The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-02-10

hcation, 8 that the powers of govern.
ment may be resumed whatsoever it
shall be necessary to their happiness
and that "all powers not delegated
remain uith tie people Of tie scaeral
States, or their respective State 60
vernmcnts. Rhode Island ratified
the Constitution in the very words
used by New York.
But it may Lc answered that tic
States, i'll ralifyi ing the Constitution.
had no right to put terms to it. 1t
shows their understanding, however.
But | will throw aside this view, and
turn to the proceedings of the con-
vcntion which formed the Constitu-
ton. There were two propositions
which looked to disrobing the States
of their sovereignty: The one was
to make a State anlcnaLle to the Su.
prcmc Court of the United States;
the other was TO give to the General
Government the power to cocrcc a
State, should she resist the constitu.
tional cnactments cf Congress. These
propositions appeared in four different
plans, GnGccd, believe, in all of
thcm,) for there we're but four sub.
United to the convention. But what
was the fate of these propositions!
If either Of them passed, it was clear
that the States would not be soyc-
reign, for the very essence Of sovc-
rciSnty is, Its entire supremacy.
Both of them were voted down after
discussion, and the States we're left
TO be sulremr-to be sovereign with
iii their limits.
But, sir, the sovereignty Of the
States, and the consequent right Of
secession, results from the nature Of
the Government itself, independent
OF The ratification Of the States or the
records Of The convention. We have
had d str.ctcoiHtruction party III this
scoantrg called the Democratic partYs
and formerly tie Republican Iarty;
and the basis OF their creed is, the
Constitution as it is, without construc-
tion. Thence it is, that they have
denied the constitutionalisy OF banLs,
internal Improvements, aud of vari-
Gus other PR jects Which the oppo-
site party Lave affirmed to be consti
tutional. Now, no one will affirm
that there is amy express surrender
Of !licir sovereignty Ly the States
III the Constitution. How, then, can
the surrender be claimed BY con.
s;ruction- by inference. Was it ev.
CT heard Of that not only legislative
powers, but the very entity, the vcr;.
lie Of Il State. can be taken from her
BY nt'crcucc-by construction? And
still more extraordinary that party,
whose creed is all abstinence from all
constructive powers, who sickle at
the power to make bank on build a
road, because the power is not lain.
ly granted Oh The face of the CoI.sti-
tuition, should by construction usurp
the sovereignty Of the States. Aud
these call themselves Republicans
Democrats! 10 claim property, or
seize revenue by construction, is a
SrUss outrage Oh cian or people:
but to annlhilatc- to kill either by all
inlcrential authority, and that, too.
from thcnlsclvcs-i is the climacteric
Of absurdity or wickcdncss. Sir,
there was once man highly cstccn.
cd III the Union more highly cs.
tccncd by the Republican l,arty: lie
was lis great political father; and
when the 81 irit Of construction and
tyranny threatened to strike down
the liberty OF the press and the sovcr-
eighty oi the States, his genius rose
up with its clear and lnastcrly states
niauslip, and rescued the Constitu.
ton at It's last gasp. That man was
Thomas Jefferson. This authority
now may be very weak amongst the
Federal Democrats and Democratic
Fcdcralists, who now sway public
opinion; but once it stood asainst
the world lie was the most skiltul
and omnipotent party leader that has
ever guided and governed the coun.
ellis Of the country, save one Andrew
Jackson. Both ruled absolutely; the
one by his mild, clear intellect; the
ether, by his iron will. Mr.. Jcffer-
son, in the Kentucky resolutions Of
1899, distinctly lays down the true
principles of the Government and the
rights Of the States. The first of
these resolutions is as follows:
RcSolred, That the several States
composing the United States of Ame-
'ica arc not united OH the principle OF
the Unlimited submission 70 tho Gen
cral Govclnmcnt; but that by a COM
pact, under the style and title Of u
Constitution for the United States, and
OF amendments thereto, they constitu-