The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-10-14

III liDpObtu uWtCftyf Is WONlN "i"v|N P'N
popular outbreak, will, II imposed indirectly, be
endured without a murmur Thus with the vast
Increase of federal taxation and patronage, the
State can only compete by direct imposition, ex-
citing among its on n people bitter hostility IN
no degree diminished by a contrast with the
federal government, apparently so easy IN It's ex-
actions, so munihcent in It's blessings.
There is one other cause, producing re suits
favorable TO federal ascendency over State lniiu-
ence, which is the more powerful, as necessarily
undermines and saps the foundations of the latter
Ii is the facility with which new States are
formed and admitted into the Union. This
will readily appear from the following view:
To make federation what it should be, AS !
have before indicated, the central and federatlve
elements should each be distinctly manifested
The former is always manifested in the power
and authority vested in it the latter can only
be in the common feelings, interests sympa-
thies and memories of the people OF the State,
Il ,ch State thus, and only thus, would repre-
sent distinct centre of opinion, which, by check
ing the central power would be conservative OF
its own rights and interests
This result is not attained but its reverse, by
the practice of the admission of new States. A
nation or people cannot be formed in a day,
though individuals, in sufficient Numbers, may
easily be gathered upon the same territory. To
make nation sympat les and a community OF
feelings between men are required, which time
alone can engender and establish. These must
80 develop themselves, that noble self reliance
which national existence alone can Implant
shall be produced, ut once the soul and glory OF
the people of the State
| Such is not the case with new iledged States
They can, in the sphere assigned to them by
their federal relations, exercise no united power
or influence, either in controlling their federal
| agents, or in sustaining their own Inherent SOW
| eregnty.
Not tho former, for its people are gathered
| from all quarters of the world, with no common
language, thoughts, feelings, or sympathies u
asks for admittance into the Union, because out
of it, it has no hopes and every renson TO fear
1t has no real Independence, and is often dragged
| by necessity into the acceptance OF a compact
WHICH it cannot, however much it might desire
to, reject. The admission Of new States has
thus too much become only new mode of terri
torial or provincial dependence They are nc
longer regarded as the creators TO whose delega
ton of power the federal government owes its
existence They are treated more as the Prote
gees of the paernal government, than as tbs
sovereign parties to constitution without whose
separate assent it could never be made to binc
them.
| But the new States are not only Incapable o
playing their part as the trlbuuiclnn conservator
of the Union, from their sense OF inherent weak
ness, but from the same cause, they are too prone
to throw their e'ght into the other scale
i They usually, as is natural, have passion TO
national glory They are too recent in thei
organization to have it gratiiied by contemplat
ing their own short histories They make thu
glories of the Union their own. They cling t.
it as the only hope for their respectabllit.
abroad, or at home to its honors and its powe
as the only object of their pride, the only sources
. of their influence. Thus in the majority o
cases in recent years, the creation OF State by
Congress, power no where granted, but FIRE
quently assumed to exist is regarded by the ad
mitted State as a bDoR from the great paren
patriG, which merits and receives tho gratefu
offering of their political weight and influence
upon the shrine of central power.
| | have thus mentioned some of tie causes
which have produced the great change in on
system, of which have previously spoken
Others might be mentioned, but the limits o
nv address forbid any reference TO them.
If such be the continuing struggle between
n central and State power in our SYSTEM II sucl
the advantages which the former possesses II
4 the contest if its asDeGdency be as have indl
Gated, the signal for the subsection Of liberty Il
power, then may we not ask with an interes
stimulated by alarm, What rs our remedy! II
what part Of our system can We look for nope
Whence gather strength to regain liberty from
the grasp of o yer
In answering these, shall meet the inquiry pre-
scented in the beginning Of this address: VIVA
is the use and efficiency in the present condition
of things, of the political idea manifested by thi
anniversary! the idea of the original sovereign
: ty of the States of the Union!
wo things may result directly from it, whic
are essential TO the maintenance of the UnioT
and the liberties of the States it was designed /
secure,
J, |. The existence, in the machinery of tn
. government itself, of ssliproteciing potoer j
e the several States, as the political units of tn
! system.
:, 9 The existence Of such seIf.sustaning powe
, in the machinery of the constitution; its exercis
: by each State being subject alone to its ow
discretion and will
: In considering the first, | simply remark, tina
= in every department of the federal government
, without exception, there is represented in som
form the separate being of the States. To thi
extent, there Is such self protecting power as /
necessary; and In so far as IL is adequate TO tn
: protection of the interests OF each, the govern
ment has realized the great object of Its exist
ence-confederate strength-withont impairinl
the liberty Of the States.
But the important Question arises, full OF
practical meaning: Does the representation Civ
en- TO the States afford security to their varied
interests Is there n full power of sefprotec
ton in each State? Is the individual right q
each so manifested as to secure it against tht
aggressions of the central power! Are these
as history has shown they should be, well
matched and equal opponents, 20 as to Preven
/, IMPRESSIONS, the one upon the other!
do not deny the practical bearing OF these
questions and while | shall decline to answer
them fully, ask your serious reflection upor
them as men who must meet the crisis In The
country It is in vain we seek to be insensiblC
to the presages Of danger, and il is false TIM
dity to shrink from meeting the object OF out
fears.
i There are States in the Union who hold NJ
institution as part of their social organization
and who, for the 6rst time in our history, ar
without a self protecting power in the govern
meut They are represented, it istrue, but by
minority In every branch, which must become
relatively less. The alarming truth is forced
, home upon the slave States. that they have not
"a.