The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-02-23
For the Arrns

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=. - ID For the Argus.
III Mr.. EDrroR--I see by your journal of the
l4th inst that you are at issue with the Chr
cago Tribune on the question Of estate soy
ereignty," which, it appears, has no existence
sin this country "fhe rebellion was insti-
tuted upon the theory of state sovereignty.
1t was crushed by the opposite theory says |
the Tribune. That is, t'the theory of state |
sovereignty" promulgated by Mr.. Jefferson,
swas crushed by the opposite theoryn-the |
theory promulgated by Gen. Hamilton. The |
Tribune then endorses the "Phiiadeiphia |
Platform" that the war decided political
differences that fromIthe very beginning of
the government had threatened the unity of
our national existence" These two s'thee-
| conflict at 1.-THE very beginning of the gov
ernment" That Of jefferson triumphed at
| the ballot-box, but Gen. Hamilton foretold
.'that 1t wo,sld be crushed by the opposite the
| orr in cfrH scar.ne In the convention that
| framed the constitution these parties came
into collision. First, as to what the constitn-
| ton should be and second, after Its adop-
ton, as to how it should be construed. The
| advocates of monarchy, or, at least. of ma
tional, insteaeof federal government, I'M
der the lead of Gen. Hamilton, being foiled
in their efforts to incorporate their national
views in the constitution, promptly and Wig
orously, and, believe, honestly and patriot
icaily, endeavored to so administer the gov
ernment as to make it, to all intents and pur-
| poses practically a national government en-
lowed with the attribute of sovereignty which
they claimed the states surrendered by mer-
cling their separate sovereignty into one
nation--seach state having expressly parted
with so many powers as to constitute, Jointly
!, with the other states, g single nation and
! that treason being an effense against SOW
eighty, sovereignty must reside with the
power to punish it'-with the national gov
. erpment. These are the arguments in favor
of the Hamiltonian theory.
5 The new government whether national or
! fedeyol) went into operation by the election
| of Gen. Washington to the presidency, and
n | the struggle commenced, Gen. Washington,
: | whatever may have been his bias as to these
o antagonistie views, wisely and patrietically
! | gave to each party an equal chance in his
| cabinet. To Gen. Hamilton he assigned the
> treasury department, to Gen. Knox the war
q | department--the former from New York, the
t latter from Massachusetts to Mr.. jefferson
| he assigned the state department, TO Mr..
| Randolph the position of attorney general
both Tirginians. Thus representing both
: parties, as well as both sections, the Presi-
dent held the controlling powerand exercised
it periodically for the best interests, in his
, view, of the public good.
. And yet President Washington, by ap-
proving practically the theory of Generals
Hamilton and Knox, let the swift current of
unconstitutional legislation, ON the funding
Il bill, the assumption of state debts, and the
|. charter of q national bank, run or unimped
ed until it carried the ship of STATE, treighted
with the hopes of humanity, into the inter
= minable gulf ofinexorable despotism, where,
e | under the administration of the elder Adams,
0 | usurpation eliminated in the enactment and
f approval of the "Alien and Sedition Acts,
e and the ''Logan Law" by the legislative and
# executive departments of the gogernn1antE
: and the rigorous and inhuman enforcement
Of the two former acts by the judicial de
!. partment.
At this critical juncture the usurpers were
met and signally overthrown BY the inYinci
bic power of that ..state sovereignty which
. Samuel Adams, 1.-THE only white sheep IN the
flock declared to be ''the palladium of the
o private and personal rights of the citizens,
but which the Tribune says is now ''crushet
by the opposite theory, "new nation
isof the radical wing, as the sovereign ma
- ton" of the Johnsonian wing of the black re
publican party
Is Mr.. Randall, in his "life of Jefferson,
L NSfOSS'
IS follower in every man enriched by the fund
ing bill, the Assumption, the Bank, &c, O
u hoping TO be enriched by any treasur.
;, scheme in future. The consoidationists Q
every grade, from the monarchists down +
~ the anti-state rights lthe republicans beliey
/ ing in one great consolidated republic) ra
% lied about him as chief. who was rapid
Ipropping' the constitution to substantial
% conference.-the their views"
'As long" continues Mr. Randall, las tn
81 tremendous struggle was going ON betwee
the Hamitonian and Jefersonian censtrue
tons of the constitution of the United State
So between the English theory of it and tn
republican theory of it-Hamilton's plans
10 Hamilton's opinions, Hamilton's resoundin
name were on every tongue When tn
20 outworks, all but the citadel of the seeming
ly massive structure, fell, in ls0l-when tn
&c citadel 1.-THE supreme court) was carried owe
to its assailants by the death of a majority
ss its original defenders, what of Hamilton
IN remained? | answer nothing. But, alas
all and infinitely more than all, of Hami
80 toms schemes and corruptions are reinstate
- to-days And what, let me ask. of Jefferson
II princip4es-strict constitution of the const
no tuition, state rights-state sovereignty-rt
20 manned to us On the 4th of March, 1861 P
ss | or who so poor as to revere his memory?
l have given a brief but correct synops
81 of the political principles of the old feeders
party under the lead of General Hamilton
lo and if this synopsis is true, the Chicego "
90 bune is correct in asserting that "there is II
such thing as state sovereignty in this coul
try"
,es But is General Hamiltons "constructio
7el the constitution" -s'the English theory
he 1.-THE black republican theory of it, true
an "There's the rub" If it is not true, the
the assertion of the Tribune is utterly ii
ea founded, unless like the vast public deb
which the Tribune calls public blessing
ct. the annihiation of estate sovereignty is Il
65 s'result of the war;" as the Philadelphia COZ
04 vention asserts.
is assert that General Hamilton's theory
- not only false, but that practically, "corrup
go ly" carried out, as it has been since its revi
95 al on the 4th of March, 1861, it utterly sui
's4 verts civil and religious liberty.
w use the phrase "corruptly carried out
90 not only because it is true, but because GEL
oa eral Hamilton unhesitatingly claimed tn,
so corruption was necessary to the suecessfl
rs administration of his modeD the BIRTHS
20 government, and consequently it must b
=. necessary to that of the United States, whe
I ad M, his fhoory