Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-01-02

Gus in their possible effect by reason of ,6o sefi
determined foreign interests existing in VI
Territories. to which your attention has La">e
been especially invited. Efficient mea.nral aaF
heen taken. which. it is believed, will re,tara use
ct. and afford protection to our citizens. a"'
In the Territory of Kansas there ha,o
acts prejndicial to good order. but as ", ~, -,
have occurred under circumstance t. iu>ilf. - - !
interposition of the federal Executive. ILa s'3 In
only be in case of obstruction to federal :" could
of organized resisian"e to territorial Inv ' or
ing the character OF iLsurrection. vliol srnl
should occur, it would be my duty promn,l II
overcome and suppress. | cherish The bad' Ia
ever, that the occurrence of any such nn IN
event will be prevented by the sound ..o .a NV
people of the Territory. who bv it, oroa,io 9e
possessing the right to determine their - ii :
nestle institutions, are entitled, while da,aa !.
themselves peacefully, ITO the free eserci p1.',hg
right, and must be protected in the pnioyprn '"a at
it. without interference on the part Of ,ha : VI
zens of any of the States. IL
The southern boundary line Of this Tor,i...
has never been surveyed and established Tiy,'
Notwithstanding settlements in thar ,oo;1n
and the fact that the main route betwao, - -
pendence, in the State of Missouri, and w.
Mexico, is contiguous to this line. suggest ,a
probability that embarrassing questions of in,i.
diction may consequently arise. For thes, sna
other considerations, | commend the subieet :,
your early attention.
CONSTITUTIONAL THEORY OF THE GOVERNMENT
| have thus passed in review the general STAT.
of the Union. including such particular conceln.
of the federal government, whether of dame.,io
or foreign relation. as it appeared to me lpsira.
BILE and useful to bring to the special notice of
Congress. Unlike the great States Of Eorope
and Asia, and many of those of America, lhe+,e
United States are wasting their strength neither
in foreign war nor domestic strife. Whatever
of discomfort or public dissatisfaction e>i>ts.3.
attributable to the inperfections of Human m.
ture, or is incident to all governments, however
perfect, which hannah wisdom can devise. Suel,
subjects IF political agitation, rs occupy the
public mind. consist, to n great extent, of exae
geration Of inevitable evils, or over zeal in social
improvement, or mere Imagination of grievance,
having but remote connexiou with any of the con.
stitutional functions or duties of the federpl 20.
yernnent. To whatever extent these questions
exhibit a tendency menacing "a the STABILITY of
the constitution, or the integrity of the Unian.
and no farther, thy d,lnand The consideratinn or
the Executive, ana lequirc to be presented By
him to Congress.
Before the Thirteen Colonies became a colfpd.
Grafton of Independent States, they were a.soc,Q.
It'd only by community of Transatlantic origin.
by geographical position, and by the mutual III.
~ ''''tii'i Wv ~ i"' " W. '''ht JblIlhlI " lin
that lie was snndered, they sryrrally assn med
the powers and rights ofnh,olute self government.
The municipal and social Institutions If each,
its laws of property and Of personal relation, even
it, political organization, were such only a. each
one choose to establish wholly without in,erfer=
ence from any other. In the language # tie
Declaration of Independence, eacn State Iai
full power to levy war, conclude Tea,e,
contract alliances, establish cnmmescr. and IL
- III - L -
emit States may of right do" The >eyelaI|
colonies differed in climate. in soil, in natural.
productions. in religion. in systems # ednea
ton, in legislation, and in the forms 81 polit.
cal administration, and they continued to differ
in these respects when they voluntarily allie
themselves as States to carry on the war oil Q
revolution.
The object of that war was to diSen,lral tn
United Colonies from foreign rule, which had
proved to be oppressive. and II separate them
permanently fr"m the mother cnnntiy; the l1alia.|
cal result was the foundation If II federal !, pu.
lie of the free white men of the colonies, const
tutrd, as they were. in distinct. and rooi,,rocauy
independent State governments. As for tle
subject races, whether Indian or African, thu
wise aud brave statesmen of that day. being en-.
gagged in no extravagant scheme of social change
left them as they were and thus preserved them
eelves and their posterity from the anarchy, and
thu eyer-recurring civil wars. which have pre-
vailed in other revolutionized European colonies
of America.
When the confederated States found it conye-
nient to modify the conditions Of their associa.
ton, by giving the general government direct
access, In some respects, TO the people # the
States instead of continuing it to action on the
States as such, they proceeded to frame tbe
existing constitution, adhering steadily to ole
guiding thought, which was, to delegate only
such rover as was necessary and proper 10 the
execution OF specific purposes, or, in other words
to retain as much as possible, consistently with
those purposes of the Independent powers Of the
in liyidual States. For objects of CANNON de-
fence and security they intrusted to the general
government certain careiul)y-dctined functions,
leaving all others as the undelegated rights OF
the separate independent sovereignties.
Such is the constitutional theory of our gov
ernment, the practical observance of which has
carried US. and us alone, among modern repub-
lies, through nearly three generations of time
without the cost Of one drop of blood shed in
civil war. With freedom and concert of action,
1t has enabled us to contend successfully on the
battle field against foreign foes. has elevated
the feeble colonies, into powerful States and has
raised our industrial productions, and our com
lnerce which transports them, to the level Of the
richest an the greatest nations of Europe. And
the admirable adaptation of our political ins'itn-
tons to their objects. combining local self gov.
eminent with aggregate strength. has establish
ed tn practicability of n government like ours
to cover a continent with confederate State.
The Congress Of the United States is, in Eject,
that congress of sovercignties. which good men
in the Old World have sought for, but could ney-
er attain, and which imparts t" America an ex-
emption from the mutabIe leagues for common
action. from the wars, the mutual invasioDs. and
vague aspirations after the balance of power
which convulsp from time 10 time the govern
ments of Europe. Our co operative action rests
IN the conditions Of permanent confederation pre-
scribed Ivy the constitution. Our balance OF pow
eris in the separate reserved right Of the States