Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-01-27
LAVRRY-AMBNDMRN or THE c0NsrI.
TUITION.
OF HON. FRED Il. WOOD
RRIDGF

fully appreciate the argument which my friend
from Ohio, (Mr. Pendleton) advanced on the
floor OF this House yesterday, coutending
that there was no power 10 Congress to pass
this resolution. Had that power existed, in
the estimation OF my friend, have no doubt,
from what know of him and from the tenor
Of hs remarks, that he would have given the
resolution his hearty support. am, con-
fess somewhat surprised to-day that my
other friend from Ohio (Mr. Cox) has taken
the opposite ground. and that while be admits
that there is the power in Congress to pass
this resolution, be denies that it is expedient
to do so. regret to find, sir, man that
has always lived on northern soil, man who
ought to. and who perhaps does, love the
Union, the whole Union, and nothing but the
Union, as do, should be unwilling to have
Congress pass a resolution which, # adopted
by the requisite majority, would blot out
from the face Of this Government the only
relic of bar barism which impeirs it's fairness
and beauty.
Sir, in discussing the question, | do not
deem it becoming or useful TO descend TO the
aorimony of party spirit. The power OF Con-
gress to pass this resolution depends upon
the construction given 10 the Constitution IT.
self The policy OF passing the resolution
ust now, in the present condition Of the
country, is one as to which gentlemen may
entertain differences Of opinion. shall de
vote myself fret, for few moments, TO a dis
oussion Of the question Of the power Of Con
gress to pass the resolution.
Our Government when first established was
an experiment. 1t was breaking away from
established forms and theories, and launching
out upon an untried il not az unknown sea,
with no chart of tue reeis and shoals which
might be encountered, and with nothing but
the ID xht Of reason TO mark out its course.
IL true that republics $50 csiled) had arisen
aud grown in resplendeDt etfaigence and
power. and gone out IN premature decay.
Greece, under free Government, bad shot
like brilliant meteor across the sky, lllu-
mtnatug the whole heavens, astonishing the
world with her po ser and culture, aud disap-
peattd Rome, under a similar system, htd
teen the mistress Of the world, and in elo-
quence, poetry, and sll art, excited the admi-
rstion OF toe ages, aud left only name IN
history. IL was lefs for our fathers to deter
mine the question OF the power Of the people
TO govern themselves. Driven from the old
/ hearthsione, aud believing that there could be
a church without bishop, and state with
out king, they sought to establish a form OF
Government adapted 20 their condition and
in accordance with their principles. AT first
they established little democracies governed
by the people, and having no power O. sdbe-
sion independent Of the popular will but as
they Increased 10 population and area and in-
dependent organisms, j! became necessary foi
the mutual safety to form themselves into
some sort of general Government aud the
Articles of Conft deration was the result Vi
their deliberations.
/ At that day nothing so shocked the judg-
ment and sensibiiities Of our fathers as the
Capitalization Of power in Government. They
seemed TO have deemed that the cause OF all
their former woes.
In l77s we Gud that the thirteen States
entered into n league of friendship or ieIera-
ron with each other for their common de-
Tense, the security Of their liberties, aud their
mutual and general welfare, binding them
selves to assist each other against all force
ohereu TO or attacks made upo them or any
OF them on account Ot religion, sovetelsDty
trade, or any other pre- 'ense whatever. 10
other words, it vas treaty between the lhif-
teen indepen ent and sovereign states for mu-
tuAi protection.
In order 10 avail themselves Of the bene6
Of such treaty o. league Of friendship, 1t be-
came necessary, for the convenient manage
ment OF the general Interest, that BODY
should be constituted called a Congress ti
the United States, wherein ca h sovereign
State should be represented aud meas ures br
adopted for mutual benefit aud ptot>e ion. Ia
this Confederation each State retained ifs
freedom, sovereignty, aud independence, *
cept so far as powers MI ht I've delegated to
the United ; aies. la fact the States were
sovereign, aud nilsnt, - many 'upp1sed, HI
any uaie withdiaS irum tbs Confederation
and annul the lea. ue Of trieud,tip treatj
Of alliance.
la short time 1t became apparent that 10
the Articles OF Confederation tbe,e was nu
thorough bond Of uuiou, There was nothing
to cement the people aud the Government
and blnd The people 80 the Government
Hence we 6nd that in 1897 not the States
ba. the people of the nited States formed 0
Consulutiou, and set forth its purposes ss
follows
&" We the people Of the United States, in order e
form more p'fect union establish jaiice, insure do
nestle uarq dlify, provide for the cor mon defense
omote h. general Nliare. and secure the blessing o
liberty 10 ourselves aut r poste ny d. uidain a.d ee
beh ibis 4stituuon flr The Cntet aes OF Amer
la The formation Of that Constitution tive
parties we're represented aud more OF less a
issue. One party contended Tor the sovereign
. ~ of the states, independent, except in GER
tain yielded rights, of general government =
, The other that sovereignty must exist in th'
! general government, that the power Of gov
, ernment must rest in the government itself
but that certain rights and powers might b'
reserved TO the states, to be exercised in &c
: cordanee with aud under the Constitution,
, The constitution, rs we have it to-day. th,
charter of our liberties, which | respect Al
much as my friend from Ohio, and would vic
late no sooner than he, was after much dis
cussion and mauy compromises of opinion
adopted. But in il, TO satisfy all sides, thu
power Of amendment was provided for, anC
: was really limited, so far as its restrictions
now go, to one particular, and that was tha
no state shall be deprived of its senatoria
representation equal to any other state, ex
q cept by its own consent. AS ! have befor
Q intimated, our government when the Consti
: tuition was formed was an experiment.
}, wac foreseen that experience alone could de
termine whether too great power wac veste