The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-10-15

peril The danger has not entirely passed away the
storm clouds have vanished; they still mar the hon-
zon and they may again unite and send forth tempest
Under such circumstances il behooyes every
slider the great question, How is this Union to be pre-
served and pepeuateds II is the greatest and most
mentous question TO the human that can be pro.
pounded
II is plain that the first great principle TO be adhered to-
in order to preserve and perpetuae the Union, that
which requires the federal government to confne itself
strictly TO those powers delegated by the constitution
incident thereto by plain and direct implication The fact
should be lost sight OF that the Union a compact
between sovereign and independent States that have
agreed TO establish general government and confer upon
il certain specified powers for the common benefit and
common protection Of all the States That general gov
eminent is nothing than agency, having in
herent authority of ITSELF but deriving its validity from
the stpu atons and agreements of the States contained
in the constitution, which is its commission The officers
of the federal government but and servants of
the sovereign people OF the contracting States in whom
all legitimate authority is vested.
The powers granted Of general national charac
ter Subjects of local importance reserved to the
State governments and the State governments must in
evitaby yield up their rghtfu authority thereby esiab-
fishing consolidated empire. be forced into direct con
fct with the federal government, unless the latter con
fines itself strictly the constitution and leaves the States
free to manage all matters of local and sectional import
The establishment Of schools. the preservation of
order, the protection Of labor, opening OF commu-
ncaon directing and modelling State Institutions, all
matters Of great to every comnuniy but they
appropriately within the State authority and should
be left to local legislation and not be seized upon by the
national Legislature, majority Of whose members must
necessarily be ignorant of ths wants the interests Of
any distinct community, while they not amenabe to
it, and cannot be reached by its opinion In the history
of country there has been than one period of
great public danger We have passed through two wars
and in neither were institutions nenaced but in
every instance the seeds Of dscod and canger
by the federal government in departing from sound prn
ciples and attempting to egslaie for purposes not con-
templated by the constitution.
There is another principle, too, which must OBJ
necessary for the preservation of the Union
The constitution vas formed in spirit Of Cancellation
and compromise. In that spirit in which it was
formed must the government be administered
| There is still another principle which must be OBJ.
served: The Union is bound together by feeling and
affection, well BY interest No unnecessary offence
must be given by part to another by the whole
towards either Of the Territories One local interest
be promoted any considerable extent at the
expense OF another All should share as nearly as pos
sibe common benefits well common burdens Op-
preston of section fatal to the brotherhood which
should unite the whole The power Of majority
should not be abused 1t not because The majority
have the power that they should exercise it. If true of
any species OF government, it is especially true of the
federal form, made up of sovereign States "'Twers
ue IN hav nfs lint ha
to j, giant"
In framing the constitution allowance was made
for that feeling Of State pride which every man mus, en-.
terrain. IL is commendable feeling and its natural ten
dency to make each and representative in
Congress consider himself more especial deputy OF his
State. than charged with the interests Of the
whole Union. This tendency foreseen and guarded
agans, far j, necessary do So But this local
feeling has taken new and more dangerous direction
The clear and fareaching sagacy of Washington fore
saw, before he retired from public life. that the com
mendable feelings which are at the foundation
of State pride and State prejudices might be.
come enlarged and metamorphosed into sectional
pride and sectional preudices; and. thus enlarged
might become strong enough to bring danger upon
institutions by omenting angry feelings and produ
cling strife between portion of the country and the
Understanding the Union in twain He, therefore, warned
his countymen, his immortal address, TO give no coun
tenance TO sectional divisions, and to turn away from
every attempt TO divide parties by geographical lines
But despite the warning voice of the Father OF his Coun.
try, have, in the last few years. made rapid strides
towards the formation of geographical parties In the
northern States wicked and selfish have endeavored
10 organize parties sectional grounds while many in
the South have strained every TO break down the
old parties and destroy their nationality Had these ef.
forts succeeded should they hereafter succeed the e
Enlistment Of geographical parties would be rendered
certain and the dissolution Of The Union follow az an in
vitable consequence. The progress which has been
made in this dangerous direction be apparent to
every rejecting mind Listen to the speeches on the
husngs 10 the speeches in the House OF
the Senate, and the attention is at once aroused
by the fact that the speaker rarely says that be is from
Maine or Observation-Disclosures he ia a virginian or
Georgian but he will not fail to tell in boas,ful tone.
that he is a northern southern man. Let State
pride be encouraged, and national pride be encouraged
but each becomes dangerous when they degenerate into
feelings that must engender sectional animoshes We
look not without hope to the growth OF third section
to check in a measure the danger to which we al.
Jude. Mason and Dxon's line longer divides the
United States The North and the South no longer
comprise the whole Union. The West and the
Northwest is not wilderness. 1t is filled with an
active, enterprisng and rapidly INCREASING population