The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1864-05-05
NUMBER II,

But let US quote the words Of G. J
Taney, who cannot be chs rgsd with al
"Abolition Republican" bias.
In case decided by him, he says
" The sovereignty of the States is limit
ed and restricted by the Constitution
of the United States; it was felt by tht
statesmen who framed the constitution
and by the people who adopted it, that
1t was necessary that many of the rightt
of sovereignty which the States ther
possessed should be ceded to the Gen.
eral Government, and that in the sphere
Of action assigned to it, it should be
supreme, aud strong enough to execute
its own laws by its o,on tribunals, with
out interruption from a State or State
authorities"
One would suppose this judicial en-
dorsement Of coercion by tho highes
and most unimpeachable authority.
He says : "The Constitution Of tn.
United States, with all the powers con.
ferred upon the General Governmen
and surrendered by the States, was the
voluntary act Of the people Of the sew.
eral States, deliberately done for their
own protection and safety against in
justice from one another"
G. j, Taney says also "And certain
ly no faith could be more deliberately y
and sOlemnly pledged than that which
every State has plighted to the other
States, to support the Constit ution as il
is in all its provisions, until they shall
be altered in the manner which the
constitution itself prescribes." But we
are told by this "COpperhead" writer
that such opinions from such sources
ace founded upon partial quotations,
imperfect sketches, and false representa-
tions of the facts of colonial and con,
stitutional history"
Let us look at few Of these as they
are presented in authentic records OF
the times. We have before US sketch
of the secret proceedings and debates oi
tho convention of 1887, from notes
taken by Robert Yates, who was a mem
ber and since Chief Justice of New
York, from which we learn much of the
principles Of the members of that body,
which formed the Constitution, the
purposes and aims they had in view,
and the man ner in which they proposed
to accomplish them. 1t is true there
we're those in the convention, who con
'trued their credentials to extend only
o remedying the defects Of the old Fed
'ral system, which they were to take as
he basis of their proceedings, and as
ar as experience had shown that other
powers were necessary to the Federal
Government, to give those powers.
A series Of resolutions was submitted
o the convention by Mr.. Ran ndolph of
Virginia, soon after its organization,
he first of which as amended, declared
heir understand ding Of ,0hat their com.
mission was:
ResoIved, That it is the opinion of
his committee that Nationa! GoUern-
rent ought to be established, consisting
# Supreme Legis!ative, and Judiciary
ind Executive.
The adoption of this resolution de-
Jared their intentions in tho formation
f the constitution in clear aud un
terms. 1t is worthy of no.
ice that this was designated as he Vir-
,inia plan, smanating from aud sup
'orted by the most eminent Of the Vir
,inia delegates.
Mr.. Madison, who is frequently quoted
y State Rights authOrity-his name
'eing connected with tho Virginia resO-
of '9S-showed himself partiou.
Rrly anxious to avoid and provide
gainst the defects of the old federal
ystem, and make strong government.
n the course of tho debate he said (:
When we agreed to the first resolve of
Iaving a national government, consist
ng Of q Supreme Executive, judicial
nd Legislative power, it was then in
ended to operate to the exclusion of a
Federal Government, and the more ex.
snsive We made the basis, the greater
of duration, happiness and
rider"
Gov. Randolph Of Virginia, who was
he author of the prsHmisarJ propo,i-
10 IN which we're placed h-" =.
.slOre the cen
.u after its organEauon' S@'O
i;Il. .nnfaaRad that th0V were