, 1864-02-07
ONE pEoPLE, ORE COUNTRY.

The hesesy Of State Sovereignty has been
made to appear plausible and true, by per-
vcTted and false history of the country.
Tie assertion tins been so persistently and
boldly made, TINT tie present Federal Gov
eruMcnt y Is formed By the free and relun-
tary action OF tho Sovereign Statcs sending
delegates to convention for that purpose,
tl.nt many people infer from this statement,
that the Federal Government Ia the creature
Of the statcsi and that whenever the States
choose they can unmake it BY the same
authority that they mada it. The method of
proceeding Is supposed to have been that of
compact or mutual agreement between Sow
creign States; there necessarily resulting to
each State, by virtue Of it's Sovereignty the
right to decide Is to any infraction Of the
compact. It is taken for granted in NIL this
reasoning that the States were, pre-
vious to the adoption Of the
Constitution, separate Sovereignties, and
nspy people suppose this to have been the
fact; but If We look at the history cr the
country previous to the formation Of the
present Union, we shall find that this was
never the fact There has never been time
since the beginning of civil governments
among ms, that the population in any one OF
crciscd the rights Of Sovereignty. The as
Ecrtion is one that has no basis In fact, while
the exact opposite is true; that Is, whenever
thcre has been any Sovereignty existing in
the States, 1t has always been In the United
States, and never In separate State.
It Is plain that when this country was sub
Ject TO Great Britain there was no sovereign
power In it. The colonies were subject the
King as their sovereign, until the 4th Of July,
17sG. On that day they declared their inde-
pcndencc, and claimed that these a,ise7
colonies are and Of right ought to be free and
independent" They regarded themselves
not as distinct and separate States, but as one
nation and one people. The Declaration says,
+tWhcn In the course of humnn eyents 1t be-
comes necessary for one people to dissolve the
political bands" &C. This instrument did
not mike thirteen separate State sovereign
lies, but one nation and one people. When
! Great Britain recognized our independence
ehe recognized us as one nation; VIC hare al
ways been known to other nations as one na-
tion; and there has never been time, either
before or Elm ce the adoption of the Constitu-
tion, when any separate State has acted rs d
sovereignty at homo or abroad, or been reeog-
uizcd at home or abroad, as nation
a broad and profound sense Of nationality
has always characterized the people Of this
country. Ills a sentiment that always springs
up in tle breast Of people that have a great
destiny to accomplish. It is both m inspira-
tion and prophecy; 1t breathes into people
tie loftiest ambition and the noblest courage;
1t clothes them with rcsistless power. and Is
tie only source Of permanent greatness and
glory. This sentiment has expressed itself
always among our people. It's strong and
healthy influence Inns been felt from the very
first, and MI the great things that have been
done by us have been done as one people. It
YVES thus We fought the battles Of the
Revolution; 1t Has thus, as one people, We
achieved our independence; it was as one
people VIC ordained and established the Con-
stltuHon; and II We succeed In crushing the
rebellion and saving the country now, it will
be because we arc T. united people for that
great end. During the colonial times, this
feeling that they were all one people In aud
through Great Britain, the mother country,
was one Of the dearest and most cherished
sentiments Of the people; and when the sep
aratiou took place, it was not into suudcred
and hostile array Of States. but into q closer
and fruer union among themselves OF one
nation, pcoplcand sovereignty. The supreme
authority which they al acknowledged as
colonies to be in til. Throne, they now ali as
States and people acknowledged to be In the
Government OF the Union, to which hence
forth au their allegiance was due. The sove.
rcignty WIS transferred from the Crown, and
established forever In the Union.
The only sou9ce Of opposition to these
Dlafn principles Of urDolitfc,1 4nstItution5 Il