Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1853-12-21

sentiment which then existed in relation to details
and specific provisions, the acquiescence of distin
guished citizens whose devotion to the Union can
never be doubted, has given renewed yigor TO our
and restored sense of repOse and Sc
curity to the public mind throughout the Confed |
eracy That this repOse Is to suffer no shock du-
ring my official term, If have power to avert it,
those who placed me here may be assured. The
wisdom of men, who knew what independence
cost -who had put all at stake upon the issue of
the revolutionary struggle,-disposed or the sub
ject to which refer, in the only way consistent
with the union of these States and with the march
of power and prosperity which has made us what
we are 1t Is significant fact, that from the adop-
ton of the Constitution until the officers and SOL
ders of the Revolution had passed to their graves
or through the infrmities of age and wounds, had
ceased to participate actively in public affairs,
there was not merely quiet acquescence in, but
aprompt vindcation of, the constitutional rights
of the States. The reserved powers were scrupu-
lousy respected. No statesman put forth the
views of casuists to justify interference and
agitation, but the spirit of the compact regard
ed as sacred in the eye of honor, and indispensa-
BILE for the great experiment of civil liberty which,
environed by inherent difficulties, was yet borne
forward in apparent weakness by power superior
to all obstacles. There is no condemnation, which
the voice of freedom will not pronounce upon us,
should we prove fathless to this great trust
While men inhabiting different parts of this vast
continent can no more be expected to hold the
same opinions, or entertain the same sentiments,
than every variety of climate or soil can be eX-
Isl,
they can unite in q common object and sustain
common principles essential to the maintenance
of that object. The gallant men of the South and
the North could stand together during the strug-
gle of the Revolution; they could stand together
in the more trying period which succeeded the
clangor of arms AS their united vaor was ade-
quate to all the trials of the camp and dangers of
the field, so their united wisdom proved equal to
the greater task of founding, upon a deep and
broad basis, institutions which it has been our
privilege to enjoy and will ever be our most sacred
duty to sustain 1t is but the feeble expression of
faith strong and universal, to say that their sons
whose blood mingled so often upon the same field
during the war of 1912, and who have more re-
Gently borne in triumph the flag of the country
upon foreign soil will never permit alienation of
feeling to weaken the power of their united efforts
nor internal dissensions to paralyze the great arm
of freedom, upfted for the vindication of sef-gov
eminent.
l have thus briefly presented such suggest
ions as seem to me especially worthy of your
consideration. In providing for the present, you
can hardly fail to avail yourselves of the light
which the experience of the past casts upon the
future.
The growth Of our population has now brought
us in the destined career of our national history,
to point at which it well behoves us to expand
our vision over the vast prospective.
The successive decennial returns of the census,
since the adoption of the Constitution, have reveal
ed Il law of steady progressive development, which
may be stated in general terms, duplication
every quarter century. Carried forward, from the
point already reached, for only short period of
time as applicable to the existence of nation, this
law of progress, if unchecked, will bring us to al
most incredible results. A large allowance for
diminished proportional effect of emigration would
not very materially reduce the estimate, while the
increased average duration of human life, known
to have already resulted from the scientific and by
genic improvements of the past fifty years. Will
tend to keep up through the next fifty, perhaps
hundred, the same ratio Of growth, which has been
thus revealed IN our past progress; and to the IN
1uence of these causes may be added the influx OF
laborlnS masses from eastern Asia to the Pacific
side of our possessions, together with the probable
accession of the populations already existing in
other pats of our hemisphere which within the
period in question, will feel, with yearly increasing
force the natural attraction of so vast, powerful,
and prosperous confederation of sclfgoverning
Republics and will seek the privilege of being adj
United within its safe and happy bosom, transfer
| ring with themselves, by q peaceful and healthy
process of incorporation, spacious regions of vir
gin and eXuberant Oil,whch destined to swarm
with the fast-growing and disappearing millions
| of ourrace.
These considerations seem fully to justify the
presumption, that the law Of population above sta
ted, will continue to act with undiminished effect
through at least the next half century; and that
thousands of persons who have already arrived at
maturity and are now exercising the rights of free
men, will close their eyes on the spectacle OF more
than one hundred millions of population embra-
| ced within the majestic proportions of the Amer
can Union. 1t is not merely as an interesting top
c of speculation that present these views for your
consideration. They have important practical
bearings upon all the political duties we are called
upon to perform. Heretofore, our system OF Gov
eminent has worked on what may be termed min
iature scale, in comparison with the development
which it must thus assume, within future so near
at hand scarcely to be beyond the present OF the
existing generation.
1t is evident that confederation vast and so
varied, both i'll numbers and in territorial extent
in habits and in interests, could only be kept in
tional cohesion by the stricest fidelity to the prin
cpes of the Constitution, as understood by those
who have adhered to the most restricted construc-
ton OF the powers granted by the people and the
States Interpreted and applied according to those
principles, the great compact adapts itself with
healthy ease and freedom to an unlimited extern
sion Of that benign system of federative sef-gov
ernment of which it is our glorious and trust i'm
mortal charter Let us, then, with redoubled Wig
lance, be on our guard against yielding to the
temptation of the exercises of doubtful powers,
even under the pressure of the motives of conceded
| temporary advantage and apparent temporary eX-
pedency.
The minimum of Federal Government, compati-
bic with the maintenance of national unity and
efficient action in relations with the rest Of the
world, should afford the rule and measure of con-
struction of our powers under the general clauses
or the Constitution. spirit of strict Difference to
the sovereign rights and dignity of every State,
rather than disposition to subordinate the States
into provincial relation to the central authority,
should characterize all exercise of the respect
i've powers temporarily vested in us as q sacred
trust from the generous confidence Of our constit-
uents.
In like manner as q manifestly indispensable
condition of the perpetuation of the Union, and of
the realization of that magnificent national future
adyerted to does the dutv become yearly strOnrpr