The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1865-12-14

away from their orbits. But the very
greatness Of our country should allay
the apprehension Of encroachments by
the General Government. The subjects
that come unquestionably within its ju-
risdiction are SO numerous, that it must
naturally refuse to be embarr assed by
Questions that lie beyond it. Were it
otherwise, the executive would sink be-
meath the burden; the channels Of JUS
tice would be choked; legislation would
DO obstrncted by excess; SO that there
is a greater temptation to exercise some
Of the functions Of the General Govern.
ment through the States than
to trespass upon their rigbtful sphere.
"The absolute sucquiescence in the de-.
cisions Of the majority" was, at the
beginning Of the century, enforced by
Jefferson "as the vital principle of re.
publics," and the events of the last four
years have established, we will hope
forever, that there lies no appeal to
force.
The maintenance of the Union
brings with il "the support of the State
Governments in all their rights" but
it is not one Of the rights of any State
Government to renounce its own place
in the Union, orto nullify the laws Of
the Union. The largest liberty is to
be maintained in the discussion of tn e
acts Of the Federal Government; but
E there is no appeal from its laws, ex.
cept to the various branches of that
Government itself, or to the people
who grant to the members of the leg.
islative and Of the Executive Depart.
ments notenure but limited one, and
f in that manner always retain the pow
er Of redress. "..- .. ''t.
"The sovereignty Of the States" is
the language of the COnfederacy, an
not the language of the Constitution.
Thn latter contains the emphatic words
"The Constitution, and the laws of tn,
United States which shall be made in
pursuance thereof, and all treati es
made or which shall be made unde
the auth ority of the: United States, sbal
be the supreme law of the land; ant
the judges in every State shall be bound
thereby, anything in the constitution
or laws of any State to the contrary not.
wiehstanding."
Certainly the Government of the
United States is limited Government;
and so is every State Government
With us, this idea of Limitation spreads
through every form of ADMINISTRATION n,
general, State and municipal, an rests
on the great Distinguishing principle
of the recognition of the rights ofman
The ancient republic absorbed the in
diyidualin the State, prescribed his re-
ligon and controlled his activity. The
American system rests on the asser-
E tion of the equal right Of every man
to life, liberty, and the pursuit of hap
pipess, to freedom of conscience, to the
culture and exercise of all his faculties
AS consequence the State Govern
meht is limited, as to the General Gov
' ernment in the interest Of Union, as tc
E the individual citizen in tho in tere
Of freedom.
States, with proper Limitations Of pow
: er, are essential to the existence of tn,
2 Constitution, of the United States -
T. At the very commencement, when W
4 assumed place among the powers o.
% the earth, the Declaration of independ
y ence was adOpte by States, so also wor,
d the articles of Confederation, and wher
u s"thc people of the United States or
'e dsinsd and established the Copstitu
l. ton, it was the assent of the ,UniteC
te States, one by one, which gave it valid
3 ity. 10 the event, too, of any amend
IT ment- to the Constitution, the prOposi
a. IiOu Of Congress needs the coparma
s ton of States. Without States, on
's great branch Of, the legislative goyerr
at ment would be wanting. And, if "
'e look beyond the letter Of the COnstitu
y ttion to the the, character q, our country
i' its capacity for icq@Prsbending pyithi
le its jurisdiction a vast sentimental ep
4, lpire is due to the system, Of States
ct The best security for the perpetual 81
.; iStenCe Ofthe States is the ,"suprem
be authority" Of the, Consultation Of u
cd United States, The, ,perpetuity Of 4
t. Constitution. brings with it the perpe
uity of the States; their mutual rell
of ton makes us what we are, aud in o.
d. political system their con nection Is Il
Ily dissoiublS.l The whole can not exist vii
Dir out the parts, nor the parts without I
lie whole. So long as the Constitution
,ts the United States sndures, the Stat
ID. will endure; the destruction Of the .
l'.-'i bemih lo hOlss1illns 9hi on 4di