The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1865-12-14
XVIII.

some Of the functions of the gene.
raj Government through the States
than to trespass on their rightful
sphere. "The absolute acquies.
lcence in the decisions ct the ma.
Iiority" was, at the beginning OF
the century, enforced by Jefferson
as the vital principal OF repub.
lies" and the events of the last
four years have established, we will
hope forever, that there lies no ap
peal to force.
The maintainance of the Union
brings with it the support of the
State Governments in all their
rights But it is not one of the
rights of any State Government t.
renounce its own place in the I'm.
ion, or to nullify the laws of the
Union. The largest liberty is to
be maintained in the discussion oil
the acts of the Federal Govern.
ment; but there is no appeal from
its laws, except to the various
branches of the Government itself
or to the people, who grant to the
members of the Legislative and OF
the Executive Departments no
tenure but a limited one, and in that
manner always retain the powers
of redress.
"The sovereignty Of the States"
il the language OF the Conicdcracy,
and ! OF the langu lge Of the Con.
stitution. The latter contains the
emphatic words. "The Cosntitu.
Ition, aud the laws of the United
States which shall be made in pur-
suance thereof. and all treaties
made or which shall he made un-
der the authority of the Unite /!
States, shall be the supreme law OF
the land, and the judges of every
State shall be bound thereby, any
thing in the Constitution and laws
of any State to the contrary not
withstanding."
Certsinly the Government OF
the United States IS a limited Co.
vcrnment and so is every State
government II limited government.
With us, this idea Of limitation
spreads through every form of ad.
ministration, general, State, and
municipal, and rests on the great
Distinguishing principle OF the re-
cognition Of the rights of man.
The ancient republics absorbed the
individual in the State, prescribed
his religion, and controlled his ac'
tivity. The American system
rests on the assertion of the equal
right IF every man to life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness to
freedom of conscience, to the cul-
ture and exercise of all his facul.
ties. AS a consequence, the State
government is limited, as to the
general government in the inter.
G Is of the Union, as to the indi.
vidual citizen in the interest OF
freedom.
States with proper limitations OF
power. are essential to the existence
of the Constitution of the United
States. At the very commence
ment, when we assumed a place
among the powers Of the earth, the
Declaration of independence was
adopted by States /; so elso were
the articles OF Confederation and
when the "people OF the United
States, ordained and established.a
Constitution, it was the assent OF
the States, one by one, whicl, gave
it vitalit~. In the event, too, Of
any amendment to the Constitu
tion, the proposition of Congress
needs the confirmation of States
Without States one great branch
of the Legislative government
would be wanting. And if we look
beyond the letter of the Constitu'
tion to the character of our coun-
try its capacity for comprehending
within its jurisdiction, Il vast con-
tinental empire is due to system
: of States. The best security fol-
the perpetual existence of the
States is the supreme authority
OF the Constitution of the United
States. The perpetuity ofthe con
stitution brings with it the perpe
tuity of the States, their mutual
relations makes us what we are
t and in our political system theil
connection is indissoluble. The
whole cannot exist without the
, parts, nor the parts without the
, whole. So long as the Constitu
ton of the United States endures
the States will endure; the destruc
ton of the one is the destruction o
the other the preservation of thu
= ono is the preservation Of the 9th
+ or.
> l have thus explained my views
{ of the mutual relations of the Con
D., stitution and the States, because
5 they unfold the principles on whicl
| have sought to solve the moment
: Gus questions and overcome the ap
palling difficulties that met me a
the very commencement of my ad
Q ministration. 1t has been my stead
: fast object to escape from the swa.
: OF momentary passions, and to de
: rive a healing policy from the fun
n damental and unchanging princi
: pies of the Constitution.
t l found the States suffering iron
Q the effects Of a civil war. Resis
. tence to the General Governmen
!. appeared to have exhausted itself
y The United States had recovered
: possession of their forts and arse
!. nails and their armies were in th,