Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-01-01

nifty Of transatlantic origin by geographical position, and
by the mutual tie OF common dependence Great Britain
When that tie sundered, they severay assumed the
powers and rights of absolute self government The
nicpa and social institutions of EACH its laws Of property
and OF personal relation, its political organization,
were such only each choose establish, wholly
without interference from any other In the language of
the Declaration of independence each State had g full
power to levy war; conclude peace alliances es
tabsh commerce, and To do all other actsand things
which independent States may OF right do The several
colonies differed in climate soil natural productions
IN religion, in systems of education in legislation and in
the forms OF political administration and they continued
to diiier IN these respects when they voluntarily allied
themselves States carry the of the revolution
The object Of that disenthra the United Col
ones from foreign rule which had proved be oppressive
and to separate them permanently from the mother
try the political result tho foundation of federal
republic OF the free white of the colonies constituted
they were, in distinct and recprocay independent
State governments AS for the subject races whether In
dian African the wise and brave Of that day.
being engaged in extravagant scheme of social change
left them as they were and thus themselves and
their poserity from the anarchy and the recurring
civil wars which have prevailed in other reyoluonzed
European colonies of America.
When the conederated States found convenient to
modify the conditions of their association giving
general government direct access some resnects to the
people Of the States instead Of combining action on
the States as SUCH they proceeded to frame the existing
constitution, adhering steadily guiding thought
which to delegate only such power necessary
and proper to- the execution of specific purposes or in
other words to retain as much as possible, consistently
with those purposes of the independent of the
divdua States For objects of common defence and
rty, they ntrused to the general government certain
carefully functions leaving all others the I'M
delegated rights OF the separate independent soveregnes
Such is the constitutional theory Of government
practical observance of which has carried and Alone
among modern republics through nearly three generations
OF time without the cost of drop Of blood SHED civil
With freedom and concert Of action it has enabled
us to contend successfully the foreign
foes, has elevated the feeble colonies powerful States
and has raised industrial productions commerce
which transports he the level of richest and the
greatest nations of Europe And the admirable adapa
their
local selfgovcrnmen with aggregate strength, has estab
shed the practcabilty OF government like
u continent with confederate States
The Congress of the United States is, in effect that
congress Of sovereigntics which good in the Old
World have sought for but could attain and which
mparts to America exemption from the muabe leagues
for common action from the wars, the mutual invasions
and vague aspirations after the balance of power which
convuse from time to time the governments of Europe.
Our cooperative action rests the conditions of
nent confederation prescribed by the constitution Our
balance of power separate reserved rights
States and their equal in the Senate That
independent sovereignty in every of the States with
its reserved rights Of local sefgovernment assured
each by their co-equa in the Senate the unda
mental condition OF the constitution. Without the Union
would never have existed However DESTROYS the larger
States might be tie eorganze the give
to their population its proportonae weight in the
counse they knew impossible unless they conceded
to the smaller ones authority to exercise at least negd
tive influence on all the of the government
whether Legislative execntive through their equal repre-
sentaon in the Senate Indeed the larger States them
selves could not have filled to perceive, that the
power equally necessary them for the security of
their dom ganst the aggregate force of
the general government. In word the original States
went into this permanent league the agreed premises of
exertng their common strength for the defence of the
whole and of all its parts but of utterly excluding all
capabity Of reciprocal aggression Each soemnly bound
itself to all the others, neither TO undertake. permit
any ennrnachment upon, interneddng with anothers
reserved rgats.
Where deemed expedient, particular rights of the
States were expressly guaranteed by the constitutions butt
in all things beside these rights guarded by the lm
tnfin tho
OF all powers not granted in the compact of union Thus
the great power of taxation limited purposes
appertanng TO the local legislation of the several States
and those purposes Of general welfare and de-
fence afterwards defined by specific enumera ton as
being matters only of correlation between the States them
selves or between them and foreign governments which
because OF their common and general nature, could be
left to the separate control of each State.
OF the circumstances of local condition, interest and
rights in which portion Of the States constituting one
great section of the Union differed from the rest and from
another section, the most important the popularity of
larger relative coored population in the southern than
in the northern States.
population Of this class held in subiecon existed in
nearly all the States, but numerous and of more
serious concernment in the South than in the North on
account Of natural differences Of climate and productions
and il foreseen that for the reasons while this
population would diminish, and, later
exist, in some States, il might increase in others. The
peculiar character and magnitude of this question of local
rights, not in material relations only but still in
social ones caused it TO enter into the special spuatons
of the constitution.
Hence, while the general government, well by the
enumerated powers granted to Il, by those not
rated and therefore refused forbidden touch
this matter in the Of attack offence placed
under the general safeguard Of the Unon the Of
defence against either invasion domestic violence like
all other local interests Of the several States Each State
expressly stipulated well for itself for each and all of
its citizens and every citizen Of each State became solemny
bound by his allegiance 10 the constitution that person.
held to service labor in State escaping into another
should not consequence ofany law regulation thereof
be discharged from such service labor but should be
delivered up claim Of tho party whom such service
or labor might be due by the laws of his State.
Thus, and thus only, by the reciprocal guaranty of all
the rights OF every State against interference tho part
OF another the present form Of government established
by fathers and transmitted to aud by other
means possible for il TO exist If State ceases to
respect the rights of another and obrusvey Intermediates
with its local iuterestsfa portion Of the States assume
to impose their institutions the Others refuse fulfil
their obligations to them,we longer united friendly
States, but Distracted hostile ones, with little capacity e
Of common advantage, but abundant of reciprocal
injury and mischief
Practically il is immacra whether aggressive inter-
ference between the States deliberate refusal on the
part OF any Of them TO comply with constitutional OBJ
legations, arise from conviction blind preju
dice whether II be perpetraed by direction or ndrecon
In either is full Of threat and Of danger the du
rabilty Of the Union.
CONSTITUTIONAL RELATIONS SLAVERY.
Placed in the Office Of Chief Magistrate the executive
agent of the whole country bound TO take that the
laws be faithfully executed and specially cnoned by the
of the Union il would be papabe neglect Of duty on nv
mart In htoct HLp Aoo Ill