Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-08-16

resulting mainly from difference o! climate SOIL
industry, and production, pat are hT.'
less necessary to De pro'petea ~ ali
quate constitutional provision, 'hah w"e'c I'M u"e
distinct Interests exist in separate classes. Inc
necessity is, in truth, greater, as such separate
and dissimiar geographical interests are more IL
able to come into conflict, and more dangerous
when in that stale than those Of any other descriP'
ton; so much SO that ours is the first instance on
record. ,chere they hare not formed IN an e1fens'ps
territory, SEPARATE and Independent communities,
or subjected the ,choie TO despotic s,oay.-ihat
such NAV not be our unhappy fate also, must oe
the sincere prayer Of every lover OF his country
So numerous and diversified are the interests OF
our country, that they could not be iairiy repre-
scntetl in single government. organized 80 as
to give to each great aud leading interests sepa
rate aud distinct voice, as in the governments 70
which have referred A plan was then adopted
better suited to our situation, but perfectly mover
IN its character The powers of the Government
were divided, not as heretofore, in reference 10
classes, but geographically. One General GoV-
eminent was formed for the whole, to which was
delegated all the powers supposed to be necessa-
nv to regulate the interests common to all hle
States, others subject to the separate control OF
the States, being from their local sud peculiar
character, such, that they could not be subject to
the will of the whole Union. without the certain
hazard of injustice and oppression. 1t was thus
that the interests Of the whole were subjected as
they ought to be to the will of the whole. while the
peculiar and local interests were left under the
control of the States separately, to whose custody
only, they could be safely confided.-Ihis DIS.
tribution Of power, settled soIemnIy by cons,i-
tutiona compact, to which all the States are par
ties, constitutes the peculiar character and .ex.
ceIlence of our political system. It's truly and
emphaticaly american, withom example or pa
raLtt
To realize its perfection, we must view the Cen
eral Government and the States as whole; each
IN its proper sphere, sovereign and indepen-
dent, each perfectly adapted to their resPec-
tive objects; the State acting separately, re.
presenting and protecting the local and Pc
culiar interests; acting jointly through one Gene
raj Government, with the weight respectively as
signed to each by the constitution, representing
and protecting the interest Of the whole; and thus
perfecting, by an admirable. but simple arrange
mcnt, the great principle of representation and re-
sponsibilty, without which no government can be
free Or JUST. To preserve this sacred distribution
as originally settled, by cOercing each to move in
in ITS prescribed orb. is the great and difficult
problem, Oh the solution Of which. the duration
Of our Constitution, of Union, and, in all proba.
bity, our liberty depends. How is this to be
effected?
The question is new. when applied to our pc.
culiar political organization. where the separate
and conflicting interests OF society are represent
cd by distinct, but connected Governments; but
it is in reality an old question undera new form,
long since perfectly solved. Whenever separate
aud dissimilar Interests have been separately re-
presented in any Government; whenever the So
vereign power has been divided in Its exercise,
the experience and wisdom Of ages have devised
but one mode, by which such political organiza
ton can be preserved; the mode adopted in Eng
land, and by all Governments ancient and mo-
dern, blessed with Constitutions deserving to be
called free; to give to each co-estae the right to
Judge of its powers, WITH negative, or veto on
the acts of the others, in order to protect against
Entertainments, the interest il particularly repre-
sents; principle which all Of our Constitutions
recognize in the distribution Of power among their
respective Departments. - essential to maintain
the independence Of each, but which to all, who
will duly reflect on the subject, must appear, far
more essential for the same object in that great
and fundamental distribution of powers between
the State and the General Government. So es-
sential is the principle that to withhold the right
from either, where the sovereign power is divided,
is in fact TO annul the division itself. and to con-
solidate in the one, left in the exclusive posses
sion Of the right, all Of the powers of the Co.
vernment; for it is not possible to distinguish,
practically, between Government having all
power and the one having the right to take what
power it pleases. Nor does it in the least vary
the principle. whether the distribution of power
between co-estates, as in England, or between dis
tinctlv organized, but connected Governments,
as with u.s. The reason is the same in both cases,
while the necessity Is greater in our case, as the
danger of conflict is greater, where the interests
of society are divided geographically, than in
any other, as has already been shown.
These truths do seem to be me to be incontro-
vertible; and am 81 a loss to understand how
any one who has maturely reflected ON the nature
of our institutions, ar who has read history, or
studied the principle of free Governments to any
purpose, can call them in question. The expla-
nation must, it appears to me, be sought in the
fact. that in every free State, there those who
look more to the necessity Of maintaining power
than guarding against its abuses I do not in
tend reprcach, but simply to state fact. appa-