The Yazoo Democrat., 1854-02-22
Frcp, The Union
The Reserved Rights OF American
dsifiHems

new agitation of the Wilmot proviso an inqai-
ry may not be inopportune in relation to the
rights of Americans who reside within the Uni
ted States, but beyond the limits of any State.
State-rights have been often investigated but
peoples rights remain uninvestigated. The CON
stitution has, however not left the people with
out reserved rights. 1t declares that " the pow
ers not delegated to the United States by the con
stituion, nor prohibited by it TO the States, are
reserved to the States respectively, or 10 the peo
PIE" To ascertain, therefore, what powers are
reserved to people who reside beyond the limits
of any State, we have only to extract the powers
that are delegated to the United States By the
constitution" and that are prohibited by it to
the States" and all other powers which citizens
of the United States can exercise belong to such
people The position is so plain that it might
be easily formed into an algebraic equation, and
demonstrated mathematically And here we
may note, incidentally, that mems notions are
vague as to what constitutes State. We usu-
ally speak as though a State consisted of given
| portion of the earth rather than of the people
inhabiting given locality; and this prevents
us from seeing that Congress possesses, in rela-
pie who reside in Nebraska than over people
who reside in New York. Our exaltation ol
| the soil of State the people thereof is
analogous to the mistake that exalted the gold OF
the temple over the tempe-a mistake which
drew from our Saviour the sarcasm, ''Ye fools
and blind: FOR which is greater-the gold, or the
temple that sanctifeth the gold 2"
The only pretext for an Interpretation differ.
ing from the foregoing exists in the constitution
al provision, that Congress shall have power to
dispose Of, and make all needful rules and regu-
lations respecting the territory other property
belonging to the United States !" but to con-
strue this as giving Congress power to dispose
OF and make all needful rules and regulations
lesrectng citizens living on their own lands in
any pait Of the United States, con3titutes a lax
ity of construction az war with common sense
Thinl, of 'swe, the people of the United States
in order to secure the blessings of liberty to our
selves and our posterity, do ordain' that all o.
them who shall choose to reside beyond the
boundaries of any Stnte shall possess such liber
ties only as Congress shall from time to time
prescribe.
But if our citizens who remove to Nebraska
carry with them all powers, except those delega-
tel to the United States and prohibited to the
States, will they possess the right of sending
representatives, to Congress? No; for Congress
is composed of member chosen by the people
of the several States" The people OF Nebraska
4 can claim none Of the powers which belong to
State till they are admitted as such into tie
Union. So far also, as the proposed organiza-
Na4er
! the people thereof shall at any future time be
admitted as such into the Union as a State, with
or without slavery, as the people shall prefer,
Congress IS asked to concele what the people oi
Nebraska cannot consttutonaly demand. The
right of Congress to admit State, or reject an
admission. is essentially di0eren from The right
% dictate TO people whether they shall per
nit slavery or not the right to admit or rejec
being placed expressly within the unlimited dis
cretion Of Congress, while the power to dictate
ia relation to slavery Is nowhere granted. The
distinction in the two cases is highly important
TO a correct understanding OF The peoples rights
But though the admission of any new State Is
thus absolutely within The constitutional option
of Congress, the decision is not exempt from re.
sulting consequences, whether we choose to be
influenced thereby or not. Our confederacy is
the offspring of the volition OF each Of its mem
bers, and the volitien which created the conled
eracy is mainly the means which have thus fal
held it tog ther; and the means as long as they
continue operative, viii be adequate to preserve
the Union in all future time. Any decision
? therefore, in relation to the admission Of State
that unnecessarily prejudices the interest of
J portion of the States-Inore especially any de-
+ cision that unnecessarily outrages any por
: ton of the States-wil! weaken the voition to
wards union that constitutes our most reliable
cement. Force, which alone has held togethe
| all preceding extensive nationalities, has neve
rendered such adhesions perpetual; and ou
States whose origin is revolutionary, and who
are still individually organized as sovereigns art
not likely to deem oppression less bitter thar
their progenitors.
t Such being the tenure by which our confedera-
cy is united, what means are most efficient tc
prevent aggression on the respective members
, Tyranny is unfortunately not Russian, nor Tur-
kish, nor Austrian, nor Roman Catholic, nol
Protestant, but human nature and it is as much
concomitant of every majority in republic as
of every autocrat in despotism. The predispo-
sition towards tyranny is strong in man, hat
it needs but an exciting cause to make it burst
forth any where, at any time and wholly frres-
pective of the abstract qualities of the exciting
cause. If the majority prefer to drink water
they viii fine and imprison those who prefer
Il braxS H. ~.