foundation of the country by the United States could no longer meet the needs of American society.

Chinese people who are accustomed to great unification will habitually believe that as a country, unification is a matter of course.

But not every country has its own Qin Shihuang. The situation in the United States before the "1787 Constitution" was revised was exactly the opposite.

It is unconstitutional for the federal government to force unification, while secession is consistent with the spirit of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

Of course, after the old Constitution was amended during Lincoln's term, secession was not written into the Constitution as an unconstitutional act. It only strengthened the power of the federal government and weakened some state rights. This indirectly strengthened the unity of the United States as a political entity.

After all, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of 1787 are, in the final analysis, the founding foundation of the United States and the legal basis for the existence of the United States. If the core spirit of these two things contradicts each other, the consequences will be unimaginable.

However, at that time, after the baptism of the Civil War and the establishment of the national system, American society and its citizens had reached a unified social consensus, which had unprecedentedly enhanced the national cohesion of the United States. Major social problems did not arise, and the possibility of division was extremely slim.

When the United States was founded, it was not a unified sovereign country, but a political union composed of 13 independent countries (states).

Since the United States was born in the Revolutionary War, even today, eighty years later, states attach great importance to their state rights.

The Constitution does not require states to join the Union. Likewise, the Constitution does not say that states have no right to secede from the Union.

Therefore, even if the South makes the decision to secede from the Union, not only is it not an unconstitutional act, but it is an act consistent with the founding spirit of the United States' pursuit of independence and freedom.

The North, which did not allow the South to become independent, was the unconstitutional party.

To put it bluntly, the South’s independence is justified, but the North’s refusal to allow the South to become independent is unjust and unjust.

This problem has been plaguing the North since the beginning of the Civil War. It was also one of the reasons why the morale of the Northern army was low at the beginning of the war: they did not know why they were fighting.

Of course, later Northern President Lincoln, who was a strong political figure in the United States, cleverly solved this problem. Instead, he put the South on the fire and cut off the hope of independence in the South, but this is a story for another day.

The United States values ​​the law, and the law has a sacred and supreme status in the hearts of Americans with faith.

Southern independence is in line with the spirit of the "1787 Constitution" and is just. This is why outstanding southern generals such as Robert E. Lee and Jackson clearly recognized the northern system more, but still chose to fight for their hometown and the south.

force.

"I was born and raised in the United States. Do you know what I have experienced since I was a child? I have witnessed the United States transform from a weak agricultural country to a powerful industrial country.

In just one generation, the United States has grown from a small, unknown country to a well-known industrial power. It has completed a path that other countries may not have been able to complete in thousands of years. This is something that has never happened before in human history.

.

I have been fortunate to witness the rapid rise of this country. The United States has a vast territory, vast land, abundant natural resources, immigrants from the old world pursuing the American dream, and is far away from the whirlpool of the civilizational wars in Asia and Europe. It enjoys unique geographical conditions.

Do you know what this means?"

After a few glasses of wine, Lincoln started talking and said emotionally.

"It means that the United States has the capital to become a superpower." Liang Yao said.

The short-term achievements of rapid industrialization can easily bring a strong sense of pride to the people. It is normal for Lincoln to have such an idea.

"Superpower, concise and concise, well said. This is the first time I have heard this word."

Lincoln filled himself up with another glass of wine, sighing in his mind that it was great to have a state that did not prohibit alcohol, where he could drink to his heart's content and without restraint.

Not only was the wine good, but it was also interesting to chat with Liang Yao, a well-known Western stranger.

As the foundation of the United States, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution have a sacred and perfect status in the minds of the American political elite. No one in the East has the courage to openly talk about the unreasonable aspects of it. Questioning the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution is questioning the foundation of the United States.

rationality.

If you talk about these issues so nakedly in the east, your political career will be ruined.

"The Russian Empire spans Europe and Asia, surpassing all other countries, and is also rich in natural resources. Does the Russian Empire also have the capital to become a superpower?" Liang Yao started talking to Lincoln with great interest.

He also really wants to know how the American political elites of this era view the world situation and America's position in the world.

“The Russian Empire does not have the geographical advantage of the United States, and this alone is fatal enough.

Furthermore, a backward political system, serf issues, ethnic issues, greed for territory, and uncontrolled expansion will make this country a target of public criticism. The just-ended Crimean War is an example.

If the ruling class of imperial Russia does not carry out reforms to solve these problems, whether Tsarist Russia can continue to exist in a few years will be a question." Lincoln's evaluation of Tsarist Russia was quite fair, he added.

"If these problems can be properly solved, Tsarist Russia is not without hope of becoming a superpower, but it is too difficult for an authoritarian country to solve so many problems in a short period of time."

"The British Empire has colonies all over the world. Wherever there is a sun in the world, there is a Union Jack. Moreover, the local industry is highly developed. No other country can compare with it. Can the British Empire be considered a superpower?" Liang Yao continued to ask.

"The British Empire is a superpower, but not a superpower. After eating up the dividends brought to them by the Industrial Revolution, the British Empire will return to its original position just like Spain and the Netherlands after eating up the benefits of the Age of Discovery." Lincoln pondered for a moment.

After that, he made an evaluation of the British Empire, the current hegemon.

"The Qing Dynasty has a vast territory, with one-third of the world's living beings, and has more than a dozen vassal states such as Korea, Vietnam, and Ryukyu as screen vassals. Can the Qing Dynasty become a superpower?" Liang Yao asked.

