The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1863-06-25

aulhorlty, nnd leave IN loroe me local
authorities so far as they can be subor-
dlnstely useful A Constitutional
Convention was accordingly convened
to consider the attainability Of this mid
die ground" between the two extremes
State Sovereignty and consolidated
Rcpublic--and, iffopnd practicable, to
embody that golden mean" in Ma.
tional Consultation.
Bear in mind, chen, that this was the prac,
teal operation Of the then Government.
al function,--that the affairs Of the Ma.
ton we're conducted by mere committees
Of the separate StGies--tbat the dogma
Of States Rights had unlimited sway
that there was no Chief Executive to
direct affairs or enforce obedience TO
regulations passed in counci--thai what
ever was enacted ms law, was At the
mercy Of the different States in their su-
preme capacity, to acquesce into null
iify, or en- force as they dcemedbest sub
served their peculiar, their selfish, or
local interests fine, in Constitution,
al and practical operation, wasjust what
these willy trickstcrs North and South.
have attempted to prove and do still in
sat our glorious Constitution, in fact
has ever been, and now is. However
prepostaous The claim, or however spe-
cious tho arguments, we VIII not dismiss
lhctopic without additional uuprejudi.
ced consideration.
Immediately after the assembling Of
the Convention, Mr., Randolph inItodu'
cCd This resolution Government
should be able to defend itself against
encroacbment-aul that it should be
paramount 10 State Constitutions that
the National Legislature ought to be
empowered TO negative all laws passed
by the several States contravcuipg, in
the opinion Of tho National Legislature,
the Articles Of Union, or any treaty sub
slsting under the authority ofthe Union;
and to call forth the force Of the Union
against any member of the Union failing
to fulfill lis duty under the Articles
thereof Mr.. Pnkney, of South Caro-.
lima said, "The National Legislature
should nave authority TO negative all
laws which they should judge to be i'm
proper, that the States must be kept in
due subordina,on to the Nation; that if
the States were left Oact Of themselves
in any case, it would be impossible to
defend the National prerogatves, howev.
er extensive they might DO on paper
AS matter Of fact, so much of the views
of these distinguished Statesmen, as
were no, confded 10 the Congress by The
adopted constitution, were given TO the
Supreme Court. Without pursuing our
investigations further OF present Gas our
space is very limited) We think that we
ore warranted in saying, that the heroes
and sogos ofthe Revolution intended to
frame, and actually did frame National
Constitution, in lieu of the then existing
Articles Of Confederation.
Ambitious, designing men throughout
the slave-holding States and especially
in South Carolina, have persistentIy in,
culcated the pestilanl heresy of States
Rights, from the beginning Of the press
ent century till now; knowing well, that
though such dogma was not in Iact in
the Constitution, yet,if by teaching their
illiterGte constituents that it was right
incorporated in our fundamental law, it
would answer every purpOse-would
surely disiategrate our glorious Nation Of
equal States. How weIlthey succeeded
in their hellish task, this gigantic and
unnatural war atiests. No sane man be-
licves this rebellion could ever have
beeninaugumtcl save by educating the
ignorant masses Till they firmly believe,
that by secession they were only usini
their Constitutional right to withdraw
from the Union. They would have in
stinctively shruuk from initiating yecoh'
ton against thcir hitherto cherished ant
still benidcsm Government, Fernando
Wood, Nal''aiigham and TIER damna
bic coadjalors, with satanic cunning AM
, brozen effrontery, recently began til
diabolical task of inoculoting The North