Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1841-03-10


hasty legislation, where their will has been pro
badly disregarded or not we'll understood: anil
3dly, to prevent the effects of combinations yjo
latiVe OF the rights OF minorties. In reference
to the second OF these objects, NAV observe
that | consider ii the right and privilege of the
People to decide disputed points of the Consti
tuition, arising from the general grant of power
to Congress to carry into effect the powers ex.
pressly given. And believe, with Mr. Madi
son, 'thac repeated recognitions under various
circumstances, III acts of the legislative, execu-
tive, and judicial branches of the Government
accompanied by Indications in different modes
OF the concurrence Of the general will Of the ma
fon as atfording to the President sufficient au-
thority for his considering such disputed points
as settled"
Upwards Of half century has elapsed
since the adoption of our present form of gov
ernment. 1t would be an object more highly
desirable than the qualification of the curiosi-
ty OF speculative statesmen, il lis precise sit
uallon could be ascertained fair exhibit
made OF the operations Of each of It's Depart
ments. Of the powers which they respective
iy claim and exercise, of the collisions which
have occurred between them, or between the
whole Government and those of the States,
or either OF them. We could then compare
our actual condition, after fifty years trial Of
our system, with what il was in the COM
mencement OF lis operations, and ascertain
whether the predictions Of the patriots who
opposed It's adoption, or the confident hopes
OF Its advocates, have been realized. The
great dread OF the former seems to have been,
that the reserved powers Of the States would
be absorbed by those of the Federal Govern
ment, and consolidated power established,
leaving to the States the shadow, only, of that
independent action for which they had so
zealously y contended, and on the preservation
Of which they relied as the last hope of lib
erty
Without denying that the result to which
hey looked with SO much apprehension is in
he way of being realized, it is obvious that
hey did not clearly see the mode of its ac-
The General Government
has seized upon none of the reserved rights
If the States. As far as any open warfare
nay have gone, the State authorities have
imply maintained their rights. To casual
observer, our system presents no appearance
If discord between the different members
which compose it. Even the addition of
many new ones has produced no jarring |!
They move In their respective orbits in per-
ect harmony with the central head and with !
ZACH other. But there is still an under cur /
ent at work, by which, if not seasonably
hecked, the worst apprehension OF our anti
ederal patriots, will be realized. And not
My will the State authorities be overshad- |
wed by the great increase of power in the !
Executive Department of the General Gov
rnment, but the character of that Govern
lent, if not its designation be essentially and /
adicalIY changed,
This state Of things has been in part effect
d by causes inherent 10 the constitution. and
a part by the never-Gailing tendency of po-
ucal power to increase itself By making
le President the sole distributor of all the
atronage of the Government, the trainers of
lie constitution DO not appear 10 have antci-
ated al how short period it would become
formidable instrument 10 control the free
peraions OF the State governments Oftri-
ing importance at first, it had, early in Mr..
etiersons administration, become so power
Il as to create great alarm in the mind of
lat patriot, from the potent influence it might
Xert In controlling the freedom of the cleo
We franchise. llsuch could have then been
le effects It's influence, how much greater
Iust be the danger at this time, quadrupled
! amount, as II certainly is, and more COM
Ietely under the control of the Executive
i'll, than their construction of their powers
lowed, or the forbearing characters of all
le early Presidents permitted them TO make?
ut it is not by the extent of its patronage
one that the Executive Department has be-
ONE dangerous, but by the use which it ap-
ears may be made Of the appointing power,
bring under its control the whole revenues
the country.
The Constitution has declared it TO be the
uty of the President to see that the laws
re executed, and il makes him the Comman-
er-in-C Chief Of the Armies and Navy of the
nited States. If the opinion of the most
Dproved writer's upon that species of mixed
government, which, in modern Europe, is
rmed Monarchy" in contra distinction to
is correct, there was wanting
o other addition to the powers of our Chief
lagistrate TO stamp monarchial character
n our Government, but the control of the
ablic finances. And to meitappears strange,
ldeed, that any one should doubt that the
nfire control " hich tho prasid on, ,>oooa.o.s.