The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1854-09-15
4 D D R D 3 s
or TIE
STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE, No. A
n The People of Pennsylvania:

"a
To the People Of Pennsylvania
Fellow -ClTlzENs-T have been anag-
onistcaI principles and antagonistical parties in
oovernuents, from their first institution to the
present time The one, taking from the people
all power of self-goverBmeut, and in effect de-
nving their right az we'll as their capacity to
Govern themselves. The other, claiming in the
language of our Declaration of Independence,
.ahat all men are created equal, that they are
endowed by their creator with certain inalipn-
able rights that amongst these are life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure
these rights governments are instituted among
men, dvirtng their just go,oers from the con-
sent of the g0reraed ; that wherever any form
Of government becomes destructive OF these
ends. II is the right OF the people to alter or TO
abolish it, and 10 institute new government,
laying It's foundation on such principles, and
oroanizins It's powers in such iSrm as to them
shall seem most likely to effect Their safety and
happiness"
It was these antagonistical principles that led
TO onr war of Independence. The great mass
oitbe American people then asserted, distinctly
aud unequivo,aIly, tint all po,cer ocas inherent
m the people That they not only possessed the
right Of splfgovernment bot the capacity also
10 exercise the right. The British OF that day,
and their adherents in this country, denied this
rght as we'll as this capacity. Cur fathers he
roicaly maintained their positions, and estab-
lishrd their governments upon the principles
for which they fought and the right of man to
govern himself, and his capacity to do it, in this
country at least, are trulsns which no man dare
deny.
But although we conquered from reluctant
England, and obtained from all the governments
of Europe the recognition of our government,
thus established, yet the despots of the old
world have ever looked with jealous eve upon
our republican institutions, and we had party
among US duving the war of the revolution: and
we have never been without such party since,
that practically have denied mans right and
ability to govern himself.
When the constitutions of the several States
Of the Union were under consideration, this
party, without an exception, were strenuous IN
their endvakorS to cIothe the government with
strong, If not with arbitrary power; to keep, as
they said, the people in check They took all
the power they could from the people and vest
ed it in the government, thus reversing the dec
araton, that governments derive their just
powers from tie consent Of the governed; and it
has taken the friends OF the people from that
time 10 the present TO correct these arbitrary
provisions in their organic law. In some OF the
States the aristocracy has so intrenched itself be-
hind the barriers of wealth and exclusive prvI-
pges, that even in this age OF progress, the Peo-
pie have not vet been able entirely to dISloGgr
them and, If not ia their organic law, in their
ordinary legislation the people of those states
have been subjected to a restriction OF their
rights, and tyranny in their government
scarcely exceeded in those countries where des-
potstn prevails.
In framing the constitution of the United
States, these opponents of the peoples rights en-
deavored 10 establish a consolidated govern
ment, which should tend to centTalize in the
general government all the powers and rights
OF The several states, well as OF the people,
They claimed to establish strong and magnif-
cent government with numerous high offices,
and whenever they were in power, and had the
opportunity, they carried these views into ef-
feet
The ether party, in the days OF the revolu-
tion. was composed Of these who asserted and
maintained the rights Of the people, who put
forth the Declaration of Independence, and ba-
sed their government upon the principles con-
tanned in it, Ours was the first government
ever established upon those principles, and II
has been model for all subsequent governments.
in the stormy DAYS Of the revolution, the Union
oi the States was held together more by sense
OF mutual dependence, than any coerclre au-
th0rity existing in the government of the Union.
In the organization Of the several state govern
ments, the friends of the people endeayored to
make them as democratic as they could. Still,
the influence of habit, an attachment to the or
dinarv forms to which they bad been accustom-
ed, partial ignorance Of the forms in which
their principles could be best carried out, and
dISinclination TO enter upon new and untrled
theories, prevented as full and complete a
reform IN their governments as experience has
since shown to be necessary, and enabled those
OF the other party TO succeed in their views TO
a greater extent than they ought 10 have done.
When The throes and the troubles Of the revo-
luton were passed, and it was found necessary
10 establish better form of government for the
Union than the old articles of confederation at
fofded, the convention of 17S7-S assembled to
accomplish this purpose. Here the same an
tagonistic elements We're found at work. The
friends of the people, believing that the country
was best governed in which the government
was least felt by The people, were in favor of
retaining to the people and to the state govern
ments, all power not necessarily requisite to the
transaction Of the business ofthe general gov
ernment. They wished 10 confer upon the
general government only certain specific and
enumerated powers, that were absolutely neces-
Sary for such limited government or confeder-
alton. Their opponents, as has been stated,
were for clothing the general government with
almost nnlimitad nnwers which. II orantad