The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1866-03-10
|sPEECH OF THE HON. GEORGE
n. PENDLETON.
The Powers OF the Federal Consfl-
tusAOn and the Rights or States.

NSOA SC II. OHutoSV1if VA OAAOs a.
the celebration on the 9th of January. at
Columbus, ike all said by that distin-
guished gentleman, are full Of sound doc
trine and good sense. They are in re-
sponse to the toast, 'The Constitution -
Mr.. President: You ask me to speak
to sentiment in honor of the Constitu-
tion. / know the views and hopes aud
aspirations and efforts of these gentlemen,
but if should look out into the country
the limits of this hall, beyond
the circle Of opinions which we have
heard tonight, l should scarcely know
whether ought to speak of it in ad-
miring praise, as an existing, active, eff
cient bene6cenee, or use the terms of sad
eulogy, fitted for the side of a new made
grave, wherein lies PROSTATE lifelessI
form slain by the hands of pretended
friends But, thank God the principles
Of the Constitution can never die It
may be neglected and violated its appli-
cation may be suspended; Presidents and
Congressman may prove faithless to it !;
the people may become degenerate and
unable or unwilling 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
time these States enjoyed "domestic !" tran
guilty" aud their people enjoyed " the
blessings of liberty Like the words of
the Almighty, they shall not return void.
Like the faintest sound, whose utterances
cause 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 and value to the
Federal Constitution ? It was not the
guarantees of personal liberty, nor yet
the prohibitions of invasion of individual
rights These had been declared with
equal clearness and vigor Eve centuries
before in the Great Charter at Runny-
mede, and transmitted from e sire to
SOM" they had been engrafted upon the
Colonial Governments, and were the re-
cegnized monument Of American liberty.
It was the nice adjustment of the rela-
tions Of the EtNte and Federal Govern
ments, By which they both became CO.
ordinate and essential parts of one har-
monious system It was the nice adjust
ment Of the powers Of the State and
Federal Governments, by which was left
~ do not say giyen-to the States the
exclusive guardianship Of their domestic
affairs, and of the interests of their eiti-
Sens, and was granted 10 the Federal
Government the exclusive control of their
international and interstate relations.
It was the parsimonious economy of the
powers of the States with which the Fed
eral Government was endowed. 1t was
the paucity Of subjects and Of powers,
withdrawn from the States, and committed
to the Federal Government. 1t was the
fewness Of ends 10 be attained and Of
means wherewith to attain them, intrusted
to the Federal Government. It was the
recognition of the idea of Confederation
the appreciation of the value of local
self government. It was the recognition
that the States were the creators and
their powers were inherent, and that the
Federal Government was the creature and
its powers were delegated. It was the
definition Of Federal authority and of
State rights contained in those clauses Of
the Constitution which declare that the
Constitution and the laws passed in pur-
suance thereof are supreme, and that all
powers not delegated to Congress, nor
prohibited to the States, by the Constitu-
tion-mark the Words-are reserved.
It was this which made Union possible
by reconcilling Union with liberty, which
endued the Government with all needful
yigor, and invested it with all the powers
necessary for either peace or war, without
committing it to either the interests of
communities or the rights of individuals.
This spirit animated those who held
authority for quarter of century after
the second Administration, and with rare
exceptions, until lately, have held it ever
since. Aud Just in proportion as the
Federal Government has been held strictly
to this idea Of is original formation, has
it secured :. domestic tranquility and the
blessings of liberty
~ AAtet Oc Cose 4e<doOA 0H0 AASSOAy
alike-not only Tie history of our own
brief life, but also the history Of dead and
living empires, teach Us that consolidation
IS despotism Confederation is the
only hope Of liberty
The tendency Of our day Is toward
consolidation, and there is from this ten
dency more danger TO the Constitution, 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 Confed-
erAtes. believe there Is more danger in
the single proposition, broached not long
since IN Washington, and more lately in
this city, that the Southern States shall
be denied representation, nay, that their
very Statehood shall be denied them until
they shall assent to changes in the Con-
stitation, thsn from all other causes to-
gether.
Congress has been in session scarcely
tan days, and We have already PROPOSE
tions so 70 amend the Constitution, as to
deprive the States o2 the power to define
the qualifications Of electors TO regulate
representation By the number Of voters,
and not of popnlasions-to declare what
Obligations assumed By the Etatss shall
be binding on them, and what shall be
the purposes of their taxation. And e.
| IL fhsse changes IL the organic law we're
q