Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-11-29

On the llth of February, 1901, Fresiden'
LINCOLN, being on dis way to Washington to
be insusurated, psopounded In sr address at
Indianapolis the following among other ques'
tions: "If State and county, in given
case, should be equal in extent Of territory, and
squal in number of inhabitants, In what, as q
matter of principle, Ia the State better than
the county7" This, If we rightly spprehend
II, Is equivalent to askipg-If this county
(Franklin) is In extent Of territory and number
Of inhabitants equal to the State of Delaware,
n what, as a matter Of principle, is the relation
Of Delaware TO ths National Government differ
ent from, and higher than that of franklin
county to the State of ohio7 Or We may re-
ducs the problem to simpler form, and In
quire-Is not the relation of State to the
Union the same as that of o county to Ssats7
Mr.. LINCOLN did not answer the foregoing or
the other questions he put. He said he asserted
nothing; but merely asked questions for his
hearers TO consider. Il 10 evident, however,
from the way he put the above question that
there was at least dim idea, II not settled
conviction In his mind, that the relation of o
State to the Union was the same as that of
county to State. From the time of his In
suguratiOn to the present hour, the President
and many Of his subordinatss In the admins.
tration Of the Government, seem to have scted,
In many cases, upon that idea or conviction
At all events, the doctrine is frequently as
serted and stoutIy maintained by many of those
who call themselves Republicans. IL lie no.
slon clearly at war with our system Of State
and National Governments, and tending TO lite
overthrow. We propose to present few con-
sidsrations exposing lite fallacy. AL the read
er needs In order TO verify substantially our
propositions, 10 the United States Constitution
and the old and new Constitutions of Ohio.
I. The United States Constitution from
which the General Government derives sllits
authority as State Government does from q
State Constitution, was formed by delegates
appointed BY the Legislatures Of the several
States, each State acting. separately for itself,
and Independently Of ell or any Of the rest.r
A State Constitution Is formed by delegates,
not chosen by county Legislatures, but by the
people voting In counties or districts-twO or
more counties being frequently united to form
Q district, and county being sometimes divid
ed into two or more districts. ~.
II. In the Convention which formed the
United States Constitution, questions were de-
termined, not By majority Of the whole num-
Der of delegates, as In the formation of State
Constitution, but by O majority Of the votes Of
the Statespresent- State casting one vote.
In forming the United States Constitution, all
the voting was done BY States; in forming
State Constitution, Il 10 done BY she whole body
Of the delegates without regard to the counties
they represent. III saa 4 ~;
III. When the Constitution of the United
States was agreed upon, Il was solsmnly added
at the end Of the instrument, and before the
signatures Of the delegates were affixed, tha, IL
was "done in convention by the UNANIMOUS
CONSENT Of the STATES present." BIZ.
the Constitution of State simply afarms that
Il was done. not BY the consent Of the counties
present In convention, for they are nos Oonaid-
cred 90 being present as civil corporations or
bodies polite, but by the consent Of the whole
number, or q msiority Of the whole number Of
delegates. 4'eat a. is9
Nv. Il was provided in the United States
Consultation that u was to take effect upon Its
radacaticn, not BY majority Of the whole
people In the Union, but by conventions in the
States, and when ratified BY conventions in nine
States, and than only between the States 60
rstifying the same. The Constitution accord
ingly went Into operation upon being ratified
BY separate conventions In eleven states-tWo
States, Rhode Isinnd and North Carolina hav-
Ing refused Or neglected 10 ratify II. No jurIs-
dicsion was exercised or attempted to be exer.
cised by the new General Government over
those two States until they had ratified the
Constisution in the manner designated; until
then, they were treated 40 out Of the Union
and a. foreign States or nations
The first Constitution Of Ohio was not sub
mIttsd for ratification to the people at all
In any form; the second or present Constitu-
sion was submitted to the people, NOS by
couuties or In county conventions, but to
ths vote Of tho whole people of the
state considered In the aggregate. Ito rsti.
feaiion depended upon that vote, and not upon
che vote Of any number Of counties. II The
majority Of The whole people in the State