The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1865-12-15

| ing.
Certainly tho Government of tho United
States 10 limited Government, and 90 Is
every State Government limited Govern.
meut. With us, this idea of limitation
spreads through overy form of administra.
ton, general, State ard municipal, and rests
on the great distinguishing principle Of tho
recognition OF the rights OF man. Tho an
cieDt republics absorbed ihe individual in
the State, prescribed his religion and con.
trolc% his activity. Tho American system
rosts on the assertion of tho equal right of
ovory man to lto, litorty, aud tho pursuit
OF happiness; TO freedom Of conscience. to
tho culture aud exercise of oil bis faculties
AS consequence tho State Government is
limited as TO tho General Government in
the interest Of Union, az to tho individual
citizen in the interest OF freedom.
States, with proper limitations of power,
are essential to existence of the Constitu.
ton OF tho United States. At the very com.
meucement, when we assumed o place
among the powers of the earth, tho Declara.
tion Of Independence was apopied by States;
30 also are the articles of Confederation;
and when "ihe people of the United Eiates"
ordained and established tho Constitution, il
was the assent of tho States, ono by one.
which gave it vitality. In the event, too, of
any amendment to tho Constitution, the
proposition OF Congress needs tho conGrma.
ton Of statos. Without States. ono great
branch of the legislative governments would
DO wanting. And, IL we look beyond the
letter Of the Constitution to tho character of
our country, its capacity for comprehend
ing within its jurisdiction vast contineptal
ompiro is due to the sys.om of States. The
best security for tho perpetual existence of
the States is tho supreme authority" of tho
Constitution of the United States. Tho
perpetuity Of tho Constitution brings with
it the porpetuity of the Statos; their mutual
relation makes us what VIC are, and ip our
political eystem their connection s indis.
soluble. The whole cannot exist without
the parts, nor the parts without the
whole. So long as tho Constitution Of tho
United States endures, tho States will on
dure; tho destruction of ono is the destruc-
ton of tho other; the preservation of tho
one is the preservation of tho other.
have thus explained my views of tho mu-
tual relations of tho Constitution and the
States, because thoy unfold tho principlea on
which havo sought to solvo the momentous
questions and overcome the appalling diff.
cultes that mot mo at tho very commence
mont Of my administration. II has been
my steadfast object to escape from tho sway
of momentary passions, and 60 derive heal
ing policy from tho Fundamental nnd up.
changing prncpos of tho Constitution.
| found tho States suffering from tho Of
fccts Of q civil war. Resistance to tho Gen.
oral Govornmon! appeared to hnvo exhaust
ed itself. Tho United States had recovered
possession of their forts and arsenals, and
thoir armies we're in the occupation of every
State which bad attempted to socedo.-
Whothor the territory within tho limits OF
those States should be hold ns conquered
territory, under military authority omanat-
ing from the President as the head of the
army, was tho first question that presented
i.self for decision.
Now, military Governments, established
for an indefinite poriod, would have offored
no security for tho early suppression of dis
content; would baye divided the people into
tho vopquishers and the vauquisbed; and
would have envenomod hatred, rathor than
have restored affection. Onco established,
no precise limit to their continuance was
conceivable. They would have occasioned
an incalculable and exhaustipg expense.-
Peaceful emigration to and from that por-
ton Of country Is one of the best means that
can be thought of for the restoration of hAr-
mony; and that emigration would have boon
prevented; for what omigrant from abroad,
| Vbus tupttIouo CistAob Nv "ouio
place himself willingly under military rule?
The chief persons whe would havo followed
in the train of tho army would have been
dependents on tho General Governments, or
mon who expected profit from miserios Of
their erring fellow citizens. The powers OF
patronage and rule which would havo been
exercised, under tho President, over q vast,
and populous, and naturally wealthy region
I arc greater than, unless under extreme nee.
essity, ! should be willing to entrust to any
one man; they are such as, for myself, could
never, unless on occasions of great emergen.
cy, consent to exercise. Tho wlful use of
such powers, if continued through period
of years, would have endangered the purity
of the general Administration and the liber-
ties of the States which remained loyal.
Besides the policy of military rnle ovor
conquered territory would have implied that
the States whose Inhabitants may have ta-
ken part in the rebellion had. by the act of
those inhabitants, ceased to exist. But the
true theory is. that all pretended acts of se-
cession wero from the beginning, null and
void. The States cannot commit treason nor
screen the Individual citizens who may have
committed treason, any more than they can
make valid treaties or engage in lawful
commerce with any foreign power TIE
States attempting to secede placed them
selves in condition where their vitality
was impaired, but not extinguished-their
functions suspended, but not destroyed.
}, But If any State neglects or refuses to per-
, form its Offices, there is the more need that
the General Government should maintain
, all it's authority, and as soon as practicable,
resume the exercise of all its functions. On
+ this principle have acted, and have gradu-
ally and quietly, and by almost impercepti-