Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1863-02-07


whith his conscience and his soul for the
rectitude Of his motives in prsferring the
welfare Of his country to the claims Of cor
rupt and reasonable party. The glorious
and sublime spectacle which we lately
contemplated, of thirty-four separate and
Independent States revolving in harmony
and majesty within that circle, still widen,
ing and expanding with steady and in
creasing radius, 70 embrace continent of
States with separate and sovereign fran
chises. should have inspired every patriot
heart and hand from Maine to California,
and united us in firm and resolute opposi-
ton to the mad schemes of Abohtionists, |
in their first attempts at disturbing this
beautiful harmony And here rests the
fatal error of the Democratic and conserv-
ative element in our political action in rec
ognizing the "war power assumed by the
President in suppressing rebellion in
the Southern States, which strikes down
at one fatal blow every vestige Of consti-
tutional liberty in the so-called loyal
States. State rights and state sovereignty
was fully and ably discussed in the con-
vention of 1887, and the true principles
OF their union and confederation were GER
tAinly we'll understood by HAMLTos,'
MADISON and MASON whose able and un
answerable arguments, were adopted in
opposition to RANDOLPH, of Virginia, and
PATTERSON, Of New Jersey, each Of whom
were at first advocates of central and
consolidated government "having power
to coerce and force a reluctant or seeding
State into the Union"
This proposition was voted down by the
unanimous vote of all the States, and
RANDOLPH, of Virginia, afterwards chang
ed his views, and maintained the wisdom
and correctness of the decision in the Vir-
ginia convention which accepted the con
stitution. In wisdom, AMI by patriotism
and public virtue such as the world had
never witnessed until that era, this noble
instrument was framed and presented to
the free, united, and yet separate and dis
tinct States (late colonies }, and thus sep
arately recognized by Great Britain in the
treaty of 1888, and by the separate action
i of each State this instrument was accepted
as construed and understood by its fran.
y ers. Its sole purpose and design being to
j promote the general wOlfars of oil while
each separate and independent State re-
: tanned its sovereignty and franchises in q
\ sphere with which no other State or com.
bination of States could come in conflict
> without inAicting fatal stab to the Union
Under the guidance and wisdom, there
fore, of WAsHINaToN and long line OF
illustrious patriots down to the il-omeneC
hour of the Chicago Convention, wher,
the "star Of the negro" eliminated, thi
fundamental principle was recognize al
J, the polar star by which to guide and di
1t rect our Ship of State. And thus, in al
= the conflicts of passion, prejudice and sec
d tional jealousies, in adjusting and defining
:, the power of each Department of the Ma
y !, tional Government and putting the wheel
D in motion, all the varied parts of the ma
y chinery worked together in harmony il
: the accomplishment Of the great purpose
v of the trainers of the constitution.
J. In the complication of our affairs wit
'. France, after the Revolution, the secon
% war with England, and treaties of peac
e and of commerce with European powers
,e in the Indian, Spanish and Mexican war;
and conquests of territory extending I
the Pacific, (guided by the constitution a
it is, and the acknowledged principle o
y state sovereignty and independence OF
III Democratic and Wing statesmen an
N Presidents conducted us safely along tn
ID path of honor, fame and national triumph
no which gave promise of long and bril-
I'd liant career of glory and immortality sue
T. as the world had never witnessed b.
i'd alas how changed and what sad an
ty melancholy reverse remains to be write
by the historian, and painted in the darke
g. shades for the contemplation of the chri
US tiap. statesman and philanthropist Of +,
us ture time.
he With pilot at the helm of the ship Q
CHI State who is untutored in the school {
ne philosophers and statesmen, and wild an