The Kingwood chronicle. [volume] (Kingwood, Va. [W. Va.]) 1861-1861, 1861-06-22

From the National InfelIiqencer.
Mr.. Madison on State Rights.

In the National Intelhgencer Of the l4th
slltilno We cited the following represented to
have been used hy Mn MADISON in the Phil
aielpllia Convention during ;hc debates on
The formation of the Constitution
Some contend that States are sovereign,
when III fact they are only political societies.
There is gradation OF powerln all societies.
from the lowest corporation to the highest SOW
ereign. The States never possessed the essen
tai rights Of sovereignty. These were always
vested ia Congress. Their voting as States
in Congress is 10 evidence Of sovereignty The
State Of Maryland voted ~ counties: did this
muLe Me coanties soreselys1 The States at
present are only great corporations, having
the power Of making Is laws and these are
eitectual only if thcs are not contradictory to
the General Confederation
< correspondent who d ! private letter con
faSsel his inability, afteG i liligent search, to
find the record ofthis langnage in the Debates
of the Philadelphia Convention, applied to
lis for information Oh the point. Having
copied the extract from some one ct our con
temporaries which failed to Indicate the
source whence it was drawn, we were unable
Immediately to verify its genlIneness. On
turning. however. to y ates Minutes Of the
Federal Conventions 1--WE find that this Ian
euaee was held BY Mr. Madison in the debate
Lad in that body on the 29th Of June, lTs1.
The fuller report Of his remarks, from which
the extract was taken, is given as follows:
Some gentlemen are afraid that the plan
is not sufficiently national, while others ap
prehend that it is too much 50. lfthis point
Of representation was once well fixed, we
would come nearer to one another IN senti
mcnt The necessity would then be dis
covered of circumscribing more cffeetuallv
the State Governments and charging the
bounds Of the General Government. Some
contend that States are sovereign, when IN
fact they are only political societies. There
Is gradation Of power III all societies, from
the lowest corporation to the highest SOW
ereign The States never possessed the
essential rights Of sovereignty. These We're
always vested in Congress. Their voting as
States in Congress is no evidence Of sover-
eighty. The State Of Maryland voted by
counties: did this make the counties sover-
eign? The States, at present. are only great
corporations, having the power OF making
bylaws, and these are effectual only if they
are not contradictory to the General Con
federation. The States ought to be placed
r exl m n 4
least as much SO as they formerly were under
the King and British Parliament. The argu-
ments | observe have taken 4 different turn.
and hope may tend to convince all OF the
necessity OF strong energetic Government.
which would equally tend to give energy to
and protect the State Governments. What
was the origin Of the military establishment
Of Europe? 1t was the jealousy which one
State or Kingdom entertained of another.
This jealousy was always productive Of evil.
In Rome the patricians were often obliged to
excite foreign war to divert the attention of
the plebeians from encroaching on the sena-
torial rights In England and France per
haps this jealousy may give energy to their
Governments, and contribute to their exist
cnce. Buta state Of danger is like a state OF
war, and it unites the various parts Of the
Government to exertion May not our dis
fractions, however, invite danger from abroad?
If the power is not Immediately derived from
the people, in proportion to their numbers,
We may make paper confederacy, but that
will be ALL We know the effects Of the old
Confederation, and without General Gov
ernment this will be like the former. :