The dollar weekly bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1862-1864, 1863-03-05
Nature of True OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES


with, in our present time of trouble, is the
effectiveness of education under which the
people, Cor at least many Of them), have
been led to adopt very erroneous views of
the nature, or the theory, or the philosophy
of our republican system of government
thought not to be deemed necessary, (though |
it seems to be that it is), to say that the re-
publican institutions of America are founded
on basis, the very opposite of that on which
the monarchies of the old world are found
ed. The latter are based on the idea that
the rights of the people-even in the most
liberal governments subject to menarchical
ruIe-are derived from the grants of the
crown, or from whatever power, may, in the
name of government, assume to make such
grants.
This theory, under our institutions, is ut
terly rejected. True repu blicanism does not
merely ignore it, but expressly renounces it.
The Constitution of Kentucky, for in
stance, defines, in general, but explicit terms
the origin, nature and objects of political
government. The origin is in the will OF
the people to be affected by it; the nature of
it is to be found in the mere form by which
the people choose to have their will execu-
ted; the object is, simply, (though very COM
prehensive and vitality importantly, the pro-
lection of life, liberty and property.
In monarchical systems of government,
the theory is, that the rights of the people
are derived as grants from the monarch; in
other words that the people are subjects of
the government and that the government is
not the servant, but the master, of the peo-
! pie. But under our republican theory, it IS
held, that the people are the source OF all
political power-that they institute all gov
eminent by their own will and for their own
good-and that they have the same right TO
alter, reform or abolish any government they
may set up, as they had to create it at first.
Such is clearly the meaning of the Constitu-
ton of kentucky, and it but expresses the
meaning of the provisions of the Constitu-
tions of other States.
The Bill of Rights in the Constitution Of
Kentucky-what is that? Few,-at least
too few-consfder. Of-hand readers, small
|
and consider it nothing, simply because they
see there no active, operative power, con-
ferred on the State government. This would
be great evil to the country, if the opin-
ions Of such men had any weight. But the
Bill of Rights is the fundamental portion Of
the Constitution. 1t is true that it grants no
operative powers to the State government;
but 1t does what is far moro important-it
reserves, in express terms, to the people of
the State, powers which they refuse to grant
even to the agency they create in the grants
of power they do make. And in this Bill
of Rights-Rights, which the people retain
in their own hands-which they possessed
before the existence of this or any govern
ment-wbich they declare to be inalienable,
indefeasible and nviolable-Rights which
they have never surrendered even to the
government of their own creation-in this
Bill of Rights, we say, the people expressly
except out of the powers of government
which they do grant, and reserve to them
selves the power to alter, reform or abolish
their government, whenever and however
they please-in other words, they assert
what is commonly known by the phrase
Gthe right of revolution" And who can
dispute that right? 1t is an inherent right
of free people. 1t is right which they
cannot grant away, right which cannot be
taken away, a right which nobody can ques-
ton or touch or as the Constitution itself
defines it, right inaZienable, indeteasible and
iraviolable.
So much, for the present, on the element
airy character of our government But a very
erroneous opinion prevails, even in this re-
public, as to the nature of governm ent. Let
US examine this error for moment.
The governm ent, under our republican
institutions, is not the master, but the GER
wants, of the people. Loyalty to the gov
eminent is unqu estionably the duty of the
people. Loyalty is obedience to the laws of
the land, or in abstaining from their viola
ton. The laws of the land are those enact
ments by the legislative department which
for the general good are framed in conson-
ance with the constitution. A statute, en-
acted in violation of the constitution, has
been held by the Supreme Cortland as
every man of sense would SAYS void; and
of course no man is guilty of disloyalty who
disobeys or disregards it. Much less guilty
is he who disregards an ord er, command or
edict, of any officer, civil or military, out
side of the legislative department, which
violates the organic law.
This word, government" which we COM
monty use to signify the collective political
/ institutions of our rappblic i rnboo,,;Ir ca