The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1865-12-14
RICHMOND WAYNE CO.. IND. DEC. L. 1863.

later contains the emphatic Norus: Inc
Constitution, and the laws OF the | nited
States which shall be made in pursuance
thereof an! 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, anything
in the constitution or laws OF any State
20 the contrary notwithstanding
Certainly tie Government Of the United
States IS a limited Government, and so
is every State government a limited
government With us, this idea OF
limitation spreads through every form
of administration, general, State, and
municipal, and rests on the great distn
gushing principle of the recognition OF
the rights OF man. The ancient re
publics absorbed the individual in the
State prescribed his religion, and con
trolled his activity. The American sys-
TEN rests on the assertion of the equal
right of every man to life, liberty, ana
the pursuit of happiness; TO freedom OF
. conscience, to the culture and exercise
of all his faculties. As a consequence
the State Government IS limited, as TO
the General Government in the interest
of Union, as tc the individual citizen IN
the interest of freedom.
States, with proper limitations OF the
power, are essential to the existence OF
the Constitution of the United States
At the very commencement, when we
assumed a place among the Powers OF
the earth, the Declaration OF lndepend-
ence was adopted by States; SO also
were the Articles of Confederation and
when 1.-The People Of the United States
ordained and established the Constitu-
.: - Of no
one by one, which gave it vitality. In
the event, too, of any amendment to the
Constitution. the proposition of Cen
gress needs the confirmation OF states.
Without States, one great branch of the
legislative Government would be want
ing And. if we look beyond the letter
of the Constitution to the character OF
our country. its capacity TOR comprehend
ing within its jurisdiction a vast con
tinen al empire is due TO the system OF
States The best security for the per
petual existence of the States Il the
supreme authority" of the Constitution
of the United States. The perpetuity
of the Constitution brings with it the
perpetuitv of the States; their mutual
relation makes us what we are, and IN
our political system their connection Is
dissoIuble The whole cannot exist
without the parts, nor the parts without
the whole. So long as the Constitution
+ of the United States endures. the State
( will endure; the destruction of the one
is the dc cstruction of the other; the pres
ervation of the one is the preservation of
the other.
have thus explained my views of the
mutual relations of the Constitution and
the States. because they unfold the
JY,l. |
solve the momentous questions and
overcome the appalling difficulties that
met me at the very commencement OF
my administration. II ha. been my
. steadfast object to escape from the sway
. of momentary passions. and TO derive 4
healing policy from the fundamental amt
unchanging principles of the Constitu
ton.
found the States suffering from the
effects of a civil war. Resistance to
the General Government appeared to
have exhausted itself The United
States rad recovered possession Of their
forts and arsenals and their armies
were in the occupation of every State
which had attempted to secede.
Whether the territory within the limits
of those States should be held as con
quered territory, under military au-
thoritv emanating from the President as
the head of the army, was the first
question that presented itself for de
cision
Now. military governments, estab-
lishcd for an indefinite period, would
have offered no security for the early
suppression of discomfort; would have
divided the people into the yanquishers
and the vanquishcd; and would have
-, so,. va,
affection Once established, no precise
limit to their continuance was conceiv
able. They would have occasioned ar
incalculaole and exhausting expense
Peaceful emigration from that portion
Of the country is Que of the best mean,
that can be thought Of for the restora
ton of harmony; and that emigration
would have been prevented, for wha
enigrant from abroad, what induslriou
citizen at home, would place hims
willingly under military rule Tn
chief persons who would have been de
pendents on the General Government
or men who expected profit from III
: miseries OF their erring fellow citizens
: / The powers of patronage and rule whicI
, would have been exercised, under III
President. over vas aud populous. an
, naturally wealthy region, are create
!. than. unless under extreme necessity.
should be willing to iutrust TO any on
j. man they are such as myself, | conl
never. unless on occasions of great EN-
. ergencv consent TO exercise. The wiifu
. use of such powers. if continued throug
, period of wears. would have endangel
= ed the purity of the general ADMINISTERS
;, ton and the liberty of the State whIc
. remained loyal
Besides the poles Of military rule over conquer
,arritorv would haze implied that the States whDse
: habitantS NAV hare taSen part II the rehe-lH "a
bv the act Of those Inhabitants ceased to exist
tf true theory ihet al pretended acts Of secessi
we're from the bs-IunIuE mail AMI SUHd Ihe Stai
cannot commit treason nor screen the lnalFdua g
. zaas "a 10 nav have committed treason any n
thsv can make valid en- age II lawful col
rasrce with any foreign Power The States atteInl
% ms 70 secie placed themselves IN condition whe
= their vitality impaired. but not extinshei-ih
t,4rcto ons suspended but not destroyed.
But Il sBv State negleets OF Teiuse. 70 perform
e oscas there ! the more need that the Gener. &c