Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-01-04


tons Of human nature, or is incident 10 all
governments, however perfect which human
wisdom can devise. Such subjects Of polit-
ical agitations as occupy the public mind,
consist, to great extent, Of exageration Of
inevitable evils, or over zeal in the social
improvement, or mere Imagination Of griey-
ance, having but remote connection with
any Of the constitutional functions, or du-
ties, of the federal government To what
ever extent these questions exhibit a tenden-
cy menacing TO the stability Of the constitu-
ton, or Of the integrity OF the Union, and
no farther, they demand the consideration
Of the executive, and require TO be present.
ed By him to Congress. Before the thirteen
colonies became confederation OF indie
pendent States, they were associated only
by community of transatlantic origin, by
geographical position, and by the mutual
Ii. Of common dependence on Great Brit
ain. When that tie was sundered, they
mutually assumed the powers and rights of
absolute selfgovernment the municipal and
social institutions of each, its laws Of pro-
prie'y and personal relation, even It's politi-
cal organization were such only as each one
chose to establish, wholly without interfer-
ference from any other. Ia the language
of the Declaration of Independence, each
State had full power to levy war and con-
clude peace, contract alliances, establish
commerce, and % do all other acts and
things which Independent States may Of
right do. The several colonies we're differ
ent in climate, in sol, in natural produc-
tons, in religion, in systems OF education,
in legislation, and in the forms of political
administration, and they continued 70 differ
in these respects. When they voluntarily
allied Themselves as States, % carry on the
war Of the revolution, the object OF that war
was 20 disenthrll the united colonies from
foreign rule, which had proved TO be oppres-
sive, and TO separate them permanently
from the mother country. The political re
suit was the foundation Of federal repub-
lie, Of the free white men Of the colonies,
constituted as they were in distinct and re-
ciprocally independent State governments.
As for the subject races, whether Indian or
African, the wise snd brave statesmen Of
that day being engaged in no extavagant
scheme of social change, left them as they
were and thus preserved themselves and
their posterty from the anarchy and the
ever recurring civil wars which have pre-
wiled in other revoutionized European col
ones Of America. When the confederation
Of States found it convenient to modify the
conditions OF their association by giving %
the general government direct access in
some respects to the people Of the States,
instead Of combining it 20 the action Of the
States, as such, they proceeded to frame the
existing constitution, adherng steadily TO
one guiding thought, which was 10 delegate
only such power rs was necessary and prop
er to the execution of specific purposes, or,
in other words, % retain as much as possible
consistently with those purposes Of the in
dependent powers OF the individual States.
For objects of common defence and securi-
", they entrusted to the general govern
ment certain carefully defined functions,
leaving all others as the undeleglted rights
Of the separate independent soyercigntics.
Such Is the constitutional theory Of our
government, and the practical Observance Of
which has carried MS, and MS alone, among
modern republics, through nearly three gem
oratious OF time without the cost of one
drop Of blood shed in civil war. This free
dom and concert Of action has enabled us
10 contend successfully on the battle field
agains, foreign foes, has elevated the feeble
colonies into powerful States, and has raised
our industrial productions and our commerce
which transports them, 10 the level Of the
richest and the greatest nations Of Europe;
and the admirable adaptation OF our political
/ Institutions 10 their objects, combining local
selfgoycrnment with aggregate strength,
has established the pactiolbility Of a govern
ment ike ours 10 cover a continent with
confederate States
The Congress Of the United States is, in
effect that Congress Of soyereigr ties which
good men in ths old world have sought, but
could never attain, and which imparts to
America an exemption from the immutable
leagues Of common actioni from the wars,
the muiahle invasions, and vague aspirations
after the balance OF power which have con-
vulsed, from time TO time, the governments
of Europe. Our cooperative action rests
in the conditions OF permanent coniedera-
ton, preceded by the constitution. Our
balance of power is the srperate reserved
rights % the States and their equal repre-
sentation in the Senate That independent
sovereignty Of the States, with its reserved
rights Of local, solfgoycrnment, assured 10
TO each by their coequal power in the Sem
ate, was the fundamental condition Of the
constitution. Without Il the Union would
never have existed. However desirous the
larger States might be 20 recognize the gov
eminent, so as to give to their population
It's prop0ru0nate weight 10 the common
oounsel., they knew it was impossible, uu-
less they conceded to the smaller ones au-
thority 10 exercise at least negative inhu-
ence on all the measures Of the government
whether legislative or executive, through
their equal representation in the Senate.
Indeed the hTges, States themselves could
not have failed TO perceive that the same
power was equally Necessary to them for the
security Of their own domestic interests a.
gainst the aggregate force of the general
government. In a word, the original States
went into this permanent league on the a.
greed premises OF exorting their common
strength for the defence Of the whole, and
Of all its parts, but OF utterly excluding all
capabilty Of reciprocal aggression. Each
solemnly bound itself to all the others Meth
er to undertake nor permit any eucroach.
ment upon or iniermeddling with another.
reserved rights. Where it was deemed ex.
pedieni, particular rights Of the States were
expressly guaranteed by the constitution
hAt ~ hiA Aulu-a pt.lAtes THESE rights were
guaranteed by the limitation of the power,
granted and by express reservation Of all
powers not granted in the compact of union
Thus the great power Of exaction was limit
ed to purposes Of common defence and
general welfare, excluding objects appertain
ing to the local legislation Of the several
States, and those purposes OF general wei
fare and common defence were aflerward.
defined by special enumeration as being
matters only Of correlation between the
States themselves, or between them and
foreign governments, which, because oftheil
common and general nature could not b,
left TO the seperate control Of each State.
or the circumstances OF local condition
interest and rights in whicha portion Of III,
States constituting one great section of III,
Union differed from the rest, and from an
other. section, the most important was tn,
peeulhfllN OF ia4Sl. 800 - ~
pulation in the southern than in the north
: ern States. A pouation OF this class, bel,
! in subsection, existed in nearly all the State
but was more numerous and OF more SER
GUS concerement in the south than in tn
6 north, on account Unnatural differences Of
; climate and production, and il was foresee
: that for the same reason, while this popu