Wabash express. [volume] (Terre-Haute, Vigo Co[unty], Ind.) 1841-186?, 1861-01-23
From our chicago Correspondent


Ma. ExrExss:-Events crowd upon us 80
rapidly that one scarcely feels like com
hitting his Thoughts to writing. lest th'
matter should become old before he rsaches
the end OF his sheet. But however fact
may change principles do not: and il j.
well for Us, IN times Of political connotioo.
TO recur to the principles which lie at thu
foundation Of our government; to study it,
structure. sod to reduce tie principles TO
practice FIVE do this. there il little dau.
ger that we shall go wrong.
A portion Of the States composing the
Federal Union claim the right TO Withdraw
from it, and thus 70 destroy the govern
ment. Among the advocaieo OF the right
of secession. none have presented The argu
nent with greater force. 50 far a. | have
observd. than Hon. Vim. ID. Porter Of South
Carolina he is the author Of tract, put
forth during the late Canvass. the object oil
which was 90 urge the slave States to Sc
cede. in III. event OF the election OF Mr.
Lincoln. The speech Of DIR Douglas. at
Norfolk. in which he declared 10 The
strongest possibls terms. ia favor both OF
the right and the duty OF cpwpulsiOn in
ease State attempted tn seeede was the
occasion OF the publication ef this trsct. IL
was, in form, reply 10 Mr. Douglas
speech. he states his position thus:
sour doctrine 10. that The States before
the adoption Of ,hs Consultation were SOW
sreign aud ind-Peadens; hat the Federal
Union 10 union OF States, and that the
Constitution is a covenant or compact be-
tween them, aud the fundamental law Of
their union; and that inssmuch as the GOV
euant or compact was between sovereigns,
and there is no umpire or common inter-
prefer between them each has the right 10
Judge for itself ofinfraetions Of the contract.
and to determine for itself the mode and
measure Of redress"
Says the writer. in pursuing his argu-
nent:
at is common error 10 suppose that
the de.eg alton of what is recognized az
part Of sovereign power makes the reciPi
snt sovereign, and derogates in the same
degree from the sovereignty Of the bestow-
er."
This 10 the key note of all the discord
We find among the writer's aud speakers OF
this class. 1t is = total misspprehension
as to the nature of sovereignty. They seem
I to think that sovereignty is ls,ent Prluci.
! pie, occupying some such n relation 10 the
body polite az gravitation or magnetism
does to solid bodies. 1t can never leave
them, but it may operate through certain
agents, and may be recalled at the pleas
ure of the beslower az a power OF attorney
may be revoked by the constituent.
Such distractions may, 10 the minds Of
these philo ssctionists, have some defnit.
Specification, but. practically they pullify
government, and end in anarchy. Nysu
ask q man of common sense What is SOW
.rsigrt,i he will answer. 1t is the power to
govern. The source Of sovereignty is the
people, bat the po,eer is not in them. and
in its very nature cannot be. There can
be no government withou. magistrates, be
they one or many; and sovereignty, or the
power to govern, consists of the conces-
sions which the people make of their iudi-
vidual freedom, for the common benefit Of
all. Sovereignty is not, therefore, latent
principle remaining 10 the people. 1t does
lot begin to exist until it has gone forth
from them; is granted, conceded.
The concessions may be greater or less
as the people choose. Ia an Absolute
Monarchy all power, legislative, executive
aud Judicial, has been conceded or usurp
ed. Under q constitutional government
the people retain more. OF rather eoncede
less; aud e,p 'eially in Republic, the con
other forms; but. whatever the form of
governn ent. political sovereignty consists
of the conceded po,oers, nothing more. moth !
less.
In the structure Of the American Union,
how, and TO whom, was the power Of gov
rnment conceded 7 1t was conceded to
two separate and distinct bodies of magis
tracy, and none Of the powers granted to
one vas granted to the other. The com
plement Of sovereignty rests in two gov
eruments, Federal and Slate. The power
TO levy war, TO make treaties. TO acquire
Territory, ard the like, were conceded to
the Federal Government. The law, ma
king power relative to contracts, marriage,
descent, Wills, and private rights, is con-
eeded to the State.
Sovereignty isin its very nature abso-
ute aud exclusive. There is a difficulty
10 finding the precise line, which divides
Federal from State Sovereignty, owing to
he inherent defects in all human institu
ions; but in theory. where State sovereign
y ends, Federal sovereignty begius. They
10 not overtop each other. Thus, the Con-
'iitution declares that it. and the laws of
he United States, made in pursuance OF
{, "shall be the supreme law Of the land, !
Ipything in the Constitution or laws OF
my State to the contrary nstwithstand
Dg."
But, it is said that the Constitution was
rot forned by the people Of all the States
N masse, but by certain delegates repre-
euting the States Sesessionists seem t,
orset that this position 10 in direct con !
.ict with their darling abstraction that c
overegnty never departs from the people.
Is stated by the writer already quoted.
Governments is simply an agency or in
They t,he peo-
'le) delegate the necessary powers and au-
horities; but delegated power is uevsr
sversign, for sovereign power is Inherent. i,
rigiual. and self existent" This is al. i
nist. The forming Of the Constitution .
'ss an exercise Of sovereignty; and if GOV.
reignty never departs from the people.
hen the people did that act. The PLAN :
nd simple truth is. that what . man does
~ an avent in "A muah his ovn act m III