The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1864-05-12


ily from It's supremacy. If it is SD.
premc, by tho consent of tho people Of
the States, then it must have tho
power to enforce that supremacy, in
executing its laws and reqpisition,;
other7ise itwoUld not have the functions
or the prestige IF government
Mr.. Jofsreon, who is quoted as State
Rights authority, said "that tho right OF
coercion existed even under tho old
confederation !" Ia O letter 70 Col.
Darlington, l7s7, ho writes: ut has
been SO often said as to bo generally
believed, that Congress has no power
by the Confederation, to enforco nny-
thing, for instance, contributions OF
money. Il was not necessary to givo
them that power expressly, they have It
by the lato # narare; when two parties
make compact, there To5uts to each
the power of compelling the other to
execute it," .... .....
We rccolleot that the Democratic
leaders showed their complicity and
sympathy with the Tcballion, at an carly
period, by taking grounds against co.
erctoH by the General Government.
At county meeting in Hillsboro',
held hOrtly after the commencement Of
the war, legal gentleman of Hillsboro,
who now aspires to judicial station aud
honors, endeagored to form en- arsu.
Tent against coercion, upon the fact oi
tho rejection of the propositions Of Mr.
Patterson Of New Jersey, on, Of which
5 proposed to amend the old articles OF
Confederation, By confsrriug in terms,
upon the General Govern meut the pow
er Of c7ercion. Now, il is 90 be recol.
lected, as this authentic book from
which VIC quote, shows these prcposi.
tons cmsnated from tho State Rights
school, who proposed culy to amend tho
old Federal Government, and not to
establish q National C1vernmeHt. ThS
proposition TO enforce and compel an
Obedience to all acts Of the United
Statcs, in Congress assembled, and
treaties made and ratified under tho au.
thorjty thereof, vaa brought forward to
supply defect, asceEtained by expert.
enco to exist in the old Confederation,
and to strengthen it ct one Of the weak
points. Why was it rejected2 Because
t the Federal compact systeu was to bg
! discarded, and 4 national system catab.
2 Iishel, which was to act upon the whole
{ people, as citizens Of one Government.
The design in voting down this part
Of the New Jersey plan Of government,
! as explained by Madison, Hamilton, aud
others, vas to give the direct negative
10 the idea Of the possibility of State
, autagonism. The defeat Of Mr. Patter.
sons State Rights and Federal schome,
was the defeat Of the State Rights poe.
! ty in the convention, and tho triumph
] Of this portion of the convention, who
e were in for establishing q national
Government Of full and ample powers,
g TO operate directly upon all the ei'isanS
D and to enforce itS supremacy.
o This argumon. is repeated in yel.
= low covered traot issued during til . can.
= vass OF 1862, undOr tho title Of state
! Rights" or the Union rsvocebS
d contract" The writer - though he
claims the constitutional right Of eiti.
. zen Of OHIO, freely to rpeak, write and
! publish"--for scmc reason best known
? to himself, does not give his name. --.
The tract is issued without the name OF
, author or printer. lie starts out with
3 tho proposition that our present oondi'
ton is the legitimat1 result of radi-
eel error, in regard to tho nature of our
political system, and then attempts to
r show that "ths Government OF tho
n United States is net possessed OF a
' seperate and distinct sovereignty aboVO
!, ) that of the several States, snd that the
powers delegated by the latter, which
constitute this national sovereignty,
are not irrevosable. and concludes his
b.. labOred but oophistioal tractats by
q placing himself squarOly upon tho Val.
r. Iandigham accession platform, that tho
IA Government in attempting to put down
!. insurreotiOn and rebsllicp, is to-day
re- asserting with tho bnyoPsts Of half 4
"a million Of men, tho very authority OK
Dt pressly refused to ba ccaforred upon IL
olin the Patterson proposition, and Il
N therefore, guilty of 'shomsless usurpa
=. tion.' EISTORICUS.
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