Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1864-08-12
first principles.

be lamented that these principles are so
/ little understood by the masses Of the peo
sple During years that are past, and
even now, few faithful aud patriotic mem
and only lSv, have devoted their time
aud talent, to the laudable purpose Of in
doctrinating the popular mind with the
true theory Of cur American system Of
Government. 1t is to be deplored that
their wel-meant efforts, have met with so
little success
Let as antedate the adoption OF the
Consultation, or, if you please, the articles
OF Confederation The States, each with
its own system Of local Government and
laws, were wholly and absolutely indepen-
dent Of each other Ifany one desires 10
know how much unalloyed happiness was
attuinable by those comparatively little,
but separate and independent Common
weaths, let him study the glowing pages
Of BANCROFT, which record the histories
Of Connecticut and Virginia. The world
affords no Authentic record of felicity 80
unalloyed and complete, as was allotted
to those colonies during the lapse OF many
years
1t is not 10 be denied that national
Government was for many reasons desir
able, mainly for purposes connected with
commerce, and intercourse with foreign
nations. Bat no possible advantage (snd
SO it was felt, and everywhere maintained)
could compensate the States for the loss
Of their independence, and entire supre-
macy in their own affairs Therefore, it
was determined to constitute a National
Government, paramount in a very few
things, reserving to the States and to the
people the great mass of residuary power,
and leaving them still supreme and indie
pendent, except in the few sovereign
powers which they granted to the Federal
Government. These were carefully enumer-
ated and the remainder specifically re-
tanned
To insist upon strict construction Of
the Constitution to confne the Federal
Government to its own legitimate sphere
and to maintain the absolute sovereignty
Of the States, except as above qualified
is what meant by the Doctrine of STATE
RIGHTs.
To magnify the power of the Federal
Government to diminish that of the
States and the people to concentrate the
whole system of Government in the Pres
ident, the Congress and the Federal Courts,
is the purpose of those who oppose STATE
RIoHTs, and who advocate cEETRALIzA-
TIoN.
We may very readily illustrate the diff
ference between these opposing systems,
by these propositions, which cannot be
refuted, viz
The whole Federal system OF Govern
ment might be annihilated. Swept out
OF existence--and the people would not
so much as suffer inconvenience from the
the destruction. Ohio would then be
nation-unqualifed and supreme in her
vereignty-competen to make war, and
conclude peace, and form alliances, and do
all other acts which free and iudepen-
dent nation might of right 10.
On the other hand, if State Rights are
destroyed, our local laws, the Legislatures
which enact, and the courts which execute
them, would become obsolete. All power
would be centralized in Washington.
This is consolidation, and consolidation is
Despotism.
These great and vital truths, by reason
of years Of unexampled prosperity, had
in great part passed out of the popular
mind, Under the long line Of Democratic
Administrations, the authority of the
Federal Government was never transcend
ed. 1t needed no vigilance to protect the
Rights of the States, when there was no
disposition of the Generel Govrnment to
make aggression upon those Rights.
But since the advent of Abolitionism
to the control Of the State and National
Governments, the whole political situation
is changed. Let MS see
In the fEst place they acquired posses
sion Of the State Governments. and the
States in their possession never lost an