The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1856-01-16

mtHNs' - lot tue suDjtCl races, WHelHcE
Indian or African, the wise and brave states
men Of that day, being engaged in no extra
VACANT scheme of social change, left them as
| they were, and thus preserved themselves
and their posterity from the anarchy and the
ever-recurring civil wars. which have prevail
ed in other reyoutionzed European colonies
| of America.
When the confederated States found it
convenient to modify the condition Of their
association, by giving TO the general govern
ment direct access, in some respects, to the
people cf the States. instead Of confning it
10 action on the States as such. they proceed
ed to frame the existing Consultation, adher-
ing steadily to one guiding thought. which
was, to delegate only such power as was me-
cessary and proper to the execution Of speci-
| tic purposes, or. in other words, TO retain as
much as possible. consistently with those
purposes, OF the independent powers Of the
individual States, For objects Of common
defence and security, they ntrusted to the
genera! government certain carefully defined
functions. leaving all others as the undele-
gated rights OF the separate independent
soyereigntles.
Sach is the constitutional theory of our
government, the practical observance ofwhich
has carried Us, and US alone among modern
republics, through nearly three generations
Eni time without the cast Of one dron Of blood
she'd in civil war. With freedom and concert
Of action, it has enabled US TO contend sue
cessiully on the battle field against foreign
foes, has elevated the feeble colonies into
powerful States, and has raised our indus
trial productions, and our commerce which
transports them, to the level Of the richest
and greatest nations Of Europe. And the
admirable adaptation OF our political nstitu-
tions to these objects, combining local self
government with aggregate strength, has
established tie practicablity Of govern
ment like ours to cover a continent with
cOntederatcd States.
The Congress Of the United States is, in
effect, that congress Of soyereignties, which
good men in the Old World have sought for,
but could never attain, and which imparts to
America an exemption from the nutabIe
leagues for common action, from the wars, the
mutual inyasions, and vague aspirations after
the balance OF power, which conyulse from
time to time the governments Of Europe. Our
co. operative action rests in the condition Of
permanent confederation prescribed BIZ the
constitution. Oar balance of power is in the
separate reserved rights Of the States. and
their equal representation in the Senate.
That independent sovereignty in every one
Of the States, with lis reserved rights o. local
selfgoyernnent assured 10 each by their CO.
equal power in the Senate, was the frnda.
mental condition nf the onstilution--without
it the Union would never have existed. How
ever desirous the larger States might be to
re-nrgaEiLc the government 50 as 90 give to
their population It's proportionate weight in
the common councils, they knew il was i'm
possible, unless they conceded TO the smaller
ones authority 10 exercise al least negative
influence on all the measures Of the govern
ment, whether legislative or executive,
i through their equal representation in the
Senate. Indeed, the larger States them
selves could not have failed topereeive that
! the same power was equally necessary 10 them
tor the security of their own domestic inter-
estS against the aggregate force ef the gene-
! raj government. In q word, the original
state, went into this permanent league on the
agreed premises cf eIerting their common
: strength for the defence Of the whole, aud Of
) all it. parts; but Of utterly excluding all ca
: pability Of reciprocal aggression. Each So
emnly bound itself 20 al the others. neither
!, q undertake nor permit any encroachmen.
!. upon, o. inierneddling with, snother's re
served rights.
!. Where il was deemed eTpedient, particular
rights Of tie States we're expressly guaranteed
!. BY the constitution; but, in all things besides
these rights were guarded by tie limitation
/ OF the powers granted, and by express reser,
i walton of all powers not granted. in the com,
!. pact Of union. Thus. the great power o
!. taxation was limited to purposes Of commu.
: defence and general welfare, excluding Oh
jects appertalHiug 10 the local legislation d
! the several States; and those purposes Of &c
!. neral welfare aud common defence were afteF
: ward. defined BY specific enumeration, n
being matters only Of correlation between IT,
States themselves, or between them aud fif
j cign governments, which, because Of the
!. common and general nature, rOuld not q
i LETT TO the separate control Of each state.
n Of the circumstances Of local condition
i, interest, and rights, ia which portion off,
/, states, constituting one great section Of ta
81 Union. Uttered from the rest and from anoth
og er section, the most important was the pc
n culiariIy uf larger relative co!ored popula
IA ti0n IN the Southern than in the horther
r. States.
et popu,ation Of this class, held in subjes
,e tion, existed ia nearly al the States, but va
: more numerous aud II more serious concern
"A ment il lhe South than 10 the North, on &C
s. count 0f natural differences Of climate an
al productions; aud IL vas foreseea that, for Oh
q. sane reasons. while ihis population s0ul
of diminish, aud sooner or later cease 10 Ell,
III IN sumc stairs, il might increase in other
81 The peculiar character and magnitude
n. this qscstioa Of local rights, not 10 mater,
Un fe'At'ohs eGiy, nut Stiil mote ~ social one