The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-12-06

VINO grant 70 inc members OF the legislative
and of the executive departments no tenure
but limited one, and in that manner always
retain the powers of redress.
The sovereignty of the States" is the
language os the Coufederacy, and not the
language OF the Constitution. The latter
contains the emphatic words: "The Consti-
tuition. 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 United States, shall
be the supreme law of the land; and the
judges in every state shall be bound thereby,
any thing In the Constitution or laws of any
state to the contrary notwithstanding"
Certainly the government OF the United
States is a limited government; and 50 is
every state government limited govern.
ment. With us, this idea of Limitation
spreads through every form OF administration,
general, state aud 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 activity. The American system rests on
the assertion of the equal right Of every man
to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
to freedom of conscience, to the culture and
exercise of all his faculties. As couse.
quence, the state government is limited as
u the general government in the interest of
Union. as to the Individual citizen in the int
crest of freedom.
States, with proper Limitations of power,
are essential to the existence of the constitu-
ton of the United States. At the very COM
mencement. when we assumed a place among
the powers of the earth, the Declaration of
Independence was adopted by states; SO also
were the articles of confederation and when
1.-The People of the United States" ordained
II n -hal Fhn -
assent of tue states, one by one, which gave
it vitality. 10 the event TOO, of any amend
meat to the constitution, the proposition of
congress needs the confirmation of states
Without states, one great branch of the leg
islative government would be wanting. And
if We look beyond the letter of the constitu.
ton to the character of our country, its ca
pacIty for comprehendiug within its iurisdic-
ton a vast continental empire is due TO the
system Of states. The best security for the
perpetual existence OF the states is the "su.
preme authority" OF the constitution of the
United States. The perpetuity Of the cJusti-
tuition brings with II the perpetui.y of the
states their mutual relation makes US what
we are. and in our political system their con-
nexion Is indissolubie, The whole cannot
exist without the parts, nor the parts without
the whole s. long the constitution of the
United States eaduTes, the states will endure:
the destruction Of the one is the destruction
of the other the preservation of the one Is
the preservation Of the other.
| have :hus explained my views of the
mutual relations of the constitution and the
states because they unfold the principles on
which have sought TO solve the momentous
questions and overcome the appalling diff.
culties that met ne at the very commence
nent OF nv administration. IL has been nv
sraa1fasr nhTApf m fran, Ia IS
. raomentary passions, and to derive a healing
policy from the fundamental and unchangipg
principles Of the constitution.
] found the states suffering from the effects
Of civil war. Resistance to the general
government appeared to have exhausted it
self. Iha United States had recovered pos
session OF their forts and arseDals and their
armies were IN the occupation OF every state
which had attempted 10 secede. Whether
I the territory within the limits OF those states
should be held ~ conquered territory, under
military authority amanating from the presi
dent as the head of the army. was the first
question that presented itself for decision
Now, military governments, established
for an indefinite period, would have offered
no security for thu early suppression of dis
/ CONTEXT; would have divided the people into
/ the vanqushers and the vanquished and
would have envenomed hatred rather than
/ have restored affection. Oace established, no
precise limit to their continuance was con-
ceivable. they would have occasioned an
. inc.lculabte and exhaustive expense Peace
ful emigration to All from that portion of the
: country Is one of the best IN Sans that can be
thought Of for the restoration of harmony :;
+ and that emigration would have been pre-
vented for what emigrant from abroad
: what industrious citizen at home. would place
rriI yiru
! chief persons who w5ud have followed in the
/ train OF the army would have been depend
ents on the general government, or men who
expected profit from rhe miseries OF their err
: rIug f-ilJw citizens. The powers Of patron
age and rule which would have been exer.
cised, under the president. over a vast aud
pepulous. and naturally wealthy region. are
greater THAI, unless under extreme necessity,
| 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 10 exercise. The wilful use of
such powers, if continued through a period
| OF years, would have endangered the purity
of the general administration aud the liber-
| ties of the states which remained loyal
Besides. the policy of military rule over q
| conquered territory would have implied that
the states whose inhabitants may have taken
part In the rebellion had, by the act of those
inhabitants, ceased 10 exist But the true
theory i, that all pretended scts of secession
were. from the bes inning. null and void
/ The states cannot commit treason, nor screen
the individual citizens who may have COM
mitted treason, any more than they can make
valid treaties to engage 10 lawful Commerce
with any foreign power. The states attempt
| ing to secede placed themselves 10 a cond
ton where their vitality impaired, but
| not extinguishe d-their functions suspended