Eaton Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1843-1856, 1856-01-10

The tapiily extending settlements in thsi re-
glon, and tue fact that the main route between
undergraduates, in the Slate Of Missouri, and
EeY Mexico, is contiguous 10 this lne, Sng-
CeSts the nrnbSbisiiy that embarrassing cues.
tons Of jurisdiction may consequently arise.
For these and other considerations, ! commend
the subject 70 your early attention.
co~NsTrTuTioSAL THEORY OF THE GOVERNMENT.
| have thus passed in review the general
state oil the Union, including such particular
concerns Of the federal government, whether
of domestic or foreign relation, rs il appeared
20 me desirable and uSefult 10 bring 10 The spe-
cial notice Of Congress. Unlike The great
States Of Europe and Asia, and many Of those
Of America, these United Safes are wasting
their strength neither in foreign war nor do.
nestle strife, Whatever OF discon'ent or pub
lie dissatisfaction exists, is attributable to The
imperfections Of human nature, or is incident
TO all governments, however perfect, which
human wisdom can DEVISE. Snch subjects Of
political agitation. as occupy The public mind,
consist, 10 q gieat extent, OF exGegeration Of
inevitable evils, or over zeal in social inn
provement, or mere imagination OF grievance,
having but remote connection with any of the
constitutional functions or duties OF the feae-
Ial government. To whatever extent these
questions exhibit a tendency nenocine to the
stability OF the Constitution, or the integrity
Of The Union, and no farther, hey demand the
consideration Of the Executive, and require 10
be presented by him 10 Congress.
Before The Thirteen Colonies became q con-
federation OF independent States, they were
associated only by community OF trans.a atlantic
origin, by Biographies position, and ey the
ma'ual tie OF common dependence on Great
Britain. When that lie was SundereG, they
Seyerally assumed the powers and rights Of
absolute self Government. The municipal
AMI social institutions of each, its laws OF
property and Of personal relation. even in its
political organization, were snoh only as each
ore choose 10 establish, wholly without inter-
ference from any other. 10 the language Of
The Dec l~aration OF Independence, each State
dad fun power TO levy war, conclude peace,
contract alliapces, establish commerce, and 10
do all other acts and things which independent
States may Of right do" The several Colo
MES differed in climate, in soil, in natural pro-
auctions, in religion, in system of education,
in legislation, and in the forms Of political adj
ministration; and they continued 10 differ in
these respects when they Voluntarily allied
themselves as States TO carry on the war Of The
revolution.
The object OF that war was 10 disehthtal the
United Colonies from foreign rule, which had
proved to be oppressive: and 10 separate them
permanently from the mother country; the Pr
litical result was the foundation Of federal
republic o fthe free white men OF the colonies
constituted, as they were, in distinct, aud re-
ciprocally independent, State governmen;s.-
As for the subject races, whether Indian OF
African, the wise and btsve Statesmen Uf that
L. l@.A. -. .,n - I-zz
OF social change, left them as they were, and
thus preserved themselves and their p~osierity
from the anarchy, and the eyer-Tecufting civil
wars, which have prevailed in their revolu-
'tionized European colonies of America.
When the confederated States found il con-
-venient 10 modify The conditions Of their aSso-
%ciation, by giving 10 The general government
direct access, in some respects, TO the people
OF tbe States as snch, they proceeded 10 frame
the existing constitution, sdhering steadily 10
one guiding thought, which was 10 delegate
only such power as was 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 indie
pendent powers of The individual STATE. For
-objec S Of common defence and security, they
~intrusied TO the general government certain
carefully-dehned functions, leaving all others
as the unidentified rights Of the separated indie
pendent sovereignties.
Such is the constitutional theory OF our gov
eminent, the PRACTICAL observance OF which
has carried us, and US alone, among modern
republics, through nearly three generations OF
lime without The cost Of one drop Of blood shed
ia civil war. With freedom and concert OF
%sctiop, il has enabled US 10 contend success
fully on the battle. fell against foreign foes,
has elevated the feeble colonies into i've
full States, and has raised our industrial pro-
oduc.ions, aud our which transports
them, 10 the level Of the richest nations OF
Europe. And tia admiral adoption Of our pc
lilicai Institutions 10 their objects combining
local self-government with aggregate strength
has eslablished the practicability Of o govern
ment like ours 10 cover q continent with con-
federate States.
The Congress of the United States is, in ef-
feet, that congress Of soyereignties, which
good men IN the Old World have sought for,
but could never attain, and which impartS 10
America an exemption from the mutable lea
CUES for common action, from The wars, The
mutual invasions, and vague aspirations afie:
the balance Of power, which convUlse from
time 10 time the governments 81 Europe. Our
cooperate action rests in the conditions oil
permanent confederation preserved by the
constitution. Our balance Of power is in The
-seperate reserved rights OF The States, and
their equal representation in the Senate.-
That Independent sovereignty in every one
OF The States with its reserved rights Of local
self. government assured 10 each by their co.
equal power in the SeEaie, was The fundamen.
tai condition Of the constitution. Without II
the Union would never have existed. How.
ever cesirous the Iarger States might be to re-
organize the government so as 10 give 10 their
population its proportionate weight in the COM
mon counSe Is, they knew il was impossible,
unless they conceded to the smaller ones
authority 10 exercise at least a negative in.
fuence on all the measures OF the government,
whether legislauyeor executive, through theiI
equal representatives in the Senate.
Indeed, the larger States themselves could
not have failed to perceive thai the same pow
er was equally necessary 10 them, for The Sc
curity OF their wi domestic interests against
the aggregate force Of the general government.
In a word, the original States went into this
permanent league on The agreed premises, OF
exciting their common strength Tor the defence
of the whole, and all its parts; but Of uttetly
excluding all 'cspability Of reciprocal agrees
sion. Each solemnly bound Itself TO all the
otheis, neither 10 undertake, nor permit any
eLroachment upon, or intermeddliug with an-
others reserved rights.
Where it was deemed expedient, particular
rights OF the States were expressly guaranteed
-. H. u-.N.a... Ia. - Ill tIfn,,e La.iln