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

What Are the True Ideas of the GOvernment
and the Duties Of Congress.
From the steady decline in gold it is mani
fest that the financial and business classes Of
the loyal States have the fullest confidence in
Congress in regard to Southern reconstruction
and the general interests Of the country. This
Is an important and encouraging fact and yet
Congress. like ship weathering the perils Of
an unknown coast, appears to have lost It's
reckoning and seems to be feeling its way by
soundings. We are really adrift, and whittier
are we driftingf Some say to shipwreck and
despotism 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 the
true channel, will safely ride into port. Our
greatest trouble is in the prevailing conflict
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 TO the
federal ideas of Washington, Hamilton md the
grcnt Union founders of that school. The gov
eminent which was thus established was not
u loose confederation Of sovereign States but
notional government, in the name of "Wc.
the people of the United States" thai 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
lurid flames OF the great French revolution
burst upon the world, and the pernicious dem
ociatic excuses OF that revolution rallied
new party in this country, with which the
minority OF the constitutional convention OF
1857 cane INTO The foreground under jefferson
and Burr, and other leading radicals of their
school. Popular sympathy with FFance-our
active and saving ally in our struggle
Tor indcpcndence--ha much TO do with
the formation OF this new party against
The federal party, held 70 be more in sympathy
with The conservative Institutions Of England,
against which The cnmites OF the American
people had become lxcd and general from the
recoilcctions Of : seven years. war. so IL was
that Jefferson. . disciple OF Voltaire, and o
bold and cunning demsgogue, began to agi-
tate ncw Interpretation Of t5e constitution,
uror sht theory ~ state sovereignty and State
rights. and with Ibis departure from the chart
o. Washington began that never ending but
s'il beginning chapter 81 troubles which have
since bcfsnca the coaniry, eliminating at las.
In civil va.
Upon these misghieyous State rigaIs dogmas
Jefferson came into power; bu. having thus
gained his purpose es politician he dropped
hem. AS the head o. toe government ke had
no further use for them, and 20 ne became .
conservative ststesman. lis dcgmss, however,
eth survived, and they were next, asains. the
~ar q 1912, taken M by The Hartford Couyen.
tionisls, who carried the plee Of state rights 20
denial Of tho power In ne general govern.
neat % protect itself agsns. .. foreign encmy.
This Hartford movement W., promptly sup.
pressed, ard the theories involved were 50
cSeetuaily rcbukcd that they appeared no more
. disturb The country Gil the Calhoun MULTI.
cation movement Of 1898. jackson applied
| tas sSIipgasas. " She. aud next Ihs ssoh