Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-02-04
State Rights.


introduced into the Constitutional Conven-
ton by Mr.. O'Melveuy, meet our cordial
views on that subject.
They declare that each citizen of the
United States owes allegiance to the prin-
ciples contained in the Federal constitution
to the extent of all the powers which that
government, by virtue of that constitution,
may of right exercise, or by virtue cf said
constitution prohibit On the part of the
people Of the States, and no more that to
the constitution of the State the allegiance
of the citizen is due to the extent of all
other powers of the government within the /
State; that the liberty of the citizen is in
separately united with tho maintenance Of
the sovereign powers of the people in their
State governments, and that those powers ,
should be asserted, upheld and preserved, !
as the surest guarantee for the protection |
of the liberty, prosperity and lives Of the |
citizen; that the powers of the Federal /
government, through the constitution of the |
United States, were all derived and con-
fcrred by the people then the citizens of
| the States ard that oil powers of govern
ment, not conferred by the people upon
the Federal government, nor prohibited by
that constitution to the people Of the States,
| are not derived from Federal authority, but
are nov and ever have been original pow
/ ers, independent of the Federal govern,
ment, and should be maintained as the
sovereign vii Of the people Of the States.
Su.h is the substances Of Mr.. O'Mel,
veny's resolutions, and we earnestly hope
that the doctrine laid down by them may
be engrafted in our new consti.ution.-
They advance TIRE true Democratic princi-
pies promulgated Ivy Jefferson, Maids n,
Jackson and the cham pions of the peoples
rights in every age Of our republic.
II Is true this doctrine of State Rights is
not approved by President Lincoln or any
Of the descendants of the oil Federal Wing
stock President Lincoln, in bis message
to the extra session # Congress in Juiy
last, took the position that the States have
no rights or even existence, except what
they derive from the Federal Government,
and h. Il AZ it's pleasure Indeed, # his
view should prevail, and there is an effort
being made TO build mp party to sustain
him, State lines would he practically and
literally ilotted out, and our government
become consolidated despotism.
Though the charge has been made b,
certain traitorous Abolitionists, we are no
sccessionists, either in theory or practice
And we defy those who have made the
charge against us to show a single word,
sentence OF paragraph that ever appeared
editorially i'll this paper that inn lies any
thing of that sort, or to fad any person
who has heard us express even a word of
sympathy with tho Southern rebellion
But, nevertheless, we believe that the ap-
parent policy of the President and the
leading Republicans, to deprive the States
of their rights Of sovereignty under the
Federal constitution should be resisted by
every true friend Of the country. The
Estates existed prior to the formation os the
Union, ard we believe tina. their sovereign
ty, except where expressly circumscribed
by the Federal constitution which is but
the creature CT their formation, is as COM
plete and as independent as it was before
the Union was effected. The States un-
questionably retain all the nowers not ex-
pressly given up to the Federal govern
ment, through the constitution, nor prohib
tied to them by that instrument
Our constitutional convention should look
well to this import principle of government.
/ Let them so frame our constitution that
freedom, dignity, power and our rights as
the people of a sovereign State. so far as
| guaranteed by the Federal constitution,
shall not be encroached upon or violated.
Mr.. O'Melveny has our sincere thanks
/ for his noble stand on the question. The
events Of the last ten months ought to con.
vince US of the necessity of being watchful
! of our rights The doctrine that the pow
ers and rights of the individual States
must he surrenderCd for the public good,
is one Of the most dangerous fallacies of
the time. Through the whole history of
our government, the doctrine Of State
Rights has been held by large majority
Of our statesmen and people and It Is IS
plain as the sun at monday. that a re union
| of these States eau never he brought abo"t
by trampliug upon the provisions of written
constitutions, State or Federal.
The convention should remember shat
! the people expect !uem to provide against
! our State being virtually swallowed W by
any questions Of expediercy, or 9 want Of
courage to defend rights, that may be in
imicol %. the powers that be st our national
capital.