Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-07-16

| 1t was because the Union was necessary fol
!. the preservation of all, and the old articles Of
confederation were too weak to enforce ODE
dience, that the present constitution was
framed It was designed to erect govern
, ment strong enough to enforce its authority
, upon every citizen and upon every combina,
of citizens, under whatever name, who should
presume to defy it. The old articles of con.
federation conferred no such power as this
They created Union, but union of States,
!, or political communities, with no common
head but a congress- in which were lodged all
the powers conferred as well those that per
, tain to the executive as to the legislative de-
partment. 1t was an association Of States, not
a government. Congress had exclusive con-
troll of our foreign relations the ight to de-
clare war and conclude peace, and its acts
were then morally binding upon the States
1t had the right to make acquisitions for men
and money, but all its edicts were addressed
to the States, az such, instead Of the citizen,
and they could not be enforced. The Union,
thus formed, was but Union in name. 1t
was threatened with the fate of its predeces-
sors - those confederacies of independent
States, the downfall of which have cast their
shadows over the histories of ancient Greece
: and modern Europe There was not sufficient
power in the government to enforce the col
lection of taxes for the payment of'the public
| government itself When the common dan
gers that menaced the States, and drove them
to temporary Union, had passed away, each,
IN turn, sank back into it's former condition of
isolation, and gave it's exclusive attention to
It's own local concerns. Mutual jealousies and
rivalries arose; conflicting interests arraved
section against section, and State against
State, until all hope seemed groundlcss, that
such Union could be sustained in time of
i peace, as experience had demonstrated was
necessary in time of war. Most federal con-
stltutons had failed in the same manner, and
| by the same means. They failed for the rea-
son that they were governments over govern
ments-law making powers over States in their
aggregate, rather than over the people in their
individual, capacity. No sanction could be
added, or be part of the law, because no
State can be arraigned, convicted and punished
for disobedience. Government, if she would
survive must deal with the citizen. For him
she can legislate; from him she receives sup
port in her councils, and service in the field.
Our present constitution was drafted by it's
wise founders in view of the difficulties of
which have spoken, and for the purpose Of
avoiding the dangers which proved too gigan-
tic for the articles of confederation. Long
months of deliberation and prayer, by the wis
est and most patriotic body of men that ever
assembled this continent, resulted in the
publication to the world, and the adoption by
| nine of the States, and subsequently by the
remaining ones, of that instrument which saw
ed the life IF political liberty and perpetuated
the American name, and under which we have
grown from thirteen to thirtv-four common
weaiths, each an empire in itself. Under its
| magnificent workings, we have grown from
tottering infancy to national greatness and
| strength. Under its benign influences, we have
risen from weak and divided people, with no
acknowledged head, to an established indie
pendent Power, standing first among the ma
tions of the earth-with resources exbaustless
in extent, commerce that svarms every sea
the best government of the best people upon
which the sun ever shone The identity of
the States is preserved their power to rcgu-
late their domestic concerns unabridged, but
over all and above all, within the scope of its
authority, and that authority freely delegated
by the States, is the Federal Government. de-
manding the first allegiance of the citizen
The federal constitution was adopted in order
| to form a more perfect union-the States sur
rendering, in return for the benefits of per-
mani Mt Union, portion Of their powers to
the Federal Government. In the legitimate
exercise of the powers thus expressly con
terred, the conduct of the Federal Government
Is above and beyond the dictaton of the States
In the exercise Of its high prerogative, it is
subject to the review of no power, save by the
federal courts and by the pcople-and bv them
| only IN tho manner escribed by the consti-
tuition. The main attributes of sovereignty,
residing always With the people, are exercised
| through the agency Of the Federal Govern
ment, and not through that of the States The
! power to enact and enforce laws for the rails
ing OF revenue, to declare war, to raise armies,
and conclude peace, resides in the federal
| arm. The right to make treaties form alli-
ances offensive and defensive, to arrest, con
Wet, and punish for treason-all powers Of
sovercignty-are the functions of the govern
ment of the nation at large. 1t is in our char.
acter as Americans-as citizens of the United
States, instead of that of citizens of State,
that our rights are respected by foreign ma
tlons In our character as subj jects OF the Tn
ion, other nations have been taught that they
must respect us in that character we should
| respect ourselves.
The authority of the State and national
governments, being each independent of the
other, in the exercise of its respective powers.
the question to what would be the duty of
the citizen, when those separate authorities
should be brought IN conflict, was in the early
days of the Republic, the subject of anxious
solicitude by many good men. The growing
prosperity, and consequent increased strength
of many of the States, made their ambitions
| citizens determined to control the legislation
of the country and the disposition of it's no.
| litical patronage, or bring its authority il. to
disrepute. Whenever the Federal authorities
stood between them and success, the people
were told that the government was absorbing
the independent lights of the States, and with
them, the liberties of the people. 1t was
claimed that the States were the rightful
Judges as to the extent of the powers deleca-
ted to the Federal Government, and as to
those reserved, and, in the name of 'sState
Rights" the dangerous doctrine was advanced
that any State possessed the right to nulIifv
and set at defiance the laws OF Congress, when
ever, in the opinion of such State. Congress
had transcended the limits of the grant; and
this too, in strict pursuance of the Federal
constitution. The very dangers that beset
the old confedei ation and the existence of
which called into being the present form of
government, were, if this doctrine should pre-
vail, to swallow up and destroy the last hone
of mankind But it did not prevail When
South Carolina arrogated to herself the right
and power to determine which of the federal
laws should be enforced within her limits, and
which should not when, in the assumed robes
Of State sovereignty, and in all the solemn
forms Of State Convention, she published to
the world that certain acts of Congress, pur-
porting 60 be laws for the imposing of duties
and imposts on the importation of foreign
commodities, 'were unauthorized by the Con-
stitution Of the United States, and were in vi
olation of the true meaning and intent there
of and therefore null and void, and no lar;''
and further provided that those acts should
not be enforced within that State, either b.