Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-01-08
VOL. TX, NO. 3.

nifty of trans Atlantic origin. with a mutual tie
OF common dependence OF Great Britain. When
that tie scve; ed iLey seyerally assumed the
form OF an absolute self-govcfEmeut The rnr-
uicipal and social Institutions OF each, the laws
OF property and OF personal relations, even the
political organization, was such cnly as each one
chose To establish, wholly without interference
from any other. In the language of the Declar-
aticn of Independence" Zach State has power
10 levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances,
establish commerce, and TO do all other acts
which independent States may of right do
The several Colonies differed ia climate, SOIL and
natural productions in religion, in systems of
education, Iii legislation and In the forms Of po-
lliIcal administrator and they continued TO diff
fer III these respects when they voluntarily al
lied themselves TO carry on the of the kevo-
luton. Tie object of that TO disen-
thrall the United Colonies from foreign rule,
which had proved to be oppressive and to sepa-
rate them permanently from the mother country.
The political result was the foundation of the
Federal Republic of the free white men of the
Colonies, constituted, as they were, in distinct
and reciprocally independent State Govern
menfs. AS for the subject races, whether In
dian or African. the wise ard brave Statesmen
Of that day, being engaged in no extravagant.
scheme of sudden change, left them as they were,
and thus preserved their posterity from the
archy and the ever recurring civil wars which
have prevailed In other revolutionary Colonies
OF America.
When tie ccnlederated States consented to
modify the c,.2ditioEs of their association by
giving to the General Government direct ac-
cess in respects to the people OF tie States,
icsfead OF ccntining 1t TO action or the States
such they proceeded 10 frame The existing Con-
stitGtlon adhering steadily 10 guiding thot,
which was to delegate only such power Wa
necessary and proper 10 the execution OF specific
purposes, or IN other words, 10 retain as much
as possible, consistently with these purposes of
the independent power of the individual States
For the objects of common defence and security,
they entrusted to the General Government GER
tam carefully defined functions, leaving all 9TH
ers as the Enlightened rights cf the several in
dependent ScNcrcIenties Such Is the ConstI-
tUtlonal theory of our Government, the practical
observance OF which. has carried Us and us alone,
among modern Republics, though nearly three
generations of men. without the cost ofone drop
of blood she'd in civil war. With freedom and
concert Of action it has enabled to contend
successfully on the battle field against all foes
has elevated the feeble colonies into powerful
States, and has raised our industrial productive
ness and the commerce which taasposes 1t to
the level OF the richest and greatest nations of
Europe and the admirable adoption Of po-
iitical institutions to their objects, combining
lccal self-government with aggregate strength,
has established the Practibility of Govern
ment like ours to cover a continent with confed-
rate States.
The Congress Of the [. S IS, in effect, that
Congress of soyereigEties which good men of
the cid world have sought for, but could never
emption from the mutual leagues for common
action, from the wars, the mutual invasions, and
the vague aspirations after the balance of pow
er which convulse from time to time the govern
ments of Europe. Our cooperative action rests
in the permanent confederation prescribed by
the Constitution. Our balance Of power is in
the separTre reserved rights of the States, and
their equal representation IN the Senate. That
independent sovereignty IN every one OF the
States with its reserved rights Of lccal self
] 4 al
power IN the Senate was the Fundamental con-
dition of The Constitution.
Without II. the Union would never have exis-
ted. However desirous the larger States may
have been to re-organize the government, so as
to give their population It's proportionate weight
in the common councils, they knew ii was in-
possible. unless they conceded to the smaller
ones authority 10 exercise at least negative in
fiuence III ali the measures OF the Government.
whether legislative or executive, through ther
equal representation in the Senate. Indeed the
larger States themselves could not have failed
70 forcsee that the same power equally nee
essary to them for tie security Of their own do
nestle interests against the aggregate force Of
the General Government.
In a word, the original States went into this
permanent league, on the agreed premises of
exerting then common strength for the defence
Of the whole and of Its parts, but of utterly ex-
cluding all capability q reciprocal assressions-
Each bound itself to all the Others. neither to
termeddling with aHothers reserved rights,
and where it WIS deemed eXpedieBt. particular
rights of the States were granted by the hmita-
tion Of the powers granted, and by express res
ery"tion Of all po~ eEs not granted in the COM
pact of Union.
Thus the great power of taxation was limited
to the purposes Of common defence and general
welfare, excluding objects appe1taining 10 The
local legislation of the separate States, and
those purposes of general welfare and common
defence were afterwards defined by specific emu
mcTation As being matters only Of correlation
between the States themselves, or between them
and foreign governments, which because of their
COMMON and general nature could not be left
to the separate control Of each State. Among
the circumstances Of local condition, interests
and rights, in which portion Of the States con-
stitutiug one great section Of the Union differ
ing from the rest and from another section, the
most important was the peculiarity of larger
relative colored population III the Southern than
the Northern States.
A population Of this class, held in subiection,
existed IN nearly all the States, but more
numerous and = more serious concernment N
/ the South than in the North, account of nat
ural difference in climate and productions, and
/ it was found that for the same reason why their
population would diminish, and sooner or later
cease 10 exist in some States, 1T might increase
! in others. The peculiar character and ragni-
4 tude of this question of local rights. not IN
teria relations only, but still more in social
ones, caused 1t to enter into the special slpula-
/ tions Of the Constitution. Hence, while the
| General Government, wen by the enumcra-
/ ted powers granted 70 It, by those not emu
I lneTated and therefore refused to it, forbid
den 70 touch this matter, In the sense Of attack,
or defence, it was placed under the gene"al SAFE
guard Of the Union, In the sense of defence
against either incursion or domestic violence.
/ like all other local interests Of the several
States. Each State expressly stipulated. AZ
well for itself as for each and ai OF Its citizens,
/ and every citizen of each State became solemn
/ " bound by his allegiance to the Constitution,
that any person held 10 service or labor in
state and escaping into another. should not IN
consequence of any law or regulation thereof be
discharged from such service labor, but should
! be delivered up upon claim of the patty 10
whom such service or labor might be due, by
/ the laws of his State. Thus and thus only by
the reciprocal guarantee Of all the rights of ev
erv State against interference the raTt of an
Other. was the present form of government es-
tablished bv our fathers and transmitted to
/ and by no other means is 1t possible for 1T to
If ono STATE ceased 10 reSDecf the rights