The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1856-01-09

and the admiral lie adaptation Of our pol
itica institutions to the objects, cons
bining local self~govenment with az
gregate strength, has established the
practicability of government like
ours to cover continent with confe-
derate states.
The Congress of the United States
is in effect, that Congress Of sovereign
ties which good men in the old world
have sought but could never attain.and
which imparts to America an exemp-
ton from the immutable leagues for
common action from the wars, the
mutual invasions and vague aspirations
of the balance Of power which cons
vulsed from time to time the governs
ments of Europe. Our cooperative
action rests in the conditions of per-
mancnt confederation preceded by the
Constitution.
Our balance of power is at the separ-
ate reserved rights Of the states and
their equal representation in the Senate
That independent sovereignty Of the
states rests with its reserved rights OF
local self government, assured to each
by their co equal power in the Senate
was the fundamental condition of the
construction Without it the Union
would never have existed However de-
sirous the larger states mi ght be to re-
organize the government so as to give to
their population its proportionate weight
! in the common councils. they knew it
was impossible unless they conceded to
the smaller owes authority to exercise at
least negative influence on all the
measures of the government whether leg
islate or executive, through their equal
representation in the Senate Indeed
the largest states themselves could not
have failed to perceive that the same
for the security of rhoir own domestic
interests against the aggregate force of
the general government In word the
original states went into this permanent
league on the agreed promises of cXort-
ing their common strength for the de-
fence of the whole. and of all its parts,
but Of utterly excluding all capability of
reciprocal aggression. Each solomhly
bound itself to all the others neither 20
undertake or permit any eucroachment
upon or intermcddiiug with another re-
served right. Where it was deemed OK.
p"dent particular rights of the states
were expressly guaranteed by the Consti-
tuition but in all thugs besides these
rights were guaranteed by the limitation
of the powers granted, and by express
reservation of all powers not granted in
the compact of Union. Thus the great
power Of cxaction was limited to pur
E poses Of common defence and genera
welfare, excluding objects appcrtaininl
to the local legislation of the severa
states, and lLose purposes of general wei
= fare aud common defence were after
I wards defined by spec fed enumeration
/ as beng matters only Of correlation DC
| tween the states themselves. or-hetwecr
. them ard foreign governments, which be
cause Of their common and general In
turc could rut be left to tlc scparat
control Of each state.
> OF the circumstances # local cond
II ton. interest and rights, in which por
j ton Of the states constituting one grea
p: section If the Union differed from til
h rest and from another section, the mos
!. important was the popularity of a large
y relative colored population III the Soul
crn than in the Northern States
- population Of this class held in snbjet
:, ton existed in nearly all the States, bt
u was more numerous aud If more seriot
:, concernm mt in the South than III tt
=, North. on account Of natural difference
IS of climate aud production, and it w
1t forcsccn that for the same reasons, whl
in this population would diminish and 500
9 err or later cease TO exist in some Stat
IN it might increase in others.
~ The peculiar character and magnitu'
~ Of his question of local rights, not
" material relations only, but still more
y social ones. Gauss, d it to enter into Il
es special stipulation Of the Constitution
n, hence. while tie general government.
al well by the enumerated powers grant
e, to it, was forbidden to touch this matt
nd in the sense Of attack or offence; it W
ho llaceG under the general safeguard
., the Union in the sense Of defence agar
!. either Invasion or domestic violence, il
all other local interests OF tue scNOI
., states. each state expressly stipulated
M well for itself ns for each and all Of
IN citizcns, and every citizen Of each sta
tn becamc solemnly bound by his allegiaI
nd TO the Constitution HAT any person ht
n. to service or labor in one state escapi
Of into another, should not, in consequer
20 Of any law or regulation thereof, be
- charged from such service or labor,
~ should be delivered up on Claim Of
~ party to whom such service or lal
ch might be due, ly tie laws OF lis sta
.ed Thus and thus only ly the recipro
guarantee of all the rights of every st
nG ngaint interference Oh the part Of
Dns other, was our present form If COVE
the m.ut established by our fathers ;
IN transmitted to US, aud by no other me
a., is it possible for it to exist If one st
WV ceases to reject the rights of anot
"' aud oL,rusiy,ly Intermediates with
ro> local intel es,s, of portion Of the sta
tu- assume to impose their Institutions
ing the others or refuse to fulfil their obi
My tions to thom, We are no longer uni