Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-01-09

, strings by any State, or any section; anS
, least of all, and last of all, by such State
as Massachusetts,.
Q. Freedom OF Speech and of tie Press--Without
IT, Liberty cannot exist with it, tyranny cannot
dure. -. .I..
Responded to by Hon. G. L. VALLANDIG-
HAM. [The response will be published here
after.l
4. Dentocrdcy.-A sentiment not 10 be appalled,,
corrupted, or compromised. IL knows no baseness !;
IL covers to no danger it oppressss no Weakness.-
Fearless, generous, and humane, trebukes the arro-
humble. 1t ASKS nothing but what it comedies; it
comedies nothing but what it demands. Destructive
only Of Despotisn it is the sole Of Lib
erty, Labor and Property. II is the sent ment Of
Freedom, Of equal rights. Of equal obligations. 1t
is thelaw of nature pervAding the law OF the land
Response by Hon. VIM. Allen.
s. The O0nStitution Of tie United Stairs Ordain-
ed and established to form more perfect Union es
tabsh justice. insure domestic tranquility. provide
for the common defense, promote the general well
fare aud secure the blessings Of Liberty to those
shall be observed, its objects will Be- accomplished
When II ceases to be regarded, anarchy or despotsm
will take its place. ,f
Responded to as follows, BY p. -..
Hon. George II. PendIetOn.
Mr.. President: You ask me to speak to
a sentiment in honor of the Constitution.
| scarcely know in what sense to respond.
know the views and hopes and
aspirations and efforts of these gen.
> tlemen, but if / should look out into
the country-beyond the limits of this
Hall; beyond the circle of opinions which
we have heard Tonight, should scarcely
know whether l ought to speak of it, in
admiring praise, as an existing active, eff
cient benefcence, or use the terms of sad
eulogy, fitted for the side of new made
grave, wherein lies PROSTATE lifeless
form slain by the hands of pretended
friends. But, thank God the principles of
the Constitution can never die 1t may be
neglected and violated; its application may
be suspended; Presidents aud Congressman
may prove falthless to it; the people may
become degenerate and unable or unwill-
ing to maintain it as their organic law:
yet its principles, embodied In written
FORMS shall remain for the use of all good
men hereafter, illustrated by the history of
seventy years, during which these States
enjoyed domestic tranquility" and their
people enjoyed "the blessings of liberty"
Like the words Of the Almighty, they shall
not return void. Like the faintest sound,
whose utterance causes the oscillation of
the atmosphere to the utmost limits OF space
and affects its action and position in all
time, so these principles, once having been
in action, shall, with their influences, reach
the nations throughout the ages.
What gave novelty aud value to the Fed
eral Constitution 1t was not the guaran
tees of personal liberty-nor yet the prohi-
bitions Of invasion of individual rights
These had been declared with equal
clearness and vigor five centuries before in
, the Great Charter at Runnymede, and
transmitted from "sire to son" they had
been engratted upon the Colonial Govern
ments, and were the recognized muninents
of American liberty.
1t was the nice adjustment of the rela-
tions of the State and Federal Governments
by which they both became coordinate and
essential parts of one harmonious system.
, 1t was the nice adjustment of the powers of
the State and Federal Governments, by
which was leit-I do not say given-to the
States the exclusive guardianship OF their
domestic affairs, and OF the interests of
their citizens: and was granted to the Fed
eral Government the exclusive control of
their international and Interstate rela-
tions. z--1 Is9ll e... .'.a
It was the parsimonious economy of the
powers of the States with which the Fed
Il eral Government was endowed. 1t was the
paucity OF subjects and of powers, with
drawn from the States, and committed to
the Federal Government. 1t was the few
ness of ends to be attained aud of means
wherewith to attain them, entrusted to the
Federal Government. 1t was the recOgni-
tion of the idea of COnfederation-the ap-
probation of the value of local selt-goV-
4 ernment. 1t was the recognition that the
States were the creators and their powers
were inherent, and that the Federal Gov
ernment was the creature and its powers
were delegated. 1t was the definition of
/ EaAa lo1I riku nd nf Gfofa Y.i.r
tanned In those clauses of the Constitution
which declare that the Constitution and
the laws passed In pursuance thereof are
supreme, and that all powers not delegated
to Congress, nor prohibited to the States,
by the Uonstitution-mark the words-are
reserved. lu. .g . .
1t was this which made Union possible
by reconciling Union with Liberty--which
endued the Government with all neediul
| vigor, and invested 1t with all the powers
necessary for either peace or war; without
committing to 1t either the interests of COM
munities or the rights of individuals.
Thisspirit animated those who held au-
thority for a quarter of century after the
second Administration, and with rare ex-
ceptions,s until lately, have held it ever
since. Ana just in proportion as the Fed
eral Government has been held strictly to
this idea of It's original formation, has it
secured domestic tranquility and the bless
ings of liberty.n Ia20 sad
1t must be so. Reason and history alike
mot only the history of our own brief
life, but also the history of dead and
living Empires, teach US that consolida-
tion is despotism--that confederation Is the
i only hope of liberty. ial a.5 %. sai.Gw II
| The tendency of your day is towards
consolidation-and there is from this ten
| dency, more daugerto the C0nstitutiOn-to
the cause of Republican government--to
| the territorial. unity. of the States, than
| from all the ordinances OF secession or from
/ all the armed hosts OF the Confederates. l,
believe there Is more danger, In the single
proposition, broached not long since in
Washington, and more lately here In this
city, that the Southern States shall be de-
| MED representation, nay that their very
| Statehood shall be denied them until they
shall assent to changes in the Constitution,
than from all other causes together. . 'H'
| Congress has been In session scarcely ten
days, andy have already propositions so
| to amend the Constitution, as to deprive the
States of the power to define the qualifica-
Iitions of electors-to regulate representation
| by the numb Der of voters, aud not OF popu-
| lation-to declare what obligations assumed
| by the States shall be binding on them, and
what shall be the purposes Of their taxa
tlon. And as If these changes In the organic
| law were not sufficient, we have laws pro-
posed to define and protect the status Of the
| inhabitants of the several States-to define
and punish crimes, which are exclusively
| lof State cognizance-to give to railroads,
Iihuilt wholly Within State limits, powers