Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-01-04

seven hundred and twenty thousand five hundred
and twenty-our acres yielding in receipts the sum OF
eleven million four hundred and eighty-ve thousand
three hundred and eighty dollars In the same period
of time eight million seven hundred and twentythree
thousand eight hundred and fftyfour have been
surveyed but in consideration of the quantity already
subject to entry additional tracts have been brought
into market
The peculiar relation of the general government to
the District of Columbia renders proper to commend
your not only its material but also its moral in
tcress including education more especially IN those
parts of the districts ausde of the cities ofWashington
and Georgetown
The commissioners appointed to revise and cody the
laws of the District have made such progress in the
performance of their task to insure its completion in
the time prescribed by the act of Congress.
Information has recently been received, that the
peace of the settlements in the Territories of Oregon
and Washington is disturbed by hostilities the part
Of the Indians with indications of extensive combina-
tons of hostile character among the tribes in that
quarter the more serious in their possible effect by
son of the undetermined foreign interests existing in
those Territories to which your attention has already
been especially invited. Efficient measures have been
taken which, it is believed will restore quiet and af
ford protection to our citizens.
In the Territory of Kansas there have been acts pre-
judicial to good ORDER but yet none have occurred
under circumstances 10 justify the nterposon of the
federal Executive. That could only be in of OBJ
structon to federal law of organized resistance to
territorial law. assuming the character OF insurrecon
which, if it should it would be my duty promptly
to overcome and suppress. cherish the hope, howev
err that the of such untoward event will
be prevented by the sound of the people of the
Territory who, by its organic law possessing the right
to determine their domestic institntions enti-
ted while deportng themselves peacefully, to the free
exercise Of that right and must be protected in the
ioyment of it, without interference the part Of the
citizens of any of the States.
The southern boundary of this Territory has
been surveyed and established The rapidly extending
settlements in that gon, and the fact that the main
route between Independence, in the State OF Missouri
and New Mexico is contiguous to this line suggest the
probability that embarrassing questions of jurisdiction
tiX arIxn thpCn hnr ITnr
atoms commend the subject to your early attention.
| CONSTITUTIONAL THEORY OF THE GOVERNMENT.
have thus passed in review the general state of the
Union including such particular of the fedora
government whether of domestic foreign relation,
it appeared to desirable useful to bring to thu
special notice of Congress- Unlike the great states
Europe and Asia and many of those of America, thes
United States wasting their strength neither in for
eign domestic strife. Whatever of discomfort
public dissatisfaction exists, is attributable to the i'm
perfecons of human nature incident to all
mcnts however perfect, which human wisdom de
u wise Such subjects Of political agitation occupy tn
+ public mind consist, to great extent of exaggeratio
y of inevitable evils zeal in social improvement
or mere Imagination of grievance, having but remot
n connexion with any of the constitutional functions
duties Of the federal government. To whatever exer
these questions exhibit tendency menacing to the sta
bty of the constitution the integrity Of the Uno
and farther they demand the consideration of the E,
" ecuve and require to be presented by!hm Congress
,, Before the Thirteen Colonies became confederate
of independent States they were associated only
is community of trans atlantic origin, by geographical Pr
sition and by the mutual tie of common dependence
l. Great Britain. When that tie sundered, they
"a rally assumed the powers and rights of absolute sci
q government. The municipal and social institutions
each its laws of property and OF personal relation
a. its political organization such only each OF
e. choose to establish, wholly without interference fro
e. any other In the language of the Declaration of Ind
OF pendence each State had 'fu power to levy war,
cude peace contract alliances establish commerce.
do all other acts and things which independent Stat
1T may of right do The several colonies differed in
I'd mate in SOIL in natural productions, in religion in
TENS of education in legislation and in the forms of
Is itoal administration; and they continued to differ
these respects when they voluntarily allied themselves
es States to carry on the war of the revolution
he The object of that to disenthral the Unit
Colonies ttom foreign rule which had proved to be
pressye, and to separate them permanently from t
At mother country the political result the foundat
ct of federal republic of the free white of the col
nv nics constituted IS they were in distinct and recpl
nd cay INDEPENDENT State governments AS for the su
ect races whether Indian African the wise and bra
OF statesmen of that day. being engaged in extrayaga
u scheme Of social change, left them they were
st thus preserved themselves and their posterty from
al anarchy and the ever-recuring civil wars which ha
prevailed in other revouonized European colonies
America.
When the confederated States found it convenient
nc modify the conditions of their association, by giving
the general government direct access respec
n to the people of the States, instead Of combining it to
ton the States SUCH they proceeded to frame
Ii existing constitution adhering steadily to gudi
nd thought which was to delegate only such power
necessary and proper to the execution of specific purl
ses or, in other words, TO retain much as possb
he consistently with those purposes of the independt
he powers of the individual States For objects of comm
defence and security they ntruSted to the general
he ernment certain carefully defined functions leaving
others the undelegaed rights of the separate ndep
+ba dent sovereigntes.
Such is the constitutional theory Of governme
the practical observance Of which has carried and
ty. alone among modern republics through nearly tn
re- generations of time without the cost of drop
al blood shed in civil With freedom and concert
actio has III
or battle field against foreign foes has elevated the fee
Ugh colonies into powerful States and has raised ind
nee trial productions, and commerce which transp
Them to the level of the richest and the greatest natl
OF of Europe And the admirable adaptation of our pc
cal institutions to their Objects combining local selfe
in eminent with aggregate strength has established
ally praccability of government like to
ield tinent with confederate States.
ous The Congress of the United States is, in effect
e congress of soveregnties which good men in the
World have sought for but could never attain, and wi
res imparts to America exemption from the mutable
the CUES for action from the wars the mutual
of vasons and vague aspirations after the balance OF
SRA er which convulse from time to time the government
Europe Our cooperative action rests in the condit
of permanent confederation prescribed by the const
ton Our balance of power is in the separate reSel
rights of the ST. and their equal representation IN
Senate That independent sovereignty In every on
the States with its reserved rights OF local SelfgoV
with ment assured to each by their coequal power in
the Senate the fundamental condition of the cons
the ton Without it the Union would never have eXls
on However DESTROYS the larger States might be to
ganze the government so as to give to their popua
hch its proportionate weight in the counses,
pro- knew it impossible, unless they conceded to
such maller ones authority to exercise at least negay
De uence on all the of the government, whe
po legislative or executive through their equal represe
ton in the Senate Indeed the larger States then