Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1836-04-29

happiness Of the whole, and It may not ,
be altogether Out OF place 10 say that We
do not believe it to be necessary at the
present day Tor The American people to
mix up in their institutions any monarch
zeal or arIslocratic features, for the exPe
rlment Of self-government 30 Tar as II has
been tried in our country has not failed,
but notwithstanding all the difficulties 1t
has encountered it has succeeded tar be-
yond what the patriots OF the Revolution
dared hope. Let IIs not fear then tor the
safety Of The Republic or doubt for an in
stant that liberty aud equal rights have
on our soil an everlasting home.- But
thou!h we should not fear for the future
we must not be unmindful Of the past or
needless of the present, for the past Ia our
own history wIIl show US how with noise
less and steady steps The enemies ol Tree
principles are uudsrminding the very ioun
dallons oi the government by substituting
the whims, caprice, or soPbistry OF four "r
five Irresponsible tunctiOnarles for The
will Of people.
| Our Constitutions assert that all
power is IN the people and that they
can at any time Chsnge their govern
ments, and OF course that they can es'
tabIlsh any other form or adopt other
principles, monsrchicrl or arislocratl
} cal, as they may choose. All this is
we'll enough in theory, but the law Of
, our country as settled by the Supreme
Court Of the U s ates On one Of The
!; cases before sdverted lo) that not.
: wilhstauding The sword Of our fathers
|, cut off the jurisdiction Of Great Brit
ain over these States, yet that char
1 Ter granted b,fore The Revolution by
q the British King to some Of his sub.
E iccrs in America, vested rights in the
grantees which The government es'ab
hshed after the Revolution had NJ
t riyht TO alter or take away that 10
II deed 10 power or earth could atieG'
1I such vested rights. II the Brlsst
rs statesmen could have foressen that A
'i mericans would submit o be Eoverne'
!, by such avs instead OF seudlng ar
81 mics and fl els here TO subdUe rebel
II Iious co.onies, would have sent char
: ers of incorporation, and have veSIe'
, m private cJmpanl5s all the most I'm
- portant lowers Of government SO al
of t, render the Revolution Duga'or'
\ and unavailiug, The power 10 chang
sG government at pleasure may thu
" be considered useless, may be conVer
50 ted into mockery, if chartered rights
II. # all manner of monopolies are 10 en-
o. 10y perennial youth and vIgor wh'l
he Governments are dlSSolvlng into theI
!rI primitive elements and empires ar
Le changing their fundamental law
ny BIT has the pr sent generation Powt
w ,'r. to bind posl,rlly IN any way or iorn
~, We have the power TO govern ou
~. selves in what manner we please or
", submit TO be governed as others plea
wv to govern us. WO may make OF
ISL Constitutions and laws more democ
- tic aud have all our officers elected
pa the people annually, or we may pla
be the whole power OF the State IN I
ltaI hand, of one or few men. We M
oil also parcel ou all the powers OF go
my .rnm enl and make such powers Vesl
non rights 10 chartered companies, b
cry can we compel posterlly TO subn
80" .'a. their necks 10 such a yoke! II
w." ', cannot so bind them, if those W
rh come after US are as free and as co
IRA, pe,ent to govern themselves as
the are to govern ourselves, en- we c.
less not delegate the power oNer them
.dy. ,her 10 Legislators or chartered co
luse panies. Ills said that we may rig
/ as fully borrow money, and leave
lffer payment 10 posterity, provided
lccu leave them, in the expenditure oil
pow money, sufficient to indemnify the
efea Without admitting or denying this
no' sllion, it may be assumed that
J, ;, Uy oS have no power TO bind those '
a"u ,h;s come on to the stage of action as
sInw successors, in any other case. "
r;nci then are our successors3 aud who,
a political view Of the subject, are
allied posterily1 We conceive that
,able question admits Of but one arsws
n er Ihose who come TO the polls at
er so next annual election, come Their
'rrors ,he successors 10 exercising the p
sys ers of government to those who C
mani to The polls at the last annual elect
e ex and their power Of self goVernme
'l'u'e as foil and complete as was The
y y en" a er of their predecessors. They
" o"r -" in truth the sovereign power IN
,rrUn, mi State; and, in the exercise Of that
he ad sreignry, no grant Of powers cal
whom made which shall be perpetual al
times, revocable, but they must depent
It part their continuance, at ell times,