Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-11-03

Since the foundation OF the Federal Govern
ment there never was a time when our institu-
tions were in more danger from the dissemination
of JalSe theories in respect to its powers and limi
tatIons, and those of the States than at the pres
ent day. When the President--as if anxious to
lay the foundations OF centralized Government
had the audacity to compare the sovereign States
of this Union to the counties" of State, and to
deny the former any more power than the lat
ter, it is no wonder that thousands of his less
informed admirers should be led into the most
fatal errors, and forget the true principles of our
institutions. State and General The fact that
every State in the Union is equaln the Senate and
that nearly every law regulating the social rights
OF the people enacted by the States, should
always preclude an idea so absurd. 1t is not only
an absurd, but it is mischievous error, and one
which is working fatal damage to our political
system. The General Government grew out of
the necessities of our condition, and instead of
being the creator is the creature of the States.
1t is Government. according to the Constitu-
ton, of limited and specified powers, but is
preme in everything appertaining to the relations
of the United States with foreign nations. the
regulation of commerce, the levying of duties
imports, and all matters specially delegated to it
by the Constitution. Powers not thus
specially delegated. to use the language
of the Constitution itself, care reserUed
to the STATES and The PEOPLE" These words of
the compact show, beyond doubt, that there pere
powers which the States and people reserved
to themselves and have never surrendered to any
earthly authority. This is the old doctrine OF
JEFFERSON, MADISON, JACKSON, CLAY and the
early fathers. The old Federal party, on the
other hand, headed by JOHN ADAMS. ALEXANDER
HAMILTON and HARRISON GREY OTIs. took diff
ferent view of this question, and believed as the
Abolitonists do day, and contended that the
General Government had the power to 80 any
thing which necessary to be done to carry
out the views of those in charge of the Govern
ment, for the time being The first class of
statesmen had sacred regard for the Consttu-
ton, and construed its provisions strictly, while
the latter class held that great latitude must be
given to the President and Congress, and that
the States must be always subordinate to the
General Government. more dangerous dog
ma could not be tolerated in free nation. The
last clause of the Constitution of the United
States, if consulted, will convince the most wild
and lattudnous interpreter of its provisions that
the old Federal and the present Abolition
are both essentallyand wickedly at variance with
the true theory of institutions. The Consti-
tuition expressly provides that its ratification by
''nine" of the thirteen States then composing the
confederacy, "shall be sufficient for the estab-
lishment of this Constitution bet,ceen the States
ratifying the same" The other four States might
have rejected the Constitution and yet the Con
stitution would have made and established the
Union for the nine concurrin9 States. Each
State had the perfect and undoubted right TO
adopt or reject that Constitution and to share the
benefits aud burdens of the Union as TO them
seemed best There was not the slightest com.
pulsion on any State to adopt it. The Conven-
ton which formed the Constitution was CON-
posed of delegates appointed by the several
States, and they appeared in the Convention as
delegates from Massachusetts" Virginia
Connecticut" Georgia" &c. All the voting
was done by States, and the questions decided by
having them called "A such. No one, in the early
days of the Republic, was wicked enough to con-
tend that the States were subordinate to the Gen.
eral Government, except for the purposes of
defense against foreign invasion, National reve-
nue., commerce with the nations, &c The very
reverse is true. Every statesman whose memory
is yet revered by the American people held opin-
IONS adverse to the prevailing sentiments which
govern the Republican party in this country.
This dominant faction ignore, fer as 1t is safe
to do so, every independent and valuable right of
the States. and desire that all their political
action shall conform to the faction party which
may chance TO rule at Washington. The favorite
scheme of great centralized power at the Fed