Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-02-10
The National Union and state Rish.s.

The National Union and state Rights.
The present 10 nomentous crisis In our
national existence Our safety, our prosperity,
and the security Of personal and political
rights depend upon clear understanding on
the part OF the people Of the principles that io
at the foundation of our compound system OF
National and State Governments. We are
necessarily, In the present fierce political agita-
tiOn which threatens the integrity, as we'll as
the destruction of that system, thrown back
upon fret principles. These should be careful
ly examined and thoroughly understood
Soon after the adoption of our present Ma
tional Constitution, two political parties were
found arrayed against each other--tbe Federal
and the State Rights party. The former we've
TO, making the National Government as strong
as possible and interpreting the Constitution
with that end in view; the other party contend
cd zealously for the sovereignty and rights Of
the States against the encroachments of the
General Government, and to secure these, de-
manded striot construction Of the National
Constitution
Both these partiee have existed under various
modified forms and names since the formation
of our present National Union. Their peculiar
We've have at all times had an influence more
or less controlling in our politics. But OF late
powerful factions have arisen, which have
pushed the doctrines of each to extremes, in
volved the country in civil war, and are at this
moment engaged in setting at naught the Ma
tlonal Constitut and overturning the Ameri-
can Union. These two factions are known as
Aboltionsts and SecessionisIs. The former
claim it as right on the part of the National
Gossrnnent-and having obtained the control
OF Gba, Government they have put their theory
IN pracilce--to disregard, If IL deems 1t neceE-
ssry as var measure In any part or in the
shole country, the rights Of personal liberty,
personal aecuriry and private property, as se-
cured BY the National and State Constitutions;
to abrogate State Constitutions and State Gov
ernmettt and in foe to insugurate Military
Dictatorship in The person of the National Ex-
ecutive at Washington.
Ga the other hand, the Secessonists insist
that any Slate, or any number of States, have
the constitutional right to secede or withdraw
from The UnioD, and to set up for themselves
rs an independent State or Confederacy. The
State or States go Withdrawing arc to be the
cole judges whether On exigency has arisen,
which justifes such withdrawal.
The theory in substance lie, that any State
may constitutionally break up the Union at its
option, or, in other words, tnat the Cons itution
which gave lite and existence to "more per-
iect Union" than had previously existed. author
isss any mem5er or members of that Union to
destroy or put it 10 death.
The Abolilion and Secession extremes meet
and agree in this. that both aim az setting aside
she National Constitution, aud both compass
the desruc ion OF the N,,ionsl Union. Nor
would 10 bs 9 phenomenon tnAt need surprise
auy one, il We should soon see the leaders Of
both factions coDsul'lGg and cooperating in
the acc, mpist meht o their common purpose
The Abolition aud Sece :sioD txremes both
arise from mIscoDcepHoD OF the tWololi ma.
ture of our eys,em 0t governmelt. l0 miDy
cases, this miseo1oepion 10 wilifully enterssins
or seihsn ends, IN many o'ber-,i It springs from
prejudiced or one-sided views. Viewing our
General Government on the rational eide only,
uen are prepared 70 imbIbe he idea that it pos
sesses unlimited and absolute sovereign power;
viewing It exclusively on the side of Confede-
ration ofindependent and sovereign States, they
come 10 the conclusion that the Constitution is,
as the old Articles of Confederation were said
t. be,"a mere rope Of sand" from which any
State may release itself at It's own sovereign
will and pleasure.
These two vieWs, each taken separately With
out the other, lead to the same absnrdities In
politics as the extremes of msterialism and spir.
itualism In philosophy. Regarding man simply
in his corporeal aspect, the matefiAlist con-
cludss he has no soul, looking at him solely as
an intellectual and moral being, the spiritualist
urges that he has no body--in fact that the ex-
istence Of matter 10 fiction. q
Our Union under our present National Con.
situation, ss Mr.. MADISON argues (see FEDERAL
lot No. XXXIX), is neither merely National
Government arising from consolidation of the
States, nor merely Confederacy Of sovereign
States, but composition Of both. Though su
prsme within its sphere; yet its Jurisdiction ex-
tends to certain enumerated objects only, leav.
ing to the several States @ residuaPy and in
violable sovereignty over ell other objects.-
Immediately upon its adoption amendments to
the Constitution were proposed and became q
mart Of that instrument, In order, in the Lam
guage of the Fret Congress which proposed
them, TO prevent misconception and abuse Of
powers granted by the Constitution, for which
purpose these further declaratory and restrict
i've clauses were added. The language Of the
tenth article Of these amendments or explana-
tory and restrictive clauses, is peculiar and Il.
lus.sstes the understanding our fathers had Of
tho new form of Governments they had insti
tutsd.
The amendment referred to Is In these
words, Soi a'a
The uowers not delegated to the United
Stat by the Constitution. NOT prohibited by
Il Ia the 6tates, are reserved to the States re-
kff in