Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1865-12-15

refuse 10 pc EMBARRASSED Dy questions
that lie beyond it. Were it otherwise
the Executive would sink beneath tht
burden the channels of justice would b,
choked; legislation would bs obstructeC
by excess; 80 that there is a greater
temptation to exercise some of the func
tions Of the General Government through
the States than to trespass on their right
ful sphere. "The absolute acquiescence
in the decisions of the majority" was, Al
the beginning of this century, enforced
by Jefferson "as the vital principle of re-
publics," and the events of the last feul
years have established, we will hope
forever, that there lies no appeal tc
force.
The maintenance of the Union brings
with it "the support of the States Gov
ernments in all their rights )" but it is
not one of the rights of any Stale Gov
ernment to renounce its own place in the
Union, or to nullify the laws of the Un>
ion. The largest liberty is to be main
tanned in the discussion of the &C, of the
Federal Government; but there is no
appeal from its laws, except to the vari.
GUS branches Of that Government itself,
or TO the people, who grant to the men,
bers Of the Legislative and of the Ex-
scutive Departments no tenure but a
limited one, and in that manner always
retain the powers ofredress.
"The sovereignty of the States" is the
language of the Confederacy, and not the
language of the Constitution. The latter
contains t b 9 emphatic words: "Ths
Constitution, 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, anything
in the constitution or laws of any State
to the contrary Notwithstanding"
Certainly the Government of the Unit
ed States is limited government; and
so is every State government. With
US, this idea Of limitation spreads through
every form or administration, general,
State, and municipal, and rests on the
great distinguishing principle of the re-
cognition of the rights of man. The an
cient republics absorbed the individual
in the State, prescribed bis 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 con-
science, to the culture and exercise Of all
his faculties. Al a consequence, the
State Government is limited, as to the
General Government in the interest Of
Union, as to the individual citizen in the
interest of freedom.
States, with proper limitations Of pow
er, are essential to the existence of the
Constitution OF the United States. At
the very commencement, when we as
sumed place among the powers of the
earth, the Declaration of Independence
was adopted by States SO also were the
Articles of Confederation and when
'the People Of the United States" ordain.
ed and established the Constitution, it
was the assent Of the States, one by one,
which gave it vitality. In the event, too. of
any amendment to the Constitution, the
of Congress needs the con-
firmation of States. Without States, one
great branch of the legislative govern
ment would be wanting. And, if we
look beyond the letter of the Constitu-
ton to the character Of our country, its
capacity for comprshending within its
Jurisdiction vast continental empire is
due 10 the system of States. The best
security for the perpetual existence OF the
States is the supreme authority" of the
Constitution of the United States. The
of the Constitution brings
with ii the perpetuity of the States |;
their mutual relation makes US what
we are, and in our political system
their n &c o n is indissoluble.-
The whole cannot exist without the parts,
nor the parts without the whole. So long
as the Constitution of the United States
sndures, the States will endure; the de-
,truction of the one is the destruction of
he other, the preservation of the one is
he preservation of the other.
have thus explained my views of the
mutual relations of the Constitution and
he States, because they unfold the prin-
,iples on which have sought to solve
be momentous questions and overcome
he APPALLING difficulties that met me at
L. varv oopopoannauant Of NV admin |