The north Iowa times. [volume] (M'Gregor [i.e. McGregor], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1856-10-24
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| truly regard them as momentary abbera-
lions, the result of transitory clrcumstan-
ces of the short-lived triumph of bad
men, or of temporary misspprehensions
of right. The great body of the people
remain uncontaminated, and not only re.
main uncontaminated, but improve in the
vigor of their political life yearly, so that
America is very far from having run
her race"
There is hut one serious peril, indeed,
which threatens our experiment of self govs
ernment, and it comes from al entirely diff.
ferent quarter frem that limited at by tho
Canadian editor. The real danger to Ame-
RIGA lies in disunion. The danger of dis
union lies in the attempts, which may
arise, as indeed, they have arisen, on the
part of the Federal or State governments
| to transgress on the powers of the other.
Our Federal government is peculiar one,
because possessed of certain absolute pow
ers delegated by the States, aud being
sovereign only in regard to those powers,
while, as to other powers, it has no sover-
eighty at all. Our State governments
are also peculiar, because part Of their
original powers they have parted with to
the Federal government, so that they are
as deficient as to those powers as the Fed
eral government is to the rest. A citizen,
in these United States, owes twofold,
but not a divided allegiance. Both the
Federal and State governments make to-
gether, as to him, only one complete gov.
ernment. AS long as every citizen ur-
derstands the province of each govern
ment, it is plain, that, as each is repre-
sentative government, neither will trans
gress on the rights of the other; but the
danger is, lest false ideas of the powers
of either government should get afoat,
that these ideas should be sanctioned by
the popular voice, that injustice should
be attempted by temporary majority, and
that disunion should result.
To avert this peril, it is necessary that
the true character of our governments.
and especially our federal government,
should be continually eSpounded. For
this Office the independent press is pecu-
liarly constituted. Partisan journals are
often tempted to misreprcsent constitu.
tional questions, forgetting that a tempo
rary success is dearly purchased, if at the
cost of the truth. The independent press,
however, has no inducement to garble or
conceal; but, on the contrary, as its per.
manent popularity depends on its inflex-
ble impartiality, every inducement to ba
just. 1t is on the independent press that
the correct understanding of the consti-
tuition must principally depend. The in.
dependent press can never be too earnest
in recalling the true landmarks which
divide the reserved powers of the States
from the powers delegated to the federal
governmental reminding the people that
doubtful powers must be construed against
the general government-in enforcing the
vital point, that new questions must be
settled according to the spirit of the origi.
nal compact.
If the independent press does its duty,
if the people stick to the spirit of that
great compromise, the Constitution, tho
republic is very far from having "run its
course" But if false principles of con-
stitutional Interpretation are to prevail.
and either the State or Federal govern
ments permanently transgress on the
rights of the other, then indeed disasters
will come, for then the balance of the
Constitution will be destroyed.