Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-08-31

ernment will before long absorb all the powers
of legislation, and you will have in effect. but
one consolidated government, which would be
wholly inadequate to watch over aud protect its
interests; and every friend of free institu
tions should always prepare TO maintain unim-
paired and in full vigor the rights and sover
eignty of the States (l4)
ABRAHAM LINcoLN-lt is impossible for this
Government TO exist half slave and half free
The institution of slavery must, therefore, 20
down. 1t is inhamau, and an evil, should be
e-adcated.
ANDREW JAcKsoN-Each State has the un-
questionable right to regulate its own internal
concerns according TO its own pleasure; and
while it does not interfere with the rights of the
people of otner States. the rights of the Union,
every State must be the sole judge of the meas
proper to secure the safety of its citizens and
promote their hrppDtss; and all efforts on the
part OF the people of the States to cast odium on
their Institutions. and all measures calculated TO
disturb their rights of property. or to put in
jeopardy their peace and internal tranquility,
in direct opposition 10 the spirit in which the
Union Was founded. and must endanger lis safety.
Motives Of philanthropy nay be assigned to their
unwarrantable interference and weak men NAV
persuade themselves for a moment that they are
laboring in the cause of humanity, and asserting
tie rights of the human race: but every one. upon
sober reflection. will see that nothing but mis-
chief can come from these improper assaults upon
the feelings aud rights of Others. Rest assured
that the men found busy in the work of dscord
are not worthy of confidence. and deserve the
strongest reprobation. (l5)
ABRAHAM LTNcoLN-lt the Union that
created the States and therefore, the States being
subordinate, must submit to the authority and
power of the General Government.
ALEXANDER HAMILToN--Ihe States can never
lose their powers till the whole people of America
robbed OF their liberties These must go
together. They must support each other or meet
a common fate The Constitution Is framed
upon truly republican principles. and as it is ex
Dressly designed for common protection and the
general welfare OF the United States il mutt be
utterly repugnant to that Constitution to subvert
the Statc governments, oppreSs the people.
The coercion of the State is one of the maddest
projects that was ever devised. A failure of
compliance will never be confined to a single
State. This being the case. can suppose it
wise to hazard civil war? IL would be a nation
+. at war with itself. Can any reasonable man be
we'll disposed toward government that makes
war and carnage the only means OF supporting
itself. government that only exist by the
swordl
The State governments are absolutely neces.
sary to she system. Their existence must form
leading principle in the most perfect Constitu-
ton we could form nsis' that il never can be
the interest or desire of the national legislature
TO destroy the State governments II can derive
no advantage from such an event; but, on the
contrary, would lose an Indispensable support, a
necessary aid in executing the laws. and convey
ing the influence Of governments to the doors OF
the peo3le The Union dependent upon the
will OF the State governments for its chief mags-
trate and for its Senate. The blow aimed at the
members must give fatal wound to the head;
and the destruction of the States must be at once
a political suicide. Q6)
ABRAHAM LINcoLN-The Government must
prove that it is supreme. and has the power to
force obedience, or it is a mOckery to call il
government Its power, therefore, to coerce
States in rebellion must be admitted funda-
mental principle of its existence
ALEXANDER HANILTOS-Whoever considers the
populcusness aud strength of several of these
States Singly at the present juncture. and looks
forward TO what they will become even at the dis
tance OF half century. will at once dismiss as
idle and visionary any scheme which aims at reg
ulating or coercng Them in their collective ca
pacities by the General Government. A project
OF this kind is lille less romantic than the mon
ster aiming spirit attributed to the fabulous he
roes and dem gods of antiquity Even in those
cnnfederhces. which have been composed of
members smaller than many Of our counties, the
principle OF legislation for foreign States sup
ported by military coercion. has never been found
effectual Ithis rarely been attempted to be EN-
ployei against fhe weIker members; and in most
disohe,ent have been the sicn,'s of bloody wars.
in which one half the confelerary has displayed
its banners a-aiiisi the other We want no such
government ~ thiS. ~
ABRAHAM LIxcoLy-What does government
mean, but ppwer aui authority over the gov
erned? It the people will not sustain the gov
ernmeai. then it is rlelrly the right OF the gov
ernment to sustain Itself I, would he impossible
to do Ibis If To he hound up by the checks
oud restraints of the constitution
THoMAsJ FFFERs pN-CSov ernInenti is now taking
steady 10 show 10y what road it will
pass to destruction, to Wit: by consolidation first,
and then corruption. iis natural consequence.
prevalence of the doctrines of
consolidation will one day call for reformation or
revolution | see with the deepest
affection the rapid strides with which the Fed
ersil branch OF oar Government is advancing to
ward usurpation Of all the rights reserved to the
States and the consolidation in itself of all power
foreign and domestic, and that. too. by construc-
tons which, ifleslimate, leave no limits to their
power. (lS)
GEoRGE WAsHrsGroS-It is important that the
habit of thinking in free country should inspire
caution in those entrusted with It's administration
to confine themselves within their respective
constitutional spheres, avoiding in the exercise
Of the powers of one department, to encroach up
on another The spirit of encroachment tends to
consolidate the powers of all the departments in
one sud thus create. whatever the form of gov
ernmeDt real despotism just estimate of
that love of power and proDeness to abuse IL
which tedominaies in the human heart Is suffi
cent to Satisiy us of the truths of this position
The necessity OF reciprocal checks in the exer-
else OF roitic,l power, by dividing and distributing
it into different departments, and constituting
each the guardian of the public veal against in
vasion by the other has been evinced by ex-
perimeuts. ancient and modern; some Of them in
our own country aud under our own eyes. To
preserve them must be as necessary TO in
stitute them
H. in the opinion of the people. the destruction
or modihca,Ontl the constitutional powers be in
any p,Fticuar wrong et Il lie corrected by an
amendment in t,e way which the Constitution
delegates. Bmt let thae he no change by usur
patton; i.i though this in one nst-n~e may be
the instrument of s.'s'l. It = the customary
weapon bs which tiet governments are destroy
ed The precedsn' must always overbalance in
permanent evil any pirtirl or transient benefit
which the u. . nav II The time Weld
DANIEL " NEBsTER--Through all the history of
the contest for liberty. executive power has been
regarded as lion which must be Gagged. So far
from being the object of enlightened popular
trust. so far from being considered the natural
protector of popular right, il has been dreaded as
the great source of its danger. (20l
ABRAHAM LIScoLx--I repeat, in my own de-
fense that power is necessary to government, and
that the life of every able-boded man in the
country should be placed at its disposal to pre-
serve the integrity of the country. In this view
OF the case conscription becomes an imperative
necessity.
JUpeE GAsrog-What are the ffeenen Of this
country TO he drafted from the ranks of the militia
and forced AS military machines TO wage a war
OF conquestf have been accustomed to con