Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1841-03-16

fpr supposed violation of the nalionlI
r'ih, which no one urd rs Ond. and
which at times was the ST bi CT nf the
nnckcry Of all. or the punishment from
lis homo. his family. and his country
with nl without an alleged cansa; that i,
was the ac', not ola single tyran'. or la
led aris'ocracy, but Of his assembled
rounirymen. Far different is the power
ofonr sovereignty. It cln interfere with
no ones Faith, prescribe forms ot worship
far no ones observance. infliCt M pm
sInnen' but after we'll asceriained guilt.
'he result of investigation under rules
nrescr,hcI bv the Constitution ITSELF
Fhese privileges and lhnse scarcely less
important. Of ii ing expression to his
lhnughls and opinions, either by writing
nr speaking, unreS'rained, but by the
liability FOR injury t6 others, AMI that Of
full participation in all the advantages
which flow from The Govcrnmpn'. the ac-
knuwledged properly of all, the American
citizen derives from no charter gran'ed
by his fellow man. He claims them he.
cause he is himself a man fashioned by
the same Almighty hand as the rest ofhis
species, and entitled 10 4 fall share ofthe
blessings with which lie has endowed
them. notwithstanding, tho limited SOW.
erelgDty possessed by the People Of the
United States. and the restricted grant
Gf power to the Government which they
have adopted, enough has been given to
accomplish all the objects for which it
WAS created. Il has bqen found power
Iul in war, and hitherto, justice has been
administered, an intimate union effected
domestic tranquility preserved, and per,
sonal liberty secured to the citizen. As
was to be expected, however, from the
defect of language and the necessarily
sen1entious manner in which the Con
sitn'ina is written. disputes Ilave arisen as
10 The amount If power which it has
actually granted, or was intended 10
grant.
This is more particularly the cls1 in
relation to that part of The Instrument
which treats oflhe Ieg;sla've branch.-
And not only as regrrds the exercise of
powers claimed under general clause,
!'Yjng that body the authority to pass all
avs necessary to carry into effect the
r~t'ied powers, but in relation to the
Inter also. tis, however, c0nsolatory TO
rrtlec', that most Of The instances of al.
eyed departure from the letter or spirit OF
the constitution, have ultimately received
The sanction ofa minority Of the people.
And the fact that many Of our statesTe1
most distinguished for talent and PARROT.
ism, have been at one time or other Of
their political career, on both sides Of
each of the most warmly disputed quss
lions, force upon us ihe inference that
the errors, if errors there were, are al.
'ributable to the intrinsic difficulty, in
many instances, of ascertaining the ieten.
lions of the trainers of the constitution.
rather than the influence Of any sinister
or unpatriotic motive. But the great dan
ger TO ou: institutions does not appear to
me 10 be IN a usurpalion by the govern.
nen, OF power not granted by the people,
but by the accumulation in one of the
departments, Of that which was assigned
t. others. Limited as are the powers
which have been granled,s still enough have
been granted 10 constitute u despotisn, f
concentrated in one of the departments.
Tnis dlnger is greatly heightened. as it
has been always observable that mon are
less jealous of encIoachmen'S ofOnc de.
parimenl upon another, than upon their
xn reserved rights. When :he Consji
tulion of he United States ti,s came from
the hands of the convention which formed
it, many Of the slernest republicans TT the
day we're alarmed at th2 extent If the
power which had been ganted to the fed.
eraI government, and more particularly
of HAT Ionion which had been assigned
10 the eXccuiive branch.
There were in it features which appear.
ed not to be in harmony with the ideas
of simple representative democracy.
nr republic. And knowing the tendency
Of power to increase itself, particularly
when exercised by single individual,
predictions were made thu, at no very re
mote period, the government would ter
inmate in virtual monarchy. 1t would moi
become me TO say that the fears Of thes
patriots have been already realized. But
as sincerely believe that the tendency
Of measures, and Of mems opinions, fol
some years past, has been in that drec,
ton, it is, | conceive, strictly proper, that
| should take this occasion to repeat the
assurances have heretofore given, ofmy
determination to arrest the progress OF
that tendency, if it really exists, and re-
store the government TO its pristine health
and vigOr, as far as this can be effected by
any legitimate exercise of the poweI
placed in my hands.
| proceed to state in as summary 1
manner as can, my opinion of the sour
rae Of the avilr which have haen Sn ey