, 1863-09-29

purpose, 1ht&s according to the letter OF
I'll ,he deliSstattcns @ t of tic % conTeution M which
did Tot hesitatc to dcclsro The cousolIdation
Of our Union ~ esse .tid to our prosperity,
satety, ard usrhaps our National existence,
lbs unity OF lie government vas exprsss.
ed IN the terr1 Consfitution.n instcad of
HAyticles ef Confederation between the
Uniou," irstead Of a "1eague Of frlend,hip.'
r w.s oisn annonncsd emnhatfca11v in fhe
Pr.n.hje. p I's' 'A ' f''' 40 '0'
.uo +ha ,,oo,,, or .,o u,,taa ot..a,
to farm dsa 4" rfc,t II untnn catsh7;! 4,otc oae1
mon defence, promote the sepsra1 Welfare Ia ana ss
cure the blessings Of liberty to ourselves aud our
poste.t.y, 90 oTdain AID establish this constitu-
tuition for shc United States Of America
Not We. the Statcs." but 1--WE. the peo-
ginning aod origin Of our Constitution. Here
{s no c9mnsnt ~. 1eaone hstraan S1ates IL.
roiSing H. ~ 1scoenttson Ithnesn a} st,te IT,
Hghts; ont . government ordained aud
established by the people OF the
United States for themselves and their
ssed ~ a Is + ~
he states: but It Is established bY The people,
ibat M +, H. o,rani,a1ian AMI IF te Gove.nment trd
~ ~ ~ y tha atatas ~ - ,oea1nf!ad sa
tie o1ieinoS na,ne NJ 1foitaa s.att.s Is nrs.
seTrei 1,,t thc snverefrnfv of fi,e statts il
s6ss5ed IN tie he @"rs Seaeet & Union I ' ~cs
ereienty rccacniTads and th5s ,s the saysr.
eienfy Of The United States. To fha sevsrs1
stafes is lcfI that epeciaI local control whIch
Is essential re to he e9nTenlenee and business
s,n;t /. si1nttsS ,h.t ca1,.n,nd,nss snraec;1n. ~
~ wh;ch eTnhrarcs and i,oId tho who1e cns,n.
IL within 10 nernct,,al and irrerereihie iuris.
dicuons - 'f " >'''@ '''. - ~' '|~'~ |e0
This otyious character of the Constitution
did not mass unot1eeryed at the time Of its
sdortion9 919 T1Secd tI,a GonstItntfon % Wss 1nost M
etrsn,,ons,1 a1e ~ ~ t.rn,,ra th,t ths
stafes wa,: s},soe,,ed H. IA T.t,nn p4trIc,9
Tcn1r nroteete1 n,,s,nat ~ ~ aor.n1idatca nnTsr
In thc DEBATES of Re Virrinis Convention he
e1claimed:
hsFe %o9s make te n9r G thots of
Wt6 the of eff e,e pss
consolidated Goyctpment, instead Of q confedera-
Ion: daat lhis ~ Is coht oAaated Gover9ment Is
ssnaent is 70 nv mind ray SGn hsso Gv ~
highest venerstioa for ti,esc rrntciocn hnt sr o
Eiseme leave to demand, what right had thsy to
ssy. Mc, The people: Who authorized them to
Wa 1he e q We Inc people, instead OF
49, scs,., - ...1 ..
~ au aa s.ln - oael e.eSe VI la9 oeoates
tta,, h1 s.n1 paifious Gpponeot o1 Lie coosuso
.The onestton ~ tn-ns 81 nnon ,.s. roo, mn.
thing th tSe nRon tnas RGos ns M
lug e'a'es o' America
~ .ne saMG r.; eonseauon Mt.., anosnes paIflotlc
GGpponEnt1 =! .nc S44e4tutloni neolse Masou,
iouoMants tatspA nSh11' sasa:
Mnctaef ne Cons1fnton is good o. bad the
Il GoveTnsen1 nna ~ u II Na11n
nv a11ina. -, +,s. % es1es,.sa. sa ~ a.,
~ bat eea1nst al this Opposition, m and 1n the
1ace oi lals .aPosute. tne Consutat1on Vas
nn;fe5 G.atas grsh ,isa5 - E.'faFS faFe ~ ~ th M
s.!tas 2s ~ muens 1aasea' Maa III 20 ne
states; gu IL was no lopger IN nelr name
tnaA tne doFcfnNchL was ofg2nizea, while
the misernble pretenston OF State "soVer-
elgntyn WIS discarded. Eren In the discus.
sions Of the Federal Convention, Ar. Maai,
mso,na co,tand th.+ sta.aa .,o sop...;. ,,-.u,
In facf. they are onjy nolitissi kociet1ss VII" Thc
States never posscssc cd tie essential rissts f sny
errignty These were always vested In Con.
eress."
