The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1865-12-13

ments no tenure but limited one, and
in that manner always retain the powers
Of redress.
''l'he sovereignty of the States is the
language of the confederacy, and not the
language of the Constitution. The latter
contains the emphatic words: "The
Constitution, and 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
Onited Status, shall be the supreme law
of the land and the judges in every
State shall be bound thereby, anything
in the Constitution Or laws of any State
to the contrary notwithstanding.
Certainly the Government of the
United States is limited Government !;
and so is eveIy State Government n limit
ed Government. With us, this idea of
Limitation spreads through every form of
administration, general, state and muni-
cipal, and rests on the great distinguish
ing prinbiple Of the recognition of the
rights OF man. The ancient Republics
absorbed the individual in the state, pre-
scribed his religion, and controlled his
activity. The American system rests on
the assertion of the equal right of every
man TO life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness !: TO the freedom of conscience,
to the culture and exercise of all his fac
ullies. As consequence, the State
Government is limited. as to the General
Government in the interest of Union, as
to the individual clizen in the interest of
freedom.
States, with proper limitations of pow
err are essential to the existence OF the
United States. at the very commence
ment, when we assumed 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 and established the Con-
stitulion it was the assent of the States,
one by one, which gave it vitality. In
the event too, Of any amendment to the
Constitution, the proposition of Congress
needs the confirmation of States With
out States, one great branch of the Legs
lative Government would be wanting. -
And, if we look beyond the letter of the
| Constitution TO the character OF the coun-
try, its capacity of comprehending within
! its jurisdiction a vast continental empire
is due to the system of States. The best
security for perpetual existence of the
States is the supreme authority of the
Constitution of the United States. The
perpotuity of the Constitution brings with
it the perpetuity of the States their mu-
tual relation makes us what we are, and
in our political system their connection is
indissolluble. The whole cannot exist
without the parts, nor the parts without
the whole. SO long as the Constitution
of the United States endures, the States
will endure the destruction of one is the
destruction of the other; the preservation
OF one is the preservation of the other.
TIE PROBLEM OF RECONSTRUCTION,
have thus explained my views of the
mutual relations of the Constitution of the
States, because they unfold the principle,
on which | have sought TO solve the mo-
mentous questions and overcome the ap.
paling difficulties that met me at the
very commencement OF my administration
1t has been my steadfast object to escape
from the sway of momentary passions, and
to derive a healing policy from the funda-
mental and unchanging principles of the
Constitution.
found the States suffering from the
effects of a civil war Resistance to the
General Government appeared to have
exhausted itself The United States had
recovered possession of their forts and ar.
senals; and their armies were IN the oc
cupation of every State which hac
attempted to secede. Whether the terri
tory within the Limits of those State:
should be held as conquered territory
under military authority emanating from
the President as the head of the army
was the first question that presented itsel
for decision.
Now, military governments, established
for an indefinite period, would have offer
ed no security for the early suppression o
discomfort would have divided the people
into the vanquishers and the vanquished
and would have envenomed hatred, rather
than have restored affection. Once est,b
lished, no precise limit to their continuance,
was conceivable. They would have oc
casioned an incalculable and exhauslin!
expense. Peaceful emigration to and from
that portion of the country is one of tn,
best means that can be thought of for tn,
restoration of harmony and that emigra
tion would have been prevented for wha
emlgrant from abroad, what industrious
citizen at home, would place himself will
ingly under military rule The chic
persons who would have followed in III,
train OF the army would have been de
pendents on the General Government, o.
men who expected profit from the miserie
OF their erring fellow-citizens. The power
patronage and rule which would hav,
been exercised, under the President, owe
vast, and populous, and naturally
wealthy region, are greater than, unles
under extreme necessity, | should be will
ing to entrust to any one man. they ar,
such as for myself, | could not, unless OIL
occasions of great emergency, consent t.
exercise. The willful use of such powor
it continued through a period of years
would have endangered the purity of tn,
general administration and the liberties o
the States which remained loyal.