American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1856-01-03

cillzsns OF any OF The States.
The Southern boundary line Of this
Territory has never been surveyed and
established. The rapidly extending sell
Elements in that region. and the fact that
the mein route between independence. in
the State Of Missouri. aud New Mexico,
is contiguous to this line. sugges, the
probabilgyIhAi embarrassing question Of
junsdicJon must CONSEQUENTLY arkst-.
For these end other Considerations. l
conmend'the subject 70 your early atten.
'ioni
coNsriruTIoNAI THEORY or THE GOVERN
MENT.
1 have thus passed in review the gener-
ahstate of the Union, including such par
%ticular concerns Of the federal government,
whether of domestic or foreign relation, as
it appeared TO me desirable and useful to
hing TO the special notice of Congress-
Unlike the great Ststes Of Europe and A
STA, and many ofihose Of America, these
United States are wasting their strength
neither in foreign wal nor domestic strife.
Whatever of discomfort or public dissstis-
faction exists, sattributable to tile imper-
%fections of human nature, or is incident to
all governments. however perfect, which
human wisdom can devise. Such sui lects
of political agitation. as occupy the public
mind, consist to a greet extent, of exagger-
alton Of inevitable e%vils.or over zeal in So
cial improvement, or mere imagination of
grievance, but having remote connexion
with any of The constitutional functions
or duties of1he federal government. To
whatever extent these questions exhibit a
tendency menacing to the stability Of the
Constitution or integrity Of the Union. and
no farther. they demand the consideration
of the Executive, and require TO be pre-
sented by himto Congress,
Before the Thirteen Colonies became a
confederation of Independent States, they
were associated only by community of
trans Satanic origin. by geographical posi-.
ton, and by the mutual tie Of common de-
pendence on Great Britain. When that
Tie was sundeIod. they seyera'ly assumed
the powers and rights of absolute self-gov-
eminent, The municipal and social insti,
Unions of each, its laws Of property and Of
personal relation, even in its political or
ganizalion. were such only as each one
choose to establish. wholly without inter-
ference from any other. In the language
of the Declaration of independence. each
State had full power to levy war, con-
clude peace, contract alliances, establish
commerce, and to do all other acts and
things which independent States may of
right do" The several colonies differed
in climate, in soil, in natural productions,
in religion, in system Of education. in leg
i%slation. and in the forms of political ad-
ministration; and they continued to differ
in these respects when they voluntarily al
lied themselves as States 10 carry OH the
war of the Revolution.
The object Of the war was to disenthral
tho United Colonies from foreign rule,
which had proved to be oppressive. and to
separate them permanently 'front.' the moth
er country; the political result was the
foundation of a federal republic Of the free
white men of the colonies, constituted, as
they were, in distinct, and reeiprocalIy in
dependent State governments. As for the
subject races, whether Indian or African,
the wise and the Draws statesmen of that
day, being engaged in no extravagant
scheme Of social change, i f them as they
were, and thus preserved themselves and
their posteri'y from the anarchy, and tho
ever recurring civil wars. which have pre-
vailed in the revulutiUnizcd European col
onies of America.
When the confelera.cd States found it
convenient to modify the conditions Of
their association. ty giving TO the general
government direct ace ess, in som respects,
to the people Of tho States as such, they
proceeded to frame the existing constitu-
lion. adhe,ing steadily to one guiding
thought. which was, to delegate only such
power as was necessary and proper to the
execution Of 81 eciic purposes, or, in other
words, to retain as much as possible, con
%sistent with those purposes, Of the indc-
pendent powers Of the individual State
For objects Of common defence and secu-
rity, they intrus.ed to the general govern
ment certain carefully defined functions.
leaving all others as heundylegated rights
of the separate independent sovereignties.
Such is the constitutional theory Of our
government, tile practical observance of
which has carried us, and US alone, among
modern republics, through nearly three
generations Of time, without tie cost Of one
drop Of blood shed in civil war. With
freedom and concert of action, it has ena.
bled us to contend successfully on the bat
lie field against foreign foes, has elevated
the feeble colonies into powerful States,
and has raised our industrial productions,
and our commerce which transports them.
to the level of the richest and the greatest
nations Of Europe. And the admirable
adaptation Of our political institutions to
their objects. combining local self govern
ment with aggregate strength, has estab-
lished the precticability Of a government
like ours to cover a recruitment with confed-
crate States.
The Congress Of the United States. in
effect, that congress Of sovereignties,
which good men in the Old world have
sought for. and could never attain, and
which imparts to America an exemption
from the mutable leagues Of common &C
ton, from the wars. the mutual myasions,
and vague aspirations after the balance Of
power, which eonyulse from time TO time
the governments Of Europe. Our co-ope-
rative action rests in the conditions ofper-
manent confederation preserved by the
constitution. Our balance of power is in