The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1841-03-13
COUNTY, sATURDAY Y,n1ARcH
Number A6.

ngs. 1t was proper, therefore, TO provide
ome umpire, from whose situation and
node of appointment more independence
md freedom from such influences might be
expressed. Such one was afforded by the
Executive Department, constituted by the
Constitution, A person elected 10 that high
office, having his constituents in every Sec
ton, State, and subdivision of the Union.
must consider himself bound by the most
solemn sanctions TO guard, project, and de-
(end the rights of all. and of every portion,
great or small, from the injustice and op,
preston of the rest. consider the veto
power, therefore, given by the Constitution
10 the Executive of the Uoited States solely
as conservative power, TO be used only.
lst, TO protect the Constitution from vloa-
ton; IDLY, the people from the effects of
hasiy legislation, where their will has been
probably disregarded or not well understood
and, 3dly, TO prevent the effects of combi-
nations yiolative Of the right of minori,ies.
Ir. reference 10 the second of these objects,
may observe, that consider il the right
and privilege of The people TO decide dispu-
ted points OF the Constitution arising from
the general grant Of power to Congress 10
carry into effect the powers expressly given.
And believe, with Mr.. Madison, .that
repeated recognitions, under varied circuml
s,ances,n acts Of the legislative, Executive,
and Judicial branches OF the Government,
accompanied by indications in different
medos of the concurrence of the general
will OF the nation, as aflording to the Presi,
dent suflicien! authority for his considering
such disputed points as settled"
Upwards of half century has elasped
since the adoption Of our present form of
Government. 1t would be an object more
highly desirable than the qualification of the
curiosity of speculative statesmen, if its
precise situation could be ascertained,
fair exhibit made of the operations of eacl.
OF It's Departments, of the powers which
they respectively claim and exercise, OF the
the &C llisions whioh have occurred between
them, or between the whole Government
and those Of the States, or either of them.
We could then compare our actual condi-
!qni aiisr x years III vial al aRF aNe at
its operations, and ascertain whether the
predictions of the patriots who opposed its
adoption, or the confident hopes of its ad-
vocates, have been best realized. The
great dread of the former seems 10 have
been that the reserved powers of the States
would be absorbed by those Of the Federal
Government, and consolidated power es-
tabllshed, leaving TO the States the shadow,
only, of that independent action for which
they had so zealously conended, and on
the preservation of which they relied as the
last hope of liberty. Without denying that
the result to which they looked with SO
much apprehension is in the way of being
realized, il is obvious that they did not
clearly see the mode Of its accomplishment.
The General Government has seized upon
none of the reserved rights of the States
AS far as any open warfare may have gone,
the State authorities have amply maintained
! their rights. 10 casual observer, our
system presents no appearance of discord
between the different members which COM
pose it. Even the addition Of many new
ones has produced no jarrng. They move
ny with the central head and with each
other. But there is still an under current a.
work, by which, if not seasonabIy checka.'
the worst apprehensions of ou: anti-feders1S
patriots will be realized. And not onlN
will the State authorities be overshadowed
by the great increase of power in the Exc
| cutlve Department OF the General Govern
ment, but the character of that Government,
if not its designaton,be essentially and iadi-
cally changed. This state of things has
been in part effected by causes inherent in
the Constitution, and in part by the never
failing tendency of political power 10 in
crease itself. BY making the President the
sole distributor OF all the patronage of the
Governmental the trainers Of The Constitution
do not appear TO have anticipated at how
short period it would become formidable
insfumen, to control the free operations of
the State Governments. OF mfling impor-
tAnce at first. il had ,early in Mr.. Jefierson's
administration, become SO powerful as 10
create great alarm in ,he mind of that pari-
OF, from the potent influence il might exert
in controlling the freedom Of the elective
franchise. If such could have then been
the effects of lis influence, how much grea-
ter must be the danger at this time, quad
rupled in amount, as it certainly is, and
more completely under the control of the.
Executive will, than their construction Of
their powers allowed, or the forbearine
characters of all the early Presidents per.
mitted them to make! But il is not by The
extent of its patronage alone that the Execu-
iiye DeDarlment has become danoerans hnf