Mississippi palladium. [volume] (Holly Springs, Miss.) 1851-1852, 1852-05-06

wild waste of ignorance and supersti-
ton, and every star that shone in the
moral and political heavens, were
quenched in the long and chill! night of
ages that threw its death-like pail upon
the worldl
2. That the general government
contemplated and authorised by the
federal constitution is the mere agent
of the States in the execution Of GER
lain delegated poaoers. in regard to the
extent of which the States themselves
are the final judges.
If we can suppose the federal gov
ernment to have been in existence be-
fore the constitution was formed, then,
we can readily admit that 1T might
have divided sovereign political power
with the States, and thus become a
party to the national compact; but if
was the States that formed the consti-
tuition, and the general government
had no existence until the States crea-
ted it out of the dust of political chaos,
and blew into its nostrils the breath oi
life. Hence, the States, and the States
alone, are parties to the national COM
pact, and the federal government only
a coordinate department. That the
States themselves are the final Judges
in all cases of disputed power between
the State and federal departments Of
government, may be learned from the
history of the times; from the debates
| in the convention that formed the con.
stitution itself. But, if other evidence
was wanting, ART. X of the amend
ments to the Constitution, would set
tie this point beyond controversy,
which says:
CART. Y. The powers not delegated to the
United States, by the constitution, nor prohibit
ed by it to the States are reserved TO the States
respectively. or to the people"
In cases of disputed power between
the federal government and the States
since there is no common umpire tC
decide between, must be decided by the
S tates, because, TIE powe- to decide
has not been delegated to the United
States" in any clause of the constitu
ton that can be found, nor has it beer
J"prohibited to the States in any par
of the consultation, therefore, it mus
have been preserved to the States re
spectively, or to the people" 1t i
certain, then, that the right TO finaII,
Judge of the extent of the powers o
the federal government, is one of tn,
RESERVED RIGHTS of the States.
3. That when the reserved power:
of the States are infringed by the gen
eral government, or the delegated pow
ers abused by it, its creators, the States
possess the right OF S tate interposition
! or State veto, otherwise there woult
be no remedy for any usurpation of tn,
reserved powers of the States, nor 70
the abuse, how fragrant soever, of th'
delegated powers.
r Such was the State-Rights platform
and one party was not proposing tt
put the State on its reserved rights
for the purpose Of withdrawing iron
the Union, for the very words of tn
constitution itself put the State of Mis-
) sissppi ON ALL THE RESERVED RIGHT
that State-Rights men erer claimed il
the whole controversy for and agains
the compromise. / stood alooi from
the great controversy going on be
tween the "Union-revolutionary" an
State-Rights parties, and took 10 10
or part in the final result, except t
cast my vote as all other citizens did
and | was foolish enough Of you call
foily.) 10 cast my cote fbr PRINCIPLE
: and not nameS-as some of our worth
citizens of the Union.revolutionary
I party have had the candor to confes.
! was their sad situation. The State
Rights party, then, proposed to pu
the State of Mississippi on no power
t whatever, except such as have been ri
served to the States from the organ
! cation of the federal government, an
t which Mr.. Jefferson calls the s.nature
: right Of erery State," not having bee
!; delegated to the United States" nc
: prohibited to the States by the cor
: stitution." Techarge eState-Righ1
D party, therefore, with proposing I
! put the State on its reserved rights.
: when, in fact, it is The constitrtic
: which puts it there, is piece of stupi
4 folly or reckless demagogueism, tn;
q l had not expected TO find in one claim
g ing to be member of the republica
t party of the United States; albei
: such is the very awkward position I
r the editor of the Washington Union
d Some Of the leading members of ii
: State-Rights party, il is true, propose