The Nevada Democrat., 1856-10-15
The Meddllng TheOry of government.
Extract from Speech Of Hon. Hordtio Seymour, delirere
at Springfield, Mass. July 4th, 1856.

seymour,
at Springfield, Mass, July 4th, 1856.
In antagonism to the Democratic creed of To-
cal and Individual freedom, there has always
existed a pragmatic organization. which under
different names has sought to build up system
of political meddlng. Its purposes may have
been good; its claims have been high-toned and
exacting Constantly defeated by the results
of its erroneous principles, its instincts lead it
to renew its attempts at power by new projects.
1t is as confident and as denunciary to-day,
as when it sought to uphold national banks and
high tariffs. 1t now claims the exclusive cham
pienship of morals, religion and liberty, as it
once did the guardianship of the finances and
industry of the country. We deny that the
meddling system of politics is favorable to
morals, religion or liberty. History proves the
contrary 1t has ever been the bane of EACH 1t has
always furnished the preteXts of tyrants. The
fires of bgotry the iron rule of despots, the
leaden weight Of ignorance and degradation,
came from pragmatical doctrines.
Political medding has done nothing for reli-
gion here 1t has hung Quakers-it prosecuted
Roger Williams-t has driven pious women
into exile-it has tried to uphold a theocracy
in New England-it has divided the church OF
our land-it has caused bitter sectional hate.
1t has done no good We need not go back into
the past to show this-t is proved by the ques-
tions of the day. We have political meddling
with morals in coercive temperance laws; poll
tical meddling with religion in Know Nothing
ism and divided churches; political meddling
with rights of local legislation by the Republi-
can party. They sprung from common senti-
ment. The man of the South who supports
Know Nothingsm. upholds the spirit of bigotry
which calls Republicanism into existence
The man of foreign birth who aids in the at
tempt to disfranchise the emigrant to the west,
will find that he is laboring to take away the
right of citizenship from the emgrant from the
eastern world. He who interferes with those
thousand miles away, must not object to the
intermeddling of his neighbors with his domestic
or personal affairs. Those who fan the fires of
fanaticism in any of its forms, will find their
homes invaded by its flames.
1t is remarkable that the doctrine of local
self-government is most bitterly assailed in
some of the New England States, which owe
their political power to this principle. Equal
representation is given to each State in the
Senate, the most important branch of the fede-
raj SYSTEM for it has not only the law making
power in common with the House of Represen-
tafives, but also the power to confirm treaties,
(Which are superior to law,) and to restrain the
Executive by rejecting official appointments
The Senate holds in check every other depart
ment of government
If New England was asked to give up its dis
proportionate power in the Senate, it would
point to the constitutional compact. Then let
New England see that the compact is respected
where it gives as well as where it takes. If it
was urged that, with population less than that
of New York, New England has ten Senators
and ten electoral votes beyond its proportionate
share and that the constitution should be amen
ded to do away with this inequality, the answer
would be be- that it was the wise policy of our
constitution to uphold State sovereignties that
the organization of the Senate was designed to
prevent interference with local affairs by the
general government that representation by
States was intended to keep alive the principles
of local self-govcrnment. For these reasons
the small States are allowed disproportionate
share of power in the Senate. Without these
reasons, the disparity would be intolerable,
But the power was given only for defensive,
not for aggressive purposes. The dspropor-
ton of power becomes greater each year. Most
of the new States have each of them land fit for
cultivation equal to the aggregate OF the six
New England States Many of them far exceed
that amount In few years they will fill up
with population, while your numbers will not
increase. If meddling policy is to prevail in
our country, an undue share of power will not
be allowed. Your remote and sequcstered po-
sition, touching the rest of the Union only on
the borders of New York, will lessen your in
fluence. The principle Of interference may be
brought home to you, and in defence you will
be compelled to urge the principles of local
self-government and State rights, which has
ever been the creed of the Democratic party.
Yet, blind to these considerations the legislators
of this State have been violent in their action
against the principle of local sovereignty, which
alone give il power, and most declamatory
against the compromise of the constitution,
which alone give it influence, for the whole
number of the citizens is only equal to the an
nual increase in the population of the United
States.