Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-04-22

en- are the people OF ea5n ctSte Dy heE-
elf, and that the highest Characteristic Of
his people SOVEREIGNTY which is synon-
,mous with the manhood Of citizen, and
4 the notwithstanding power Of the
people Of State, including and disposing
IS It plesses Of the legislative, which is
he law-making-the Judiciary which is |
the law expounding, and the Executive, |
which is the law enforcing power OF the |
Of 8 State that this sover- |
signify. while it can bind itself by its own
agreement, and is subject always to moral
laws. osnnotbe divided nor delegated; nor
did cur system ever attempt to attain
either impossibility; but that the sover-
eignity of the States remained after the
formation Of the Federal Constitution and
Union as il ever was before, perfect mas
tar Of ell its setions; and that when cal
led into exercise by the State, 1t can at
will, according to the GREAT DEoLARATIcE,
alter, abolish and reconstruct its entire
political system of relations in every
part, without giving any just cause for Of
fsnse.
Rssolved, That such is the meaning Of
the Virginia and Kentucky resolutions,
and the Report Of 179S SO, which always
commanded the support Of the Democrs-
cy, and has been on great occasions, sea-
wall around the Constitution, from Adams
despotism down to Lincoln's. That thsse
commentaries, written by Madison and
Jefferson, were the only safeguards Of the
people from the Alien and Sediti0n Laws;
but on the present infinitely greater jeop-
ardY Of our system, the Democratic party
must not only fly to them fer refuge, but
they must assert The perfect spplicstion Of
these doctrines TO oar present responsible
ty, the greatest that ever overcsme any
set Of rational beings.
ResoLVed, Therefore, that no matter what
proVocstion the Southern States may have
had to leave US, it wss great error to
secede but it was their own exclusive
right to decide the question Of secession,
and afterwards, but for the heat on both
sides, they would have become friendly
foreign States, whom the remaining mem
bers Of the Union had no right to coerce,
because therei is no such thing as two an
tagonistio rights in law, morals, philoso-
ply or metaphysics. Any other doctrine
euFtsils the sovereignty OF the State Of
Ohio, and Of all the States, and perseVer-
ance in in the war will not more surely
destroy the people and institutions of the
| South than those Of the North. Our own
dignity, as we'll as interest and duty, re-
duire us to follow our convictions Of Legal
principle, and 60 for peace and pescesble
separation and for the prompt and cordial
recognition Of Southern Confeders ion
The border States should each decide Its
own destiny, as Ohio proudly assumes her
place and her own free will smong the
| States with whom she has always been con
nected, and who compose q Federal Union
Of Northern States. It is plain that if VIC
continue the war, the United States viii
become q consolidated military and mon
grel Democracy or monarchy, where the
State is everything and the citizen moth
ing, and of course the white people, IN
spite of their superior race snd color, will
sink into virtual slavery, giving up hall
their earnings TO actual masters, to pay
interest on the public debt the awful
waste of the drones, in courts and camps
| and the killing cost Of standing armies, o.
myrisds of police, spies, informers, and al
sorts Of oppressive establishments. Tbs
upshot Of the whole matter will be, snoth
er sndRtin more fatal division Of the
country by lines Of longitude, which viii
subiugste, effectually, Western labor t.
Atlantic capital, eonhscstiug the substauc'
of onr producers, whether farmers, me
ehsnios or laborers, overthrowing our lib
critics and blasting our hopes for genera
tions.
RssoIvGd, That half truths have ruined
the Democratic party. In the Kansas case
the principle was not only misunderstood
by the Democracy, but in all the endless
debate, the question at issue was neyel
stated, that being whether squstters OF
the public lands can exclude from terri
tory the persons and property of half thu
States the question argued wss whether
they had the sovereign right of self-goy-
crnment. In the late Ohio canvass, tht
case was put upon the right to hsbesi
corpus, for Mr.. Vsllsndighsm, but the truI
question was never broached, whether ht
had publicly opposed a legitimate act o.
the Government thus lodging the righ
Of secession and coercion, the leaders be
ing committed as in the case Of Kansas, Il
the wrong side, and last year, they vert
for the prosecution Of the war.
1.-THE Democratic leaders will again de
liberstely shirk the issue for policy, as i
is called, the people ought to abandon then
to their fate for we have now had ten year
test Of their total incspscity. Let US rsth
er be pefeated upon Code truth, than sue
cessful in the DEVILS livery, and we shal
soon build up our party. The Abolition
lists have grown like the mustard tree o
the Bible, because they have STUCK to thei
fslsehood Eof white and black equality
while we have shufled with that contempt
ible issue, neglecting the Constitution tht
rights Of States and the well being Of th
toiling white masses, who have no Other
protectors or friends. We do, therefore
most emphstioslly apply the doctrines o
1798-99 to this canvass, with the Abolition
ists, and also to eur greater enemies, tn
consolidationists, who are watching ever
now, in this EXTREMIST hour, their oppor
tunity to crush the Federal system, and
rear some despotic substitute in its place
perhaps an Imperial Democracy, with tn
capital and the governing classes locates
at New York, with Ohio and the Western
States for outside provinces.
RssoEVsd, That we will stand by thes
declarations, and will not support an,
candidate, from President to Msgistrst,
who does not represent them in faith AM
practice No military chief, whether sue
oessful OF unsuccessful, shall, with GU
consent, wresthe cur liberties round hi
sword but there is time to find repre-
sentative before the 4th of July, and
make proseIytes enough to elect him, If "
have fair election by the people.
ResoEped, That the Democratic party
not more the refuge of the Constitution
than of the toiling masses, and that "
|, promise sll producers thstif they will hel
us, we will tighten their burthens, and 81
cure to them their earnings. We will Civ
! them lighter taxes, gold and silver none.
! free trade, and fair share in the publ
! employments.
Resolved That the Peace Democrsc