The Woodville Republican, and Wilkinson advertiser., 1853-12-27
The Message State Rights.

Under this head, that able and influential
paper, the Richmond Enquirer, has an excel
lent article, showing, with most unmistakable
plainness, the evident and decided doctrines
which do, and will, shape the course of the
present administration. The grand starting
point and governingidea will bemost eminent
ly the doctrine Of State Rights--such State
Rights as have been preached and practiced
by such men as Jefferson, Madison and 9TH
ers, in former times, ard by jeff Davis and
the organs Of the State rights party in Missis-
sippi in latter days. The doctrines against
which such acrlisade was preached by design
ing demagogues in this State but few years
since, which somewould fain believe, and shud
der while they believed must ehectually ruin
the country, damn the Constitution and rem
der our fruitful hills and smiling plains but a
dreary wilderness, a bowling waste of wild
beasts and demons we say this doctrine is
now the sheet anchor of an Administration
which assumed the reins Of Government by Il
more universal and more nearly unanimous
voice olthe whole people than any ever before
The Pres dent nobly and boldly affirms it, de-
c!arcs it will be maintained as the only true
method of rightly maintaining the Constitu-
ton and practicing the views Of the trainers
of that instrument. The following extract
from the message, speaks for itself, and speaks
plainly enough for the comprehension, even o.
so-called Union wings of the strictest secl:
| am deeply sensible of the immense re-
sponsibility whichsthe present magnitude o
the republic and the diversity and multiplicity
of its interests, devolves upon me; the allie
Walton of which, so far as relates to the i'm
mediate conduct of the public business is, first
in my reliance on the wisdom and patriotism
Of the two houses of Congress; and second
ly, in the directions afforded me by the prin
eiples of public policy, affirmed by ourfather
Of the epoch of l70S, sanctioned by long ex
perience, and cousecrated anew by the over
whelming voice Of the people of the United
States.
Recurring to these principles, which con
stltute the organic basis Of union, we perceiv,
that, vast as are the functions and duties o
the General Government, vested in or entrust
ed 10 its three great departments, the legisla
tive, executive and judicial, yet the substantiv,
power, the popular force, and the large capa
cities for social and material development, ex
ist in She respective States, which all being o
themselves we'll constituted Republics, as the,
| preceded, so they alone are capable Of main
tanning and perpetuating che American Enion
The Federal Government has its appropriat,
line Of action in the specific and limited pow
ers conferred on it by the Constitution, chief,
as to those things in which the States have
common interest in their relations to one an
other and 10 foreign Governments; while til,
great mass Of interests which belong to cult
yated men, the ordbary business Of life, tn
springs of industry, all the diversified person
al and domestic affairs Of society, rest securel,
upon the general reserved powers Of the peo
pie Of the several States. There is the eifec
tive democracy of the nation, and there tn
vital essence of its greatness"
The following is the article from the En-
quirer spoken of above:
| Within the last quarter century, the powe
Of the Federal Government has been Immense
" aggrandized by ssurpation of sovereig
rights Of the States. This tendency toward
the Capitalization and consolidation Of tn
political power which a just theory Of our sy.
tenn Of government would distribute anon
the States, has been deplored by Democrat
Of the school Of Jefferson and Madison bu
I they have not been able to arrest the move
ment. They have made gallant stand 70
State rights, but without success. The pei
version OF the constitution and the aggrandizt
ment Of the Federal Government made sue