The Placer herald., 1861-08-17
LINCOLN AND HIS CONSTRUCTIONS.


than that reserved to them in the Union by the
Constitution, no one OF them ever having bcci IL
state out OF the Union The
States have their status in the Union. and they
have no other legal status "Thu
Union gave each of them whatever independence
and liberty it bad" The Union is
oider than any OF the States. and in lac: it GREG
ted them rs States originally"
Such are the statements OF the executive of this
great nation, made to demonstrate the unity and
origin Of the Union from some source other than
the States themselves They are the reasons as
signed for the exercise OF that power which, if
conceded, clevates the government OF the Union
at once above all the restraints and influence Of
the different members of the Union. and places
the Constitution itself beyond the control OF the
grantors. This doctrine Of the President is not a
new doctrine, yet other President nor any
eminent statesman. ever adopted and pronlulGa-
ted such paratloycal sentiments. OF the beginning
and power of the General Government.
It is true that Mr.. Motley, known rs the author
of the Rise of the Dutch Republic" in Il recent
letter TO the London Times, asserts that the ton
sttution WAS not drawn by the States; it WAS not
ratified Ivy the States; the States never acccdcd to
it. and possess no power to sccedc from it,. But
while Mr.. Motley may be an accurate historian of
the Dutch. such ideas Of the inspired work of our
Fathers would OF rank him very high as IA truth
full historian Of THIS country, or place him in the
list of these Intellectual statesmen who stand like
Gods in the Forum of The nation cXpOunding
the Constitution aud the freedom of the States
To those great men. the first section OF the first
Article OF the CONSTITUTIONS: "All Legislative
powers herein gyantcd shall be vested in IL Con
gress OF TIE United States, which shall consist OF
q Senate and House OF Representatives" it was
not difficult to understand from tch0m those pow
ers were granted. When they read the second
section and found that 1.-THE House of Representa-
tives shall be composed Of members chosen every
second year by the people ot the sererai States.'
they would naturally conclude, without resort to
unworthy subteruge. that the powers granted.
within which that House was authorized to lcgis-
late, We're also derived from The sererai States.
No one in those days conceived those powers as
| obtained without regard to the Sovereignty OF the
! States. Most men believed in Constitution
! framed by deputies fronl the several States and
! submitted to the several States for adoption
| Most men believed tat 1.-THE ratification OF the
Conventions OF nine States shall tc sufficient for
/ the establishment OF this Constitution between
| the States so ratifying the same. See last Arti-
Gle L. S Constitution. Al The time Of the sub.
mission Of the work OF orr patriot fathers" If
there he any meaning in the language used. there
were States "Uu, ct the Union capable of adopt
ing or rejecting said work.
To show more completely The great iaci Of SOY
stitutionh Union. and that the President cir,
greatly in alleging that "WhAtevcr of power,
liberty and indie endcncc that whatever Of le.
gal status WAS possessed by the States or that the
Union created them. or was Older than the States.
we have onl to quote from TIE Articles OF Con
federation Done at Phlade pha, in the State OF
Pennsylvania. the 9th day of July. in the year OF
eur Lord, IT'S aud in the 3rd year OF the Indie !
pendence of America Article 2nd.--' Elch /
state retains its Sovereignty, Freedom and In
dependence. and every power jurisdiction and |
right which Is not by this Confederation expressly /
delegated Tor grancd.] to The United States in
Congress assembled, and TO meet this promi- (
nent disposition to retain certain and I'm |
disputed control OF the great essential principl's
OF State freedom and power. and sovrrr gniy. !
with the Union under the Consi tuition. The Pre- /
silent can relc 10 The Constitutional amendments /
OF lrst Session of first Congress. September 25h |
1859, aud submitted tc the several States before
all tn States, by theft several Conventions. had !
"rAtliicd the Constitution" article Jth. The |
enumeration in Constitution of certain rights. |
shall not he construed TO deny or dsptrage others
rriai.td by the people Authorities not alone
from the Constitution but fro all tn" lcb les in |
the Convention Of the States Deputies. which /
framed ltcould be piled up in proof OF the diverse
origin OF tn organic Law OF the land: and We
know OF no writers Of note, either in the earlier !
or later days OF the Republic, who held to ANY |
Other theory. lnIccd the important lpct--ihc /
States was evidence complete of the powr" 70
creGte the Lnt3h by adopting the Constitution. I
or to remain 90 many iniep"mIcncics out OF the 1
Union
Even m equality of States. Or an equality be- /
tween them. was established by the 3rd section Of
Article first, which not TO have established ut the
time, would have been tant.mount 10 IA lack OF /
equal sovereignty among the States and fatal 10 |
The iatIlicaton. lis no use talking about the |
lcudai origin Of the word sorttclgnty, Il word. !
the comprehensive meaning OF which all Under (
stand. \ State, so tr from ever having derived |
ought OF power" trom the Union. was lastly |
proui OF having contributed towards whatever |
OF power the Union possessed. The States crtO |
ted the Union and its stat,tA; the boundaries OF !
that creation mark The express and alm ghiy will
OF us founders. Twas It clear manifestation OF |
grace. the extension OF VIII ch. with it,: ahounling
blessings was vouchsaIcd according to the varI- /
Gus lnoods OF the bcnciccut donors, from the 18th
December. 1887. by little Delaware, to 18th May.
E'9o, by dimlhutivc Rhode Island. In WORT,
reversing the the statements of both Lincoln and
Motley. he Constitution drawn up by the
States through heir representatives,. II WAS rat
lied by the States. The States did acccdc to il.
and did ana do possess the power to not only
amend but 10 annhatc or re assume the boon
! bestowed.
| 1t was all this which made such great and
! glorious nation upon his western hemisphere
God hath not dealt 50 with any other people,
Were the reverse OF this true. us claimed Nv Mr..
! Lincoln and his adv iscrs, the Union would have
held the germs OF as great a tyranny within itself
as that power from which our patriot fathers de-
cllred themselves free on the 4th day Of July.
1916. To-day, were we us ccmpt tely, rs we are
partially dismcmbered, and DESTROYS for resto-
ration. or the establishment OF IA new Union
among the States, from whom would the power of
such Union come: As formerly. The several
states would delegate, or glant,eIpress authority
to the Congress Of States. to the Judiciary, aud
to the Executive. There would be no such con
'radlcllon OF terms rs used by our President,
when he announced that the States have neither
more nor less power than that reserved to them
bu the COnS itulOnN For lnstnnl of or M inn OF