Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1865-12-16

to renounce its own place in tho Union, or
10 hulIlfy the laws of tho Union. The
largest liberty is to be maintained in the
discussion OF the acts of the Federal Gov.
ernnent; but there is no appeal from its
laws, except to the various branches oil
that people, who grant to the members of
the Legislature and of the Executive De.
partnents no tenure but limited one,
and in that manner always retain the
powers of redress.
THE sovereignty Of the States is the
Language of the Coniederacy, aud not the
language of the Constitution. The latter
contains emphatic words: The 9 onsttu.
ton, aud the laws of the United States
which shall be made in pursuance thereof
and all treaties made, or which shall be
made under the authority of the United
States, shall be the supreme law of the
land, and the judges in every State shall
be bound thereby anything in the Consti
tuition or laws of any Stale to the contra
ry notwithstanding.
Certainly the Government OF the United
States is limited Government and so is
every State Government limited Gov
ernment. With US. this idea of limitation
spreads through every form of admins.
traiion, General. State and municipal, and
rests on the great distinguishing principle
of the recognition Of the rights of man -
The ancient republics absorbed the ndi-
yidual IN the State, prescribed his religion
and controlled his activity. The Ameri.
can system rests on the assertion OF the
equal right of every man to life, liberty
and the pursuit Of happiness to freedom
of conscience, to the culture aud exercise
OF all his faculties. As consequence,
the State government is limited as TO the
General government in the interest Of the
Union as the individual citizen in the in
terest of freedom.
States, with proper limitations Of pow
er, are essential to the existence OF the
Constitution Of the United States. At the
verv commencement, when we assumed a
place among the powers Of the earth, the
Declaration Of Independence was adopted
by States; so also were the Articles OF
Confederation and when the people of
the United States ordained aud establish.
ed the Constitution, it was the assent of
/ the States, one by one, which gave 1t vi
ta)!ty. In the event, too, OF any amend
: meut to the Constitution, the proposition
! Of Congress needs the confirmation oI
= States.
: Without States, one great branch Of the
t legislative government would be wanting
And il we look beyond tho letter Of the
IT,, 7stitution to the character of our couu
,rv its O. naci'y for comprehendiug with.
in its ;nrisdct,o.r vast continental EN-
pire is due to the sys tenn OF states. 1b'
hes, security for the perpe..a al e&i'.e''cc 0
the States is the supreme authority o
the Constitution Of the United States -
The pcrpctuity of the Constitution Cring;
with it the pcrpetuity Of the States their
$ mutual relation makes us what we are
and in our political system their connec-
e ton is indi, soluble. The whole canno
e exist without the parts, nor tho part
d without the whole. So long as the Con-
1 s.i:u!ion Of the United States endurcs, th
- States will endure the destruction OF ono
is the destruction Of the other the pres
$ ervation Of the one n the preservation o
. the ether.
G have thus expl aimed my views Of tn
s mutual relations Of the Constitution ant
= the States, because they unfold the prlncI
ples on which [ have sought to solve th
It momcutous questions and overcome tn
- appalling difficulties that met me at To
n very commencement OF my administration
l. 1t has been ny steadfast object to escap
eff from the sway of momentary passions an
n, derive healing policy from the funda
= mental and uncEanging principles OF 10
er Constitution.
to found the States suffering from tt
at effects of civil war. Resistance to Il
n General Government appeared to has
ut exhausted itself The United States ha
be recovered possession of their forts and
al scnals and their armies were in the OF
at cnpatiop ofevery State which had attemp
II. ed to secede. Whether the territory VIII
li. 10 The limits of those States should
ct. held as conquered territory, under mllIt
~ authority eminatiug from the Preside
he az the head of the army, was the iii
he question that presented itself fIr decisio
a. Now, military governments, established
- all innelinite period, would have oner
Try no security for the early suppression
ar. di.couteul; would have divided the pc
tie pie into the vanquishers and the va
eut auished and would have envenomed b
ties tired, rather than restored affection. On
But established, no precise limit to their CO
uld .nuanee as conceivable. They wo
,uts have occasoned an iDcalcuabIe aud
lb- hausting expense. Peaceful emgrat
its to and from that portion CT the country
aust one OF the best means that can be thou
by TO for the restoration oil harmony and
emigration would have been PreVVentf
,uld for what emigrant from abroad, what
S of dustrious citizen at home, would pi
,uld himself willingly under military rule !
is The chief persons who would have
the lowed in the train of the army would h
hro' been dependents on the General Cove
ght. ment, or men who expected prodt !
,e in the miseries of their erriug fellow 'ct'z
the The powers of patronage and rule "
By would have been exercised under the j
pub ideut over a vast and populous, and