Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-08-16

other exposed the sophisry Of the "dvne
right of Rngs;" raised man from u state of
vassalage to independence, and placed the
economy of government upon.its true and re-
publican basis. 1t adopted the following max
inns: That all men are born equal; that gov
enmenis were Instituted for the benefit OF the
governed; and that the civil authority Of rulers
is trust committed 10 their care, for the con-
venience and sole good of the people: to be
revoked whenever betrayed, surpassed, OF con-
| vered TO any purpose foreign TO the intentions
or interest of the Body Polite. These priv-
ieges are recognized in this country by no
| vague, prescriptvc right, or Common Law
usage they are ascertaincd by no subteties
OF constructions; but are guaranteed to US by
the sanction of WriHen compact, the statu-
tory enactmcn,s of Constitutional Law
The same reason which brought individuals
from a state Of Nature, into the bonds Of so :
ciety, induced an association of the States, and
points out The absolute necessity of preserving
the Union Our fathers found it polite and
imperativcly necessary, that the States should
confederate under one common head, which
should provide for the general Uelfare; COM
bine the freedom Of a small State, with the
strength Of groat Empire, and extend an i'm
partial-a paternal care TO every branch Of
| the American family.
| /" The Rights Of the States, as contradistn-
guished from the powers Of The General Gov
eminent, are clearly and expressly la id down
| in the Constitution. And as long as there is
virtue and morality in the country, sufficient 10
| adhere to ITS provisions and respect its prlnc-
pies; SO long will nnanimty, happiness, and
liberty endure. There is but one legitimate
mode Of deriving powers TO the Government
Il is by strict and rigid construction of the
| Constitution. There was certainty in the terms
| oh tl,a g., al h.t nj
portion Of their rlghts-rights certainly and
clearly ascertaned and acknowledged; and
there must be certainty in the construction md
| enforcement of that deed. Reason demands
it, Justice claims it, and the liberties of free
| people can alone be preserved by IL.
| Implication and liberal construction are the
| implements Of circumvention used by knavery
and fraud, and are subycrsive OF all fair rea
soning. Such sophistry as this has given the
| hypocrite his cloak time out OF mind, and has
| brought into ridicue, contempt and disgra &C,
the most perfect system of yeason, morality
and Justice ever devised by mani mean that
result Of the combined wisdom and experience
Of ages--the venerable structure of the Com.
| mon Law.
Our Government, is purely the SOVEREIGN
| TY OF THE LAws-and all idU, TO have any
binding efficacy or virtue, must be clearly die.
|
the same incapable of being warped TO any
other purpose than their original meaning. To
depart from this plain and bona fde " rule,
is to depart from the essence and spirit OF our
| institutions, a violation of Stale privileges,
and by necessary consequence, OF the liber-
ties and glory of the empire.
"Thc Bill OF Rights, eXtorted by the people
Of Eogland from their Rulers, was doubtless,
much closer approximation to true freedom,
| than the advantages secured to Switzerland
BY the sword Of William Tell.
That it is a nearer approach TO liberty, to
! have but a portion of our rights acknowledged
| by fixed and immoveabe charter, than TO en-
Joy the most unbounded license upon vague,
J obscure, unstable and tradtionary foundation,
| is proposition, universally true. The one
| is the deceptive magnitude of IA Shdd0tC; the
other is the solid reality of substance.
Z" 1t was left for America to produce an ano
maly in the science Of Government, previously
thought possible to exist only, in Utoplan
| dreams, or the concets Of Platonlc philoso-
| ply, 10 prepare and put into successful oper-
| alton n government of such conformation. as
to guaranty the rights Of the people, and by
! delegated authority, combine the pertec, lbcr-
ty OF the subj with the promptnudc ana en-
crgy displayed in the executive of other gov
| ernmenis where al! power was assumed, and
concentrated, and regarded as beng inherent
in the Ruler. The American Constitution ex.
tended this principle much further, and trans
cendcd the most ardent hopes of the phllan-
thropst. II not only grants the citizen inde-
! pendcncc, and imparts energy to the represent
alive Of tho power Of the people; it not only
recognizes all the unalicnable rights Of man:
| but By the terms of u tDrtfen constitution, it
pIa ces those guards around our persons, prop.
| crtv n nd nrivilc nos which upit her Tho love of
power, tue VACCINATIONS Of faction, nor the
| aspirations OF inordinale ambition, can tear
down or destroy. BY the force of these pro-
visions, the Unsuitable desire which men in ad-
thority invariably feel of enlargng aud ex-
tending their influence into absolute sway, is
chastcncd i1to an obedience to the laws; fac
ton is dsarmcd Of its virulcncc and venom;
local legislation is confined 10 interests purely
domestic; the general government provides for
the common concerns of the ,chOIe Union, and
the constitution is preserved sacred and inylo-
liable.
"The advantages thus cursory noticed, as
resulting from the purity of the American Gov
eminent, imperatively calls upon MS TO be on
the alert, to counteract all efforts towards
usurpation Of power, and at the same time 10
nip in the very bud, the detostab,e aud insd-
Gus attempts Of faction, the rash schemes of
foi!ed ambition, TO weaken the BoND of Cur
UNION, and 10 sap the VITALITY Of orr
Freedom. With pleasure would refrain from
touching theme upon which party spirit has
already evnccd lis irritability and rancour;~
but feuds and deadly animosiies are kindled
amongst us; sectional icalousics are excited
and threaten 10 convulse the Councils of our
State, over which Temperance and Wisdom
should ever preside"