G1ayer words, especially when We consider
the rosition Of their author. Tbsr a,e snb.
ehusetts. aatt rwa4ds Vice. President. who said
ghes had on5g Tsst
Better words sti1l fell from Mr. wilson of
Pennsylvania, known afterwards as learned
judge Of the Supreme Court, and also Tor Ills
Lectures on Law:
"Wil1 a rcra,a to State rirbts ,u.ttfx tbe eac7,.
1te4Qt the f1Ebf4 OF FOeuf Ii We UrDCeed 6nv
other foundation than the Inst, our building viii
neither be Rolid or lasting"
The argument was unanswctable then. It
is pnanswerab1e now, Do not elevate the
sovereignty Of the States neaipet the Consti-
tntion Of the United States. It is hardly less
odious than the carly pretension Of sovereign
power nga1net Magma Charta, according to
the memorable words Of Lord Coke. as re.
corded BY Rushworth:
"Sorereigp power Is no parliamentary word
Iu1ny opnion il weaEens Magua Chusta and all oul
statutes; for they are ahsolute without any saving
OF sovereign power. And ehal We now add it
We shall weaken the foundation Of Law, and then
the nuilding must needs tall. Take We heed What
Me 3iei9 un.o. AagEA GnaIea IL SUCH 4 teuoW 1na'
NJ VIZ na'e 'te1s no sose.slsa
HuL me Consutauon as our magma tharta.
| Whicn can Dear No sovereign out itseu, as you
| ELL see az once, you H1u cons1der Its cnar'
aeter: ana tms practical tfuth vas Iscog'
nfzeo al 1ts 1ofmaalon, as may ne seen IN tle
Er1tlngs oi onr hush"oftn,.1 refer 70 oNatnan
Dane, Who was member Of Congress undel
The Confederation. He tells us plainly, thai
the terms aeovereign States" "State soveE
eienty," State lights fright Of States, .
are not constitutional cxpressions."d
POWERS OF CONGRESS,
In the exercise Of It's soyereicn1v Conore,.
is intrutttd with large and peeuliar poEers
iIttie ~ .ssnyere,ont. is }stt ~ the S1!tes
Their E,mn1e enumeration ia sn Sn arenm'eni
oog;nsf. ffe nrafsna1on ~ at,ta PfrhtI5 Eo,,
gfcss may iavand co,1ece 1ayes' dn;;es IN
1oste. md excfgee. TO nay the iebts and 7,ro
T5s ~ ne conaro, Gaf.ae arS @-a W. ~ 49,
meIfa-e If 1he Tnite3 s+atas na NV korea
money IN the credit nf The 11nitad Ssstes
rc1nl3t~ conn,rerre 1y;t5, faraion nesfons nnl
a1an~ f1,e rarera1 a. ,taa or6 5r;,h +ha T,,5ta.
erihrs: establish a nnsf;,rrn r,rle ri natnro1i
zatIon md nn;form IaWa ~ Tho ~ anh;act =
Tans r,,ntcv. ,},Tnnohant the fIn1ted st.tes
i
IL The standard Of weights and measures
establish post Offices and post roads; prom ot.
ths Droc1ess Of ecIence aud ueefuI arts bV &c
curing ior limited times to authors and in
|. ventcfs the exclusive right to their respective
writings and discoveries; ttfiue and punisl
seas, and oflenses against the Law Of nations
!. declare VAT grant letters Of marque ard re
p1ital make rules Concerning captures o.
Lard and wafer; raise and support armies
. pror1ce aut Daiutain nsyy; make rules 10
tie govern meDt and regulation of tile land m,
c-ilitia to execute the laws Of the Union, cup
press insurrections, aad repel iavasions; pro
vide tor oEganizing, arming, and discipsinip,
the militia, and for governing suci. part q
them ne may be employed In The service q
the United States, reserving to the States 1e
authority Ct trailing the militia accordirg t
the oiscip]ine pre,cflbed by Congress; an
, ale all laws 1ecte:ary and PREFER for ca1
ryipg into execution 1he foregoing power
and al1 1otherpowe.s vested in the G5Yefnmen
Of the United States.
Epch afe the annie and diversified nover
, Of Congress, eRbracjng iii these powe,
} which enter into scyereivnty. VIII ne cnn
cession Of theee to .Ie United Esctes ,her
seems tn he 1itt1e IN fnr tha seraeaf sta.a
In t1e nogtr to ss,1ec,are VAN ana -, .s-sis
and !s snI'o.t a,n,es te Go,"sas. 4a aeeof ~ s
e4c,ne}re 1nser +, ,,sslT irpe pessSS; as ;af
s1,a go $500 ~ a9 49, ',nau. aau lnl
o'si III ~, 1uu p.SpEsty ~ Lue SEVER