Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1854-01-20

van III al lsBlslHtFc action, mas been violated.
The result, too, has always been unfortunate,
and demonstrated the folly Of going beyond
the limits Of declaring and securing the rights
Of individuals and furnishing and redressing
their wrongs.
Government has no right to interfere with
tho pursuits Of the governed. When il as.
sumes the power Of discriminating between
different classes, it is usurpng power of SOW
ereignty which the people have never confer
red. The exercise Of talents and industry
should be left within the limits of the gener-
al laws No class or particular body Of men
should possess rights or privileges not enjoy
ed by the whole masses Of the body polite
We are accustomed fully TO consider all the
advantages of the general prevalence of the
principle Of equality in our political system
Like The air which we breathe, its very COM
monness is an obstacle TO tho full appreciation
of oil its blessings. The ordinary discharge
Of the duties Of citizenship calls into exercise
all the mental faculties. The administration
Of public affairs, by requiring the cooperation
Of the people, furnishes them with the most
useful and practical lessons in government and
legislation. As jurymen, they are called upon
to consider the weight of evidence, 10 recon
clle the contradictions Of different statements,
and TO pronounce an authoritative iudrmen.
upon the law as modified by the facts thus
determined
The right Of suffrage requires them TO in
form themselves Of, and pronounce judgment
upon. the actions Of their agents, and the pro-
priety of legislation. The exercise of these
rights and duties requires intelligence. The
possession of knowledge gives moral force,
discussion and activity to the individual its
universal diffusion, power and responsibility
to the people and perpetuity to their institu-
tons.
The Union of these States is another infu-
ential cause Of our growth and prosperity, and
that of every other State. The freedom OF
intercourse, by which the citizen of one State
is entitled TO the rights of citizenship in every
other.-the freedom of trade, permitting the
transportation Of the products of agriculture
and of art without import or duty, 10 every
extremity Of our extended territory, has stim-
ulated, and. at the same time, encouraged and
rewarded industry.
In this point of view, tho continuance Of
the unity of the States is matter of no small
Importance. Its perpetuity depends upon the
respect which the people have for it. That
respect is exhibited by the observance of the
laws which the State and National Legisla-
ture have enacted. A disregard of these
laws and OF the provisions of the Constitution,
is a preliminary step towards the dismember-
ment of that Union which our fathers formed,
and strove to perfect by concession, concia-
tion and compromise.
The fruits of dismemberment would be the
destruction of the justice which they wished
to establish, the introduction of civil dssen-
sons in the place Of domestic tranquility, and
the overthrow of that liberty, the blessing Of
which they desired TO secure TO themselves
and their prosperity.
The just solution Of political questions is al
ways attended with difficulties Under our
form Of government these perplexng difficult
ties are rather increased than Diminished
We have two governments, not separate. but
coordinate. The powers of both are delega-
ted by the people. To the one is given the
management Of the external affairs of the
Union. and, in degree. the intercourse of
the States with each other. To the State
government is committed the regulation of its
internal or domestic affairs Each State is an
independent sovereignty. except in those par
tcuars in which she has waived her sover.
eighty TO the General Government. Their
intercourse with one another is. in many re-
spects, that of independent nations
1t is, therefore, the duty Of Chief Magis-
trate. not only to see that the laws of his own
government are properly executed. but that
the rights Of his own State are respected and
observed by his confederates The recipro-
cal duty of implicitly regarding the rights Of
other soyereignties is equally obligatory.
The observance of those distinctions and
the performance cannot but secure our peace
and perpetuato our union.
In the midst OF the blessings with which
we are surrounded. we should remember that
an arm stronger than that of man, and wis.
dom greater than human intelligence rules
and governs. guides and directs the affairs OF
men. The observance of the great moral
laws which that Power has imposed in all our
relations. personal as well as national. will be
more certain than all other causes, to secure
a continuance OF our prosperity, and to pre-
serve our institutions in the health and beau
ty Of their origin.