Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-08-14
For tie Freeman.
State Rights.

binding upon the seeral States, or on any Of
their subjects. They could recommend meas
ures, but that was all The States must carry
them into effect, or tley died of course. Thus
all the powers of sovereignty were retained by
the respective States. They were free, independ-
ent and sOOereign sabs. And the least was as
Jealous and tenaciousof her sovereign rights as
the largest. They fered to let the power go out
oftbeir own hands. an determined that no power
should lord it over thin. Hence Congress was
often embarrassed, nd their measures were
rendered abortive, ornearly 80, by the conduct
of the States. Thertwas no controlling power.
The bond of union VS. rope of sand, liable to
be broken any monet when the war, the ex-
ternal pressure whiclha kept 1t together, was
removed. Hence tere was necessity that
some different arrangement should be made,
and our Federal Conttution was the result In
forming this instrumlt, the States consented to
transfer the souerslgt potoer to the General Gov
eminent for matiOnal purposes and a''der certain
restrictions; but thet did this with great reluc-
lance, and expressly stipulated what powers
Congress might exercise, and stated explicitly
that the powers moi granted were reserved to
the States, or the people, and to make sure work,
various points are stated which Congress may
not do IN any case. Thus in the third article Of
amendments, f" Congress- shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion, or pro-
h,bit,ng the fet exercise thereof or abridging the
freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right
of the people peacably to assemble and to pc
tition the government for a redress of griev-
ances." In all these respects and in others,
Congress is powerless, and has no more right to
act than any foreign government. There is
ground upon which Congress may not enter,
and she cannot enter upon it, under any pre-
fences, without violating the Constitution. Thus
it appears, that the supreme power in this ma
ton, is divided between the States and the Fed
eral Government, and The Federal Government
has no more rghtto interfere with the sover-
eighty of a State than a State has to interfere
with the sovereignty the General Government.
Both have their rights, and both have their
limits, and both are equally bound to keep with
in their respective limits. Let all do this and
the wheels will move on smoothly otherwise
they will rub hard Here is our grand danger,
and here double guard should be kept. Pow
er is intoxicating and the stronger is very prone
to override the weaker.
The States must then look out for breakers
and take care of themselves. They have parted
with so large portion of their sovereignty that
there is, danger that what is reserved will be
filtered away. And this will in the course of
events, be the case, if the States do not guard
their rights and resist every encroachment upon
State rights. At all events, secure these. The
General Government feels its power and will
take care of itself. There is no danger of their
yielding to the States powers which do not be-
long TO them. The danger is all on the other
side.
Mr.. H. Clay has well said that he owed al
legience in the first place to Kentucky, in the
second place, to the United States. This is the
true ground which every good citizen ought to
take. Our first connection is with our own
State. Througrher we become connected with
the United States. Hence our allegiance is due
in the first place to our own State. And let
this principle bewell understood and acted upon
and it would be a powerful check upon the
overreaching propensity of the General Govern
ment. But there are always traitors in every
State who fawn at court, long for office, and are
ready to sell themselves to the highest bidder.
Such men should be watched and marked in the
State where they belong. No matter who they
are, State rights will be sacrificed by them when
ever they can make bargain to suit themselves
Every free State should watch against such Vi
pers in her own BOSOM. In such men the peo-
pie should placeno confidence. They would
betray the Son ofGOd himself, were he in their
power.
If the above position be true, then each State
Government has as good right to judge and
decide upon the acts of Congress, as the Gen
enl government have. The sovereignty is d.
vided between them by metes and bounds, and
the States have as much right to guard and de-
fend their rights as the United States have.
They are by every consideration, bound to dol
They must do it or the mammoth power will
swallow them up. Hence they have a right, a
right prior TO the Constitution, but recognzedin
that instrument, 10 pass judgment upon any
act Of Congress, and to Judge whether or not it
does interfere with the rights reserved to the
States, and to act accordingly. Congress have
no more right to violate the rights Of the States,
than Austria has, and if they will do it, they
should be resisted as fally as any other foreign
power.
will suppose that Congress authorizes the
President to coed 10 Canada one half of the
State of Vermont, that he undertakes to do it,
and that the EuRemo Court decide that the act
is constitutional Is Vermont bound to submit
to such usurpation? Certainly not She has
an original and constitutional right to decide
the question for herself, and to resist the Fed
eral Government to the last extremity. If not,
where is her freedom, her independence? Say
you the Federal Court must decide such ques-
tions' That would be like setting the thief to
judge in his own case. The Court are part
Of the Government and are confederate in their
conspiracy against the rights of Vermont. Shall
an independent State yield to such dictationl
Every body knows that her rights are invaded.
Shall she crouch like an ass to be troden upon
hope not. The States are older than the Ma
ton, and their rights are prior to the national
government. And each State is bound to main.
tain her resaved rights against oil aggression.
Here can be no mistake. The law of self-pre.
servation requiresthis power to be inherent in