The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-09-04
STATE RIGHTS AND STATE IDENTITIES.

In framing the national constitution of the
great points of difference grew out of the question
of the extent of power to be committed to the gene
raj government, and what should be reserved to the
States The old federal party, now represented by
the enemies of the democracy, sought TO strip the
States of most OF their powers, and to confer unlm
tied authority upon the newly-created government.
The friends Of democracy and State rights desired to
continue the State authorities in almost unlimted
supremacy These differences were compromised, and
resulted in our present constitution, which confers
few powers upon the federal government and re-
serves and guarantees all others to the several State
authorities The enemies of the democracy, not
content with the powers conferred upon the national
government, endeavored to secure those which they
desired by latiudinous construction. This unauhor-
lied claim of power has been resisted, from the
formation of the constitution to the present time, by
the friends of democracy and State rights II now
forms the great point Of controversy between the de-
mecracy and their enemies The former insist upon
honest natural and rational construction while the
latter seek to enforce one dishonest unnatural, and
Irrational. One branch Of the enemy demands d.
rect interference with properly recognised and
protected Ill several states uhuer inc CONSTITUTION,
while the other insists upon Harsh and unfeelng dis
elimination between persons of different Earthquakes
neither of which is authorized by the constitution
nor by the plain, practical common sense Of man
kind The democratic party of that day favored
the existence and perpetuaon Of State rights in all
their purity and strength They approved the course
of honest and wise Staterghts men, democrats
Of the present day do. They deemed State employ
ments not less honorable than those Of the nation,
whether as richly paid or not. There is reason to
believe that in their opinion the their service
to free and independent people the more honora-
ble Although Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and
Monroe served in the Legislature of their State,
neither aspred to the United States Senate, and Mr.
Madison alone took seat in the House. They like
many in later days, looked to their own States as
source of honor equal to the reasonable wishes and
expectations OF any public A hundred men
have achieved State where one has won national
from the cradle to the grave. They define rights
to life liberty and property, and provide the means
Of asserting claim to them They protect us on
our hearhstone, at the altar of God, and when we
exercise freeman's privilege Of choosing public
guardians. With few exceptions every right, priv
ilege, and duty appertaining to us, our wives and
children, is regulated and controlled by State laws.
The taxes upon our property and the time and
mode of collection, and the uses to which they
are applied are all directed by State statutes Our
marriages regulated and the graves Of our fathers
and kindred protected, by State enactments.
Nearly everything that pertains TO personal hap
piness is under the supervision and control of
State legislation. Looking to these and other kim
dred considerations, it requires small share
of political efrontery to contend that State in
tercsts ought to be repudated and lost sight Of
| in State election, and national matters solely
considered, while the former alone pertain to the
lawful duties Of State funconaries-th having no
agency or voice in those of federal character 1t
is the policy of the enemies of democracy to seek to
belttlc every State interest and to keep it from the
consideration Of the people, and to obscure State
rights to the extent of their capacity. They desire
to reduce State governments to the lowest class of
municipal corporations, and make them inferior in
power and responsibility to frstclass bank or rail
road company, made rich and powerful by congress
sional muniiicence.
| The enemies Of democratic principles have recent
| ly avowed the purpose of making the general gov
eminent the instrument of taxation and collection of
revenue for State purposes thereby creating new
and humiliating dependence upon the national gov
eminent All such schemes point to degrading theiu-
dependence of the States and making them ci-
piers with more or less respectable names If the
national will collect taxes and distribute
them TO the States, public win to be re-
sponsbe to their constituents for what may be
rupty squandered. These Of the reasons
why the blackrepublicans seek to avoid State is
sues and the discussion Of home interests in State
elections.
II the federal government shall swallow up
those Of the States and render them mere nominal
representatives Of freemcn, it will be through the
modes above indicated--by depressing and destroy
ing State rights, and giving undue consequence to
our national institutions. Desiring this consequence,
we see the enemies of State rights and of the deoc-
racy in all parts Of the Union making all possible
ertons to exclude from view all State questions and
rights appertaning to the States themselves, and to
substitute their place others which the States have
no direct interest and which they cannot control by
any State action. Such the views and intentions
of the enemies of the democracy and State rights.
1t rests with the people to approve reject them.