Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-05-02
s,.,s Rishts---Demoeracy Changed to Fed
ernIIam.

60
s,.te Rirhts---Democracy Changed 60 FED
eraliam.
Il hes ever been the boast of the party call
inc itself Democratic, that IL respected anil de-
Tended the rights Of the States and the people
against the encroachments Of Federal power,
and that the General Government being one Of
merely delegated power should be scrupulOusly
watched, lest by latitudnarian construction
of the Constitution il should usurp power not
delepated to it, and thus change Federal Re-
public into Federal Despotsm.
The alien and sedition law ofthe elder Adams
sustained as it was by the Supreme Court, was
denounced as oppressive and as tending to a
destruction Of State sovereignty, and upon this
express platform the Democratic party Of that
dny went before the people and triumphed in
the election Of Jefferson.
The momantous question had also arisen who
was to decide finally, whether power claimed
by the Federal Government had been granted
TO it or reserved to the States. Should 1t be
the Federal Government, itself directly interest
ed in auqmenting It's own power, or should 1t
he the States, originally equal parties to the
national compact. We find the answer Of the
Democratic party, then given to these questions
In the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions Of
l7gs 90, which resolutions were directly en-
dorsed by the following resolution of the Gin
cinnai Convention
Resoiped, That the Democratic party will
faithfully abide by and uphold the principles
laid down in the Kentucky and Virginia Legis.
latures in 1898 and in the report OF Mr.. Madl-
son to the Virginia Legislature IN lfsS' that u
adopts those principles as constituting one OF
main foundations OF its political creed and IS
resolved to carry them out in their obvious
meaning and import. et# ttNf.t
Here we have in 1856 solemn resolution of
the party in National Convention assembled,
and which received the unanimous support OF
the delegates from North and South, that the
party would carry out "in their obvious mean
ing and import" the Kentucky and Virginia
Resolutions.
For the benefit of honest Democrats, who are
now beginning to awake to the fact that their
party is rapidly drifting towards federalism we
give portions of the Kentucky Resolutions re-
ferred to, which embOdy the languoge of JEFF
ferson.
"Tbat whenever the General Government as
sumes undeegated pOwerits acts are unauthor'
lied and void, and of no force.
e. That this government created by this com
paet (tbe constitution was not made the exclu-
siye or fual Judge of the extent Of the powers
deIegated to itself since that would have made
discretion and not the constitution the measure
of its powers, but that as in all cases OF compact
among parties having no common Judge, each
party has an equal right to judge tor ltsell as
well of infractions as Of the mode and measure
Of redress" t
In November, 1893, the Kentucky Legisla'
ture re-affirmed the principles of the resolutions
and added the following
"That the several States who formed the in.
strument (the Constitution) being sovereign and
independent, have the unquestonable right to
iudpe of the nfraetion, and that nullihcatlon
by those sUvereignties of all unauthorized acts
done under color of that instrument Is the
rightful remedy"
Here we have the principles of Jefferson and
Madison, nobIy struggling against the encroaeh
men!s of federal power, and determined that
the rights of the sovereign States and the peo'
pie should not be crushed beneath the wheels OF
the Federal Juggernaut, sitting enthroned at
Washington in the Presidential mansion and
the chamber of the Supreme Court.
But how stands the case now with atParty
claiming Jefferson as its father, and hardly yet
over its hoarseness occasioned by shouting ho-
Sannas to the Cincinnati platform
Not more devoutly or constantly does the Pi-
Qua Mussulman when the muezzin calls to daily
prayer, bend his knees and turn his face to-
wards Mecca, than do the sham Democrats OF
this day bend their knees and turn their faces
towards Washington, shouting at every fresh
aggression by the Federal power upon States
and people, "Amen so mote it be-"
When the Supreme Court in the Dred Scott
case having decided, that Dred was not a citi-
zen and therefore had no right to prosecute
suit forced in utter defiance Of all legal rules to
decide the Missouri Compromise unconstitution-
al, sham democrats cry "amen.'
When in the same case the Court decides
that the Constitution carries slavery into all the
Territories and holds it there despite the will of
the people and against all Territorial legislation,
they say 'amen."
When the same Court ''practicing (as Jeffer-
son said) on the Constitution by infeFences, anal
ogies and sophismS as they would on an ordinary
Law" decides the infamous Fugitive Law con-
stitutiona, they say "amen."
When the same Court in the case of the Flu
gitive Slave Maria Garner, who having com
mitted murder in Cincinnati and being indicted
was arrested by the Sheriff, takes her from the
officer of the State of Ohio and delivers her to
her master who takes her beyond its jurisdiction,
thus inAieting a direct stab upon the sovereign
rights of the State sham democrats throw up
their hats and shout "amen."
When the same Court decides in the Booth
case that a sovereign State has no right to pro-
teet its citizens from imprisonment for a viola
ton Of a Law declared by it's Supreme Court un-
constitutional, if that decision cOntravenes its
own, they cry 'amen--so mote it be-"
And when the same irresponsible Federal lri-
bunsl shall decide as it must in conformity with
the reasoning in the bred Scott case, that
Slavery exists by the Constitution where there
is no local law to sustain it, that STAKEHOLDER
can bring his slave into OHIO and hold him as
long as bis interest or convenience demands,
these same bastard democrats will basely sub
NIT and bend their necks 10 the yoke.
Nothing 80 clearly proves that tie Democratic
party has rsIapsed into Federalism IS the fact Of
is indorsement of the usurpatODs of the su-