The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1850-03-14

arbitrary or undelegated powers doubly sure,
our prudent fathers appended TO that instru-
ment, by way of amendment, the following
articles:
Under the head of "Amendments" j: is
declared :"
.'Article TX. The enumeration in the
Constitution of certain rights shall not be
construed TO deny or disparage others retain
ed by thepeople.
Article X. The powers not delegated to
The United States by Constitution, nor pro-
hibited by it to the States, are reserved to
the States respectively OF to the people
Hence the State sovereignties are the con
slituents of the Federal government, which
consequently must be limited strictly to the
exercise Of the powers delegated to it by the
States. And hence it would follow thateach
State is bound to comply with and fulfill in
good faith all the solemn stipulations of that
instrument-aud that any obstacles inter-
posed or laws enacted by any State, in der
ogation of any of the covenants contained
in that constitution, are revolutionary, and
should be promptly repealed and removed.
No State should aval'itself of the benefits
of this great compact of the Union, and at
the same time refuse orneglect TO perform
the conditions andwitihold the considera-
ion of that compact
Under the head of the fourth article in the
second section, and third clause, it is de-
clared that "no person held to service or la
Dor in one State, under The laws thereof, es-
Gaping into another, shall, in consequence Of
any law or regulation therein, be discharged
from such service or labor but shall be deiv-
cred up on the claim of the party to whom
such service or labor may be due"
This clause of the Constitution was equal
ly binding on the States and the people of
the States as any of the foregoing articles or
clauses of that instrument. are obligatory
upon the Federal Government Yet your
committee feel themselves bound to say that
in their opinion, it has been infringed and
its solemn Injunction disregarded by more
than one member of the confederacy. This
cause of complaint should be removed, and
this reproach should be done away-not-
withstanding the prejudice of some and the
impractcable chimeras Of others should
clash with the fulflment of this plain duty
to the ancient honor of our State and 10 the
Union.
The precision with which, the powers del
egated to Congress by the States were de-
fined, and especially in the 17th clause of
the enumerated powers, is caveat against
the assumption of any supposed or eonst,1e-
tue powers The authority of Congress and
of the Federal Government, in the apprehen-
sion of your committee, is strict jvis, and
should be so regarded by those who are cal
led to exercise it. The General Government
therefore, strictly considered, cannot be re-
garded as sovereignty, but as the constitu.
ted agent or guardian minister of sovereign
tes-otherwise our sys:em would exhibit the
paradox of an imperium in impe,io. The
maintenance of the State so vreignties in all
their original and appropriate functions and
vigor, asthe only safe repositories of civil
rights, was unquestionably the object of the
contracting parties. Hence, every guard
seems to have been erected ageinst the ten
deucy to consolidation, and the experience
OF fifty years of the political operations OF
our system has amply illustrated the truth of
their patriotic fears. Power is always steal
ing from the many TO the few, and events
have proven that the chief danger that threat
ems the stability of this Union is the assump-
ton by Congress of powers not delegated to
it. There are rightly understood, as your
committee conceive, no concurrent powers
between the Federal and State Governments;
that's, powers that may at the same time be
exercised by the States and the Federal Gov
eminent. A power ordinarily and appropri-
ately exercised by the States cannot legiti-
mately be exercised by the Fedeaal Govern
ment; and the powers legitimately exercised
by Congress cannot constitutionally be exer-
cised by the State Legislatures. This prin-
ciple well understood and respected there
would be no clashing in our sytem; but when
either power usurps what belongs to the
other, then arises the confusion. We res
pectfully appreh end that Congress has no
right TO discuss the expediency OF morality OF
subjects not referred to it in the powers emu.
merated in the Federal Constitution.
The morality of every institution existing
in any of the United States at its adoption
was, SO far as the General Government was
concerned, sanctioned and ratified by that
Constitution.
II is an error to suppose that the rights OF
these State, or what are denominated estate
Rights" are confined to the limits of the
States. The rights of Pennsylvania as a
member of the confederacy, extended over
the Union and upon the high seas. Her
rights extend to all the territories of the Re.
public, and no power short of violence can
abrogate those rights. And what rights she
claims for herself as amember ofthe Union.
she certainly will accord to others standing
in the same relation From her population
she is entitled TO nearly one-tenth part of the
public domains in all our territories and her
citizens have a full right 10 migrate thereto
and settle and enjoy the land thereof, in
common and upon perfect equality with