Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-09-20
For the Daily State sentinel.

The writer was present at the meeting held
| by the Fusionists at the corner of Washing
ton and Meridian streets on Friday evening
last, and listened to the speeches of Messrs
| Wallace and Dillon. The latter gentleman
made a very confused speech, in which he
endeavored to enlighten the people on "pop-
ular sovereignty" He coutended that all
| the rights and sovereignty, held and enjoyed
by the people of Indiana, or by the people o.
| any other State, were held and derived from
and through Congress, or from the people Of
| the I'D thirteen United States who formed
| the Constitution of the United States.
He also contended that none of the States
now, or ever, enjoyed the rights of sovereign.
ty. 1t is strange that a man of Mr.. billions
| intelligence should contend for such absurdi-
ties.
1t is plain, under our form of government
| all sovereign power is involved in the people
| And il is also clear that they have never, al
any time, given that power wholly to the
| Federal Government. The different States,
and the people of the different States, were
sovereign and independent State or colonies,
at the time, and before the formation of the
constitution, and they AVE never given up
to Congress or to the Federal Government,
all of their sovereign power, but only a part,
and that within their power of revocation.
They have never given up to the General
Government any part of their sovereignty to,
or over their internal and domestic affairs.
The State of Indiana is a sovereign State,
and has a government within herself, that in
certain respects is as free from the control Of
Congress or the Federal Government, as it is
from that of any foreign government. 1t is
also equally true that the Federal Govern
ment, is a government with certain special
and limited pOlOers which are clearly defined
in the Constitution of the United States. And
it is also equally true the General Govern
ment has no right TO encroach on the State
governments or to encroach on the resolved
rights of the people of the different States.
All powers not expressly delegated to the
Federal Government, in the Constitution, is
withheld and reserved to the several States
and to the people of the several States.
Such being the case, it is great folly to sup
pose that all power and sovereignty of the
people have come to them through Congress
or the Federal Constitution. The sovereign
ty of the States and of the people of the diff
ferent States, is older than the Constitution
itself. The colonies gained their liberties by
the sword and their rights and sovereignty
arc inherent. 1t is clear if any one OF the
original thirteen States had refused to have
adoptad the Constitution of the United States,
that such State would have been left out OF
the Unoin and would have been, and remain
ed a sovereign State, and in and of itself, free
from the control of the Federal Government.
II the State or colonies were not sovereign, at
the time and before the adoption of the Con-
stitu.ion, why were the smaller States (Del-
aware and Rhode Island) allowed an equal
representation in the Senate of Congress, in
order to respect, represent and to guard their
sovereignty?
Popular sovereignty, or the right Of the
people at home to make laws and to govern
their VINO internal and domestic affairs, in
their own way, is what all Fusionists and
Federalists dislike. Federalists have always
contended and desired, hat all the law max
ing power Of the country should be invested
in Congress, while on the other hand the
Democrats have, at all times, contended for
State rights and for the right of local legis-
Iation; that is, for the people of each State
and locality to have the right of making all
laws and regulating their internal and domes-
tic affairs. The Democrats have been ready
and willing at all times, to trust the people,
while their enemies have always been afraid
of giving power in the hands of the people.
We would say to the masses-to the people
that You have now the power in your W
hands, and you should look well and see that
it is not taken from you.
The man that is afraid to trust the people
with power, is no Democrat; nor is such a
man fit to be trusted with the rights of a free
people. UNION.