The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-12-27
What Are the True Ideas of the (sovernmen
and the Duties Of Congress.

What Are the True Ideus of the Government
and the Duties Of Congress.
From the steady decline in gold 1t is mani
tho loyal States have the fullest confidence in
Congress in regard to Southern reconstruction
and the general interests Of the country This
Is On important and encouraging fact and yet
Congress. like ship weathering the perlls Of
an unknown coast, appears to have lost its
reckoning and seems to DO feeling It's way by
soundings. We are really adriit, and whittier
are we driftings Some say to shipwreck and
despotism-some say to anarchy and yet we
believe, with the great body of the people,
that, avoiding the shoals and breakers, our
national argosy, eventually brought into tho
true channel, will safely ride into port Our
greatest trouble is in The prevailing conflict
and confusion Of ideas in reference to the
position of the lately insurgent and still
rebellious States and the powers and duties
OF Congress. All this has resulted from the
false directions under which our political
parties, sections and factions have been beat
ing about, hither and thither, for the last sixty
odd years.
The constitution of the United States was
adopted in 1851, and shaped according 10 the
federal ideas of Washington, Hamilton and the
great Union founders of that school. The gov
eminent which was thus established was not
a loose confederation Of sovereign States, but
r national government, In the name Of awe.
thu people of The United Slatcs;" that Is, of all
the States compac,ed under one supreme
national government, by the general voice OF
their people. This was in 1887; but in 1889
lufid flames OF the great French revolution
burst upon the world, and the perncious dem
ocmtic excuses OF that revolution rallied
new party IN this country, with which the
minority OF the constitutional convention of
1857 came INTO The foreground under jefferson
ard Burr, aud other leading radicals OF their
school. Popular sympathy with FTance-our
active and saving ally in our struggle
Tor indcpcndence-ba much 10 do with
The formation OF this new party against
The federal parry, held 20 be more in sympathy
with the conservative institutions of England,
against which The camitc5 OF the American
people had become axcd AID general from the
rccollcctions Of . seven years. war. SO it was
that Jefferson, disciple OF voltairc, and q
hold and cunning dcmsgogue, began to agi-
tate new Interpretation Of t5e constitution,
upon the theory ~ state sovereignty and State
rights and sitt this departure from the chart
Of Washington began that never ending but
still beginning chapter OF troubles which have
since bcfslea the ooeairy, eliminating a! las.
III civil war.
Upon these misc5ieyous State rights dogmas
Jefferson came into power; bu. having thus
gained his purpose es politician he dropped
them. Az The head Of the government he had
no further usc for them, and 40 he became q
conservative sIstesman. Ills dcgmas, however,
still survived, and they were next, asains. tho
var q 1912, taken NJ by me Hartford Couven.
tiorisLs, who carried tpe ples Of state rights 70
: denial Of tho power Ia Tie genersl govern.
ment 70 protect itself ageinsl >. ioreig1 enemy.
This Hartford movement wa promptly sup.
pressed, ana the theories involved were 50
esectually rcbuked that G,ey appeared no more
to disturb The country Gil The Calhoun nulih-
| cation movement Of 1898 jackson applied
| lAs sSliagglssG " She. aud next ths sscs