The Ohio Democrat and Dover advertiser. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1839-1840, 1840-02-07

INC wiz VI Oespoli OF tne sway OF
lordiy arlstoGracy; and On the other
hand, that government was instituted for
The good of The whole people, whose will
properly expressed, should be the only
rule Of obedience.
These principles were struck out by
the collision of sentiment which met in
the Convention of l7S7, to form our
present Federal Constitution. The
same distrusl ofthe people; the same
want of confidence, iH tbeu judgment
aud capacity, which had been shown IN
The old ord, was there openly ayowed-
and as openly met aud cOnttose etted.
Repeated efforts were made TO establish
strong government, 10 be above and
independent of public opinion. The
same party maintained, that ttbel State
governments should be stripped of all
their important powers and authority
and sunk 10 the condition Of petty cor
poratons; and the British Government
was declared by some ofthese men, to
be the most perfect model that the world
had ever seen. They were voted down
by the stern democrats f tina, day, and
our present glorious charter was the re-
salt Of their deliberations.
The Father Of his County, the inn
mortal Washington, was called 10 the
Chief Magistracy and gave his power
ful aid 10 put The new government in
motion. During the eight years OF his
Presidency, these principles were ST.
lenty a, work; but the influence Of his
character prevented any great commo-
lion in the public mind. Immediately
after The election Of his successor, John
Adams, the warfare began; and lis first
period was s,gnaIzed by his expulsion
from the chair of state, and The eleVa-
ton Of that eminent political reformer
and Apostle of Democracy Thomas
Jefferson. He stood forth in that day
as the great champion Of the rights OF
the states. He waged open war upon
those who sought TO make the govern
meut, by Legislation and construction,
what they had in vain attempted TO
make it BY constitutional provisions. He
successfully batted for the principle
that al the power not granted in the
Constitution, remained with the States,
aud with the people, and that The gran,
ted powers must be strictly construed
However this doctrine may have bee.
departed from, at different periods o
our history, it has ever formed a. cardi-
nal point in the Democratic creed; an'
= now, as il was then. The great conse
Vs''ve principle State rights .oDd pop
uIar liberty.
Dung ,he eight years Of Mr. Jef1er-
'on's term, perpetual conflict eSDsIed
between these antagonist principles, tr
which we have referred. He and HI.
political associates succeeded in repeal
no the odrous alen and sediuon laws
whereby the freedom Of speech and o
the press were restored to the people
md the foreigner who fed to our shores
rom the tyranny and oppression of the
old world, was permitted to remain un'
Ter the shadow of our Tree institutions
Without persecution or moles'a,lon
rhey established the principle, that ,h'
representative was bound by the will Q
his constituents; and that the voice O
the people was no, only the source G
ali political power, but the rule OF acilo
or all political functIonaries. 10 short
ltbey gave the ship Of State a"Repub
hcan tack and brought /! back into
smooth sea. In all their efforts for III
lpnbllc veal. they were violently oppo
,cd by the Federalsts who had bee
driven from power. Goaded 10 mad
ness by the sentence Of condemnatio
sh,ch had been pronounced upon theI
w the pe pie, they left no means IN
ued, which they supposed would brln
odium upon The administration and i
friends. But they sigUaIly failed, an
MS IllBUu dUN SuCCCSeot Nl' "dulSN
was elected by the people, for his fdeli
TO the cause which had been advocate
with 80 much ability by ilr Jefferson
r During his administration, we we
y involved in war with Great Britai
2 Perhaps no condition of human socle
b 10 so we'll calculated to try mems pr,I
, clples and patriotism, as a state of wa
. Whatever, may be thought of the pr
priety of engaging in war, ut Pa!lI
D uar period, or of the degree of jus,i
s or iBjustlc which promp ed the Republ
II 10 draw the sword, still, whenever d
III first gun has been fired, when blood h
y been split, and the Toe is in the field,
u man can be patriot who does no; e
o gage in the contest. heart and soul "a
y devote all his energies to carry |
10 country safely and trIumphantIy throu
!. tho contest. Manv Of the lederall
70 did so, and are therefore entitled