The southern aegis, and Harford County intelligencer. (Bel Air, Md.) 1862-1864, 1862-08-23
From the Newark ~. J. J Journal.
WHERE ARE WE DRIFTINGi

drifting ?'' The recent bold and defiant
article in the Advertiser foreshadows what
the unprincipled leaders Of the Republi-
can party would do if they thought they
had the power. The sacred oath-bound
Obligations of official positions under the
Constitution have been set aside by men
high in power with perfect impunityj
nay, with the approval of thousands, whose
''livers are white as milk" or else they
would have resisted. There is nota sim
gle provision of the Constitution protec-
ting the liberty of the subject, that has not
been most shamefully violated. It is arbi-
trary power that is thus assailing all these
cherished rights. The barriers and fences
of the public liberties are being plucked
up one by one, and plausible pretences
are being daily found for removing or
hood winking, one after another, the SEN
tries that the constitution Of free coun-
try places upon their posts to warn the
people of their danger To do this, is to
claim centraliziug power in the General
Government, repudiated by the men who
framed it; power of absolutism, that
would lift the government far above the
reach of the people and subject them to
all manner of expressions. And now,
from assailing the individual liberty of the
citizen, they intend to assail the liberties
of the entire State. They desire to over
shadow our State sovereignty by the dark,
sombre cloud of national absolutism.-
Jersymen, the National Government is to
dictate to the people of this State who
they shall elect, and what manner of man
he shall be, or else military subsection, like
that Of Maryland and Missouri, shall be
yours. '
The National Government now claims
for itself omnipotent power. The meas
ures of the Government are to be recog-
miged as vald and supreme, vhetter the
Constitution IS adhered to or not. This
in the first place is rank consolidation
1t puts consti tutional restrictions at def
ance, and gives the same force and effect
to laws made in violation of the granted
powers, as is given in the Constitution to
laws made in pursuance thereof. Under
such a government, written Constitution
would soon become an empty name, a
promise to the ear to be broken at the
pleasure, deceptive in its practical opera
tions, and a taunting insult.
In nothing is there so much ignorance
manifested, from the President down to
the merest tide-waiter, as in reference to
the question of the relative position of the
State Governments In our system.
So numerous and diversified are the in
terests of our country, that they could not
be fairly represented in single govern
meut, organized SO as to give to each great
and leading interests separate and dis
tinct voice, as Ia the old world govern
ments. A plan was adopted better suited
to our situation, but perfectly novel in its
character. The powers of the govern
ment were divided, not as heretofore in
reference to classes, but geographically. VI
One General Government was formed for
the whole, to which was delegated all of
the powers supposed to be necessary to
regulate the interests common to all the
States, leaving others subject to the separ-
ate control Of the States, being from their
local and peculiar character such that they
could not be subject to the will of the ma
jority of the whole Union, without the
certain hazard of injustice and oppression.
This distribution of power, settled solemn
ly by constitutional compact, to which
all the States were parties, constitutes the
peculiar character and excellence of our
system. II is truly and emphatically
American ,oithoat eranape or parallel
These great departments are independent
in their respective spheres. The States
called the General Government into exis.
tence with all of its powers, which they
freely surrendered on their part, under
the conviction that the common peace,
safety and prosperity required it--that
they were bound together by common
origin, and the recollection of common
suffering and common triumph in the
great and splendid achievement Of their
Independence.
Should the General Government, as in
the present war, and State or States
come in conflict, we hold that the power
which called the General Government In
TO existence, which gave il all its author
ity, can enlarge, contract, or abolish It's
powers at pleasure, must be invoked, and
not the military arm of the Government,,i
as has been done to our cost. The States
themselves must be appealed to, three
foarths Of s0tsch in fact form po,Oer,
whose DEGREES are the Constitution itself,
and whose voice can silence all tliscontent