"I don't know much about the Qing Dynasty. You are from the Qing Dynasty. I think you know better than me about the situation in the Qing Dynasty. The answer in your mind is definitely more accurate than my subjective judgment." Lincoln took a sip of wine and smiled.

"So, Mr. Lincoln is only optimistic that the United States can become a superpower?" Liang Yao asked with a smile.

"No," Lincoln corrected, adding a precondition.

“Only a United States that is unified, has cleared away the obstacles of slavery, and completely industrialized can become a superpower.

The United States now has a population of more than 30 million, 4,000 miles of canals, more than 30,000 miles of railways, and more than 50,000 factories of various types. It is a veritable industrial country.

As long as the United States catches up with Britain in industry and becomes a superpower, it is only a matter of time."

Lincoln's eyes were profound, and he seemed to have seen America's bright future.

He stood up, paused and continued: "American society currently lacks a consensus, a unified consensus. As you said, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution do have flaws.

I think the top priority for the political parties currently in power is to instill this consensus in the people and avoid splitting the country.

If the United States is divided, no matter which state it is after the division, no matter how well developed it is on the edge of civilization in America, it will be nothing more than a wealthy country that is not popular and can be manipulated by others.

If such a day comes, it will be too late for people to remember the necessity of the federal government.

External forces will not give America a chance to reunify."

It is very rare for this sentence to be uttered by a political elite like Lincoln who was a lawyer. Although Lincoln said it more euphemistically, he also recognized the limitations of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

Able to face the problem candidly, Lincoln was already much better than Fillmore, Buchanan, and Coaster.

The gold content of the president carved in Mount Rushmore National Memorial Park is indeed unmatched by other presidents who have disappeared into the dust of history.

"Mr. Lincoln, you have drunk a little too much."

Fremont, who had been drinking and drinking with his head covered, stood up and helped Lincoln, who was a little unsteady, for fear that Lincoln would give a speech here.

Fremont has also heard of this rising Republican political star's oratory and incitement abilities, and he does not want California, the base of the Civic Party, to become a vote base for the Republican Party in the future.

"No, sir, I didn't drink too much." Lincoln pushed Freemont away and looked at Liang Yao intriguingly.

"Mr. Liang, with all due respect, if the flaws in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are not corrected and eliminated, after the conflict between the North and the South ends, there will still be a conflict between the East and the West.

The United States is a country of immigrants. Racial problems continue and America will never have peace. I love my motherland deeply. As long as my motherland can be strong and walk on the right path, I will not hesitate to pay no matter how high the price is.

"

Before he finished speaking, Lincoln fell asleep leaning on Fremont's shoulder.

Freemont asked Liang Yao to help him, and the two of them worked together to lift Lincoln onto the horse and returned to Tingtao Garden together.

"Mr. Lincoln is so heavy." After putting Lincoln on the bed in the guest room, Fremont couldn't help but complain.

"Can a 6-foot-4-inch guy not sink?" After putting down Lincoln, Liang Yao breathed a sigh of relief and left the guest room.

"This rising star of the Republican Party is really bold and eloquent," Fremont said.

“What do you think of this rising Republican political star?”

Historically, Fremont, as the presidential candidate jointly recommended by the Republican Party, had a deep intersection with Lincoln. However, in this time and space, Fremont's focus has always been on California, and he did not have much intersection with Lincoln.

Bold and eloquent, this was the first impression of this rising Republican star on Fremont.

"The future is promising." Liang Yao said without hesitation, "He may be able to solve problems that Buchanan, Coster and others cannot solve."

"If I were not a Citizen Party member, I would really want to join the Republican Party." Fremont said with a smile.

"Someone really needs to stir up the stagnant water in American politics."

It is not surprising that the Republican Party has a talent like Lincoln and can rise in a short period of time.

"When the old guys who were out of touch with the times during the founding of the People's Republic of China are almost dead, American politics will become a stage for young people." Liang Yao said with a smile.

"I'm not afraid that no one will stir things up, but I'm afraid that there will be too much noise and it will mess up our western region."

Buchanan, who was born on April 23, 1791, will be the last president of the United States born in the 18th century. When Buchanan completes his final political curtain call performance on behalf of the old Americans of the 18th century, this country will belong to the energetic young people of the 19th century.

people.

At that time, the United States will usher in earth-shaking changes in the physical sense.

"We in the west can be confused by the news in the east. This news is too big." Fremont didn't care.

"How is your think tank's second five-year plan going?" Liang Yao asked about Fremont's second five-year plan. "The state assembly is still waiting for the government team's five-year plan bill."

"There are still some details that need to be added," Fremont said. "I will submit a bill for the second five-year plan to the state assembly within two weeks at the latest."

"What Lincoln just said makes sense. Sooner or later, the fire of racism will burn on our heads in California. I want to take advantage of this fire to burn on our heads and win a few more seats in the Congress."

California needs more Oregon as a political ally."

Liang Yao came to his study, opened a beautiful wooden box on his desk, took out two Havana cigars given to him by Vanderbilt from the box, handed one to Fremont, and kept one for himself.

After lighting the Havana cigar in his hand, Liang Yao came to the map. His eyes sometimes fell on the northern Oregon region and sometimes on the Arizona Territory.

(End of chapter)