The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1865-12-08


taincd in the discussion of the acts oi
the Federal Government; but there
is no appeal from its laws, except to
the various branches of that Govern
mcnt itself, or to the people, who
grant to the members oil the Legisla
tive and of the Executive Depart
ments no tenure but n limited one
and in that manner always retain tho
powers of redress.
"The Sovereignty Of the States
is the Language of the Confedcracy
and not tho language of the Con
stitution. The latter contains the
emphatic words, "The Constitution,
and the laws OF the United States
which shall be made in pursuance
thereof, and all treaties made OF
which shall be made under the au.
thority of the United States, shall be
the supreme law of the land, and the
Judges in every State shall he bound
thereby, anything in the constitution
or laws OF any State to the contrary
Notwithstanding"
Certainly the Government Of the
United States is limited Govern
ment; and so Is every State Govern
ment limited Government. With
us, this idea of limitation spreads
through every form oi administration,
general, State and municipal. and
rests ON the great distinguishing
principle of the recognition of the
rights of man. The ancient rcpuh.
lies absorbed the individual in the
State, prescribed his religion and
controlled his activity. The Amer
lean system rests on the assertion oi
the equal right of every man to life,
liberty, and the pursuit OF happiness;
to freedom of conscience. to the cul-
ture and exercise of all his faculties.
As q consequence the State Govern
ment Is limited, as to the General
Government in the interest of Union
as to the individual citizen in the in.
terest of freedom.
States, with proper limitations ol
power, are essential to the existence
OF the Constitution of the United
States. At the very commencement
when we assumed place among the
powers of the earth, the Declaration
of Independence was adopted 10y
States: so also W, re the Articles o
Confederation; and when "thc pco
pie of the United States ordained
aud established the Constitution, il
was the assent of the States, one 10y
one, which gave it vitality. In the
event, too, of any amendment to tho
Constitution, the proposition of Con
gress needs the confirmation of TIT
, States. Without States, one grea
branch of the legislative government
would be wanting. And. if we lool
, beyond the letter of the Constitution
to the character of our country, it
capacity for comprchending With,
its jurisdiction vast continents
+ empire is due to the system of State:
5 The best security for the rerpctu;
n existence of the States is the "st
{ preme authority" OF the Constitutio
II orthe United States. The perpctuit
$ OF the Constitution brings with it til
: pcrpetuity of the States; their mutut
/, relation makes us what we are, and
+ our political system their connectio
}. is indissolublc. The whole cam,
exist without the parts, nor the par
S without the whole. SO long as I'll
l' CURES; tne otures' WIZ eiuhrt; rtfc Il,
e sRuction of the one Is the dcstructiC
J. of the other; the preservation Of Il
&c one is the preservation of the other
a / have thus explained my views
:, the mutual relations of the Constit
Il ton and the States, because they III
'e fold the principles on which | hay
II sought to solve the momcntous que
e tions and overcome the appalliu
e difficulties that met Inc at the vel
l. commencement of my administratio
d 1t has been my steadfast object
S escape from the sway of momental
% passions, and to derive a healir
l. policy from the fundamental al
l. unchanging principles of the Co
S. stitution.
= found the States suffering fro
N the effects of civil war. Rcsistan
ir to the General Government appear
It. to have exhausted itself The Unit
ld. States had recovered possession
g. their forts and arsenals, and tho
Il. armies were In the occupation of c
y, cry State which had attempted to S
Of cede. Whether the territory with
go the limits OF those States should
of held rs conquered territory, und
n military authority emanating fro
Of the u. esident as the head of d
he army, was the first question til
n. presedted it, elf for decision.
Is Now, military Governments, c
At tablished for an indefinite perio
l would have offered no security {,
le the carly suppression of disconteu
d would have divided the people in
the vanquishers and the vanquishe
IS and would have envenomed hatre
10 rather than have restored afIectio
70 Once established, no precise limit
)f their continuance was conceivable e.
: They would have occasioncd an il
y calculable and eXhausting expense $
g Peaceful emigration to and from tht
e portion of the country is one of Il
Z. best means that can be thought
d for the restoration Of harmony; an
= that emigration would have been pr
y vented; for what emigrant fro
y abroad, what industrious citizen
IS home, would place himself willingl
e under military rule? The chief pc
y sons who would have followed in Il
, train of the army would have bee