Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1864-03-15

service IL the very best method Of imparting
this education in the shortest possible time
You say that IL has becoms The settled policy
Of this Government 10 use colored soldiers 49,
In the loyal States you draft both the free
negro aud the slave. Why not, then, take
those contrabands, whom you ssy you are
bound to educate, put them iato the Army,
which you say q the bost school, and thus,
while you fulfill the duty TO them, relieve
your citizens Rt home from that ever-present,
fearful ioreboding which hAunts the home Of
every family too poor in these timek Of high
prices to lay by $500 for each drAftY
The gentleman will say, That women aud
children will still remain 10 be cared for ~
True; but surely for then General Banks
and Butler and Mr. Mellen will suffice; aud
if not, then ] answer, in the language Of the
gentlemau from Maryland Nr. pAvIs1 tho
other day on another question, "Let the Gov.
eminent take charge Of the charities Of life,
and after deducling proper sum from the
wages OF the colored soldiers, appropriate
sufficient sum for the support of each needy
member Of q poor family whose protector is
taken away, to be administered through ;he
agency Of these military authorities
Bat sir, pass to another consideration -
| am one Of those who still hope for restor.
alton Of the Union not the unity Ct our ter.
ritory only, but the maintenance Of the Tn
ion under the Constitution | hope that We
may maintain the integrity Of our system Of
government: the system of confederation
the system whose foundation is State rights
The Constitution ia a compact Of government
made by sovereign States which assigns to
the Federal Cover nment it's powers and du.
ties, and reserves all others to The States and
people Its foundation is that all powers mot
granted are reserved all duties not specific.
ally enjoiDed are forbidden. The duties OF the
Federal Government are few and simple
They relate to foreign affairs and matters Of
general and universal interest. Its powers
were intended TO be limited also To the
States we're committed ell matters OF loca
concern and the care OF the rights and liber-
ties Of ell their citizens Their reserved pow.
ers were consequently very large Our faith
ers thought this the very hidden secret OF
their system. They thought they had discov-
cred in this the philosophers stone Of govern.
ment. And so they had. 1t was the beauty
aud the pride Of our system IL secured to
US liberty; it secured to us prosperity; Il Sc
cured to us self.government beyond the exam.
pie of any people Ia all evil hour il was
abandoned Since then we have had war, aud
misery, and tyranny; but iorbear
see the efforts made TO reconstruct State
government They are upon wrong basis
they ought to fail; believe they will fail -.
They would be perpetual mockery OF the
duty on the part OF the Federal Government
to guaranty republican form of government
to the States. Nevertheless they may sue.
ceed 1t they do, 1t will be the right and du
ty OF each State to take care of her own
poor; il is duty she cannot shift upon an.
other, right she cannot surrender II is
duty which the Federal Government has no
power to perform, right which the Federal
Government has no power to accept. Build
mp the system proposed by this bill, and you
will have es sblshed in the heart of each
State that which will prove the very strongest
obstacle against its retIrn to the Union on
the basis OF the old Constitution Establish
1t firmly, and you will have in each State
ttlement OF negroes superiutended by your
officers, more difficult of management either
by the Federal Government or by the State
than were the Indians in Georgia, which will
either draw the Federal Government into the
performance Of State duty, or will harass
and annoy and embitter the officers OF the
Stste in the performance Of il themselves,
| have said nothing sir, of State institu-
tions They may perish. They are but Of
time Their duration depends upon many
causes. But State rights belong to our Gov
ernment, are an essential part Of ts system,
are essential to liberty itself ! Iam pledged
to maintain Ihem pledged by every oath in
which swore 10 support the Constitution OF
the United States. That oath intend to
keep sacredly to the end And because ia
tend to keep il, ] am constrained thus to op-
pose this bill