Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-06-05
rnE pocrasNE or STATE RIGHTS.

SUBJECT oot eFfoendy ooe. bos eo~p'e~e
either the principles or the Circumstances under
which the union of tie States was established IL
esys: IA eae ra4s.H
That the State. are possessed Of certain
rights and powers uader the Constitution Of the
United States has never been disputed By any
political psrty-the only controversy has been ss
TO the extent Of tho-e rights
What are the f.ctsf Articles Of Confederation
we're entered into between thirteen States on
Jaly 9. IT'S The second article reads thus:
Each state retains Ia sovereignty. freedom.
and independence, and every power, jurisdiction,
and right. which il not by this confederation er
pre-sly delegated TO the United States Congress
assembled"
On the 18th Of September 1887 the present
Constitution vss adopted. The preamble sets
forth that il vas ordained and established.
"In order 70 form a more perfect union, estsb-
lish justice. insure domestic tranquility, provide
for the common defense. promote the general
welfare and secure the blessings Of liberty to
ourselves and our posterity."
The very fret article reads thus:
"All Legislative powers herein granted shsll
be vested in q Congress Of the United States.
This is evidence. il proof be necessary. that the
Union Of the States vas formed Tor special pur-
poses and that it is government Of delegated
posers. IL Is not. as the Journal puts il. " that
the States are possessed of certain rights and
powers under the Constitution Of the United
States" bat Just the reverse The powers pos
sessed by the General Government were delegated
BY the several State. aud each State reserved
sverv power, jurisdiction and right. which was
not thus expressly delegated. The States are
not possessed of certain rights and powers under
the Constitution Of the United States, for they
were independent and sovereign governments,
possessing aud exercising all the powers jurisdic-
ton and rights they delegated TO the General
Governments. and of course retained or reserved
those which they did not surrender. The merest
tyro novice In political history cannot fail
to understand that the States made the General
Government ami not the General Government
the States. az the Journsl construes il
We have not coutendcd ina. the doctrine of
State Rights necessarily. or even mpliedly. in
wolves the right OF nulli6sation or secession, or
that either is the remedy for infractons or viola
tons Of the Constitution. We have only stated
that the States possess powers. Jurisdiction and
rights. which they have never delegated to the
Federal Government. and in their exercise each
State is supreme or sovereign. Neither have
we said. a. the Journal charges. "tbat the States
have certain reserved rights which they may
legally assert by hostile State action against the
National Government" We have taken the
opposite view of thee We have always SAID
that the great error Of the dissatisfied or rebel.
lious States was in going outside of the Union
and the Constitution 10 obtain redress for their
grievances. supposed or real. They should have
made the contes. within the Union aud under the
Constitution. under the very clause Of that in
strument which the Journal quotes: "The
judicial power shall extend to all cases in law
and equity. arising under this Constitution, the
laws of the United States and treaties made. or
which shall be made. under their authority"
They chose. however. different remedy, and
failed. and by this time. 10 all human proba-
bilsy. they have been convinced of their error
CHARLES SuNsrR. in his eulogy upon President
LINCOLN. terms the Declaration of Independence
the preamble of the Constitution. That instru-
ment has been recognized by all Americans as
the corner stone Of our Government-as n faith
full exposition Of the principles upon which it is
founded In his eulogy. referring to Mr. LINCOLN,
Mr. SuxsER expresses the following sentiments:
'' You have recognized him At a period of
national trial as the representative of the unfuI
filled promises of sur Fathers, even as WashiUg-
ton was the representative of National Indepen-
dence; and you have beheld him struck down at
he mo af han ahsl
everywhere succumbing Revsrently
knowledge the finger OF the Almighty, and pray
that all our trials may not fall; but that the
promises of our Fathers may De fulfilled, so that
all men shall be equal before the Law. and gov
ernment shall stand only the consent oil the
goverued-two self evident truths which the
Declaration o. Independence has announced"
The Journal admits that the Kentucky and
Virginia resolutions of IS contain political az
ioms which unobjectionsble. but it
objects TO an expression in them that the
States. las in other Gases OF compact
betseen parties having common Judge, each
party has an equal right to Judge for itself, as
we'll OF inirsctioss ss the mode and measure of
redress" Nc SuNStR saws Mr. LINCOLN VS.
the representative OF the untitled promises OF our
Fathers. ant he quotes two self evident
truths which the Declaration of independents
has ANNOUNCED that ali men shall be eoua
before the Law. and G. uernmenf shall stand ONLY
ca The consent Of The sOpvaed We presume
the Journal wiii deny that the doctrines set
forth in that Immortal instrument are the basis
upon which our Government rests We ~ill
quote little from it Ii says:
holt he. trnfhs IN ha aaif ax;Jan.-
all men are crestei equal; that they are en-
dosed by their Creator with certain iRGlieao5ls
rights: that among these life. liberty aud the
pursuit of hippDes~: that 20 secure those rights
Governments are institu' Ell among men, deriving
their Just powers from the consent of the gov
erned: that whenever form of government be-
comes destructive of those ends il is the right OF
the people TO alter abolish II. aud TO institute
. nee Government. laying its foundation on such
principles. aud organizing its powers in such
form. as 20 them shall seem most likely 10 eff
feet their safety and happiness"
The Journal propounds TO Us certain aues-
tions. Before answering them. or before pro-
eeesng further With the discussion of State
r ghts. desire il TO show wherein the Keutuckv
and Virginia Resolutions of '9s. which il pro- |
nounces 20 be " miserable and demsgogicsl lesis
lative productions. differ from the principles
laid down in the Declaration Of Inde penien.e az
the true theory Of Government The Declare
ton and the Kentucky Resolutions were both