The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1867-11-14
pOlitit0l,
Elective Franchise,


readers attention TO the provisions
Of the Federal Constitution upon the
subject Of suffrage. Without any
further reference to these provisions,
We will inquire, "whore shall the
power Of prescribing suffrage in the
United States repose2"
The Federal Government, in point
Of timo, was formed qJter the State
governments Of the original thirteen
States. From this hct alone, many
regard the Federal as subordinate to
the States, They regard It as avr-
diary merely to the States; that, be-
cause the States were older. they are
entitled to Insist upon any relation to
the Federal Government they may
wish, although the preamble to the
Constitution, which was quoted by
US, in our article on tho effective
Franchise" in the issue Of October
oath, defines, as the objects Of form
ing the Federal Government, every
thing for which human government
would be formed, yet there are those
who would put the States above the
FEDERAL Government, and make il de-
pend wholly upon State volition and
caprice. They do not regard it as
sopereiyd. To thcm il has sovereign
power only over a few subject mat
tcrs in tho Government. They are
not willing to concede any power be.
yond the express grants made in the
Constitution. Perhaps in limited
or modified sense this may be true.
There are Others who hold to the
opposite opinion, but not from any
fundamental convictions of the true
theory Of our mixed government, but
because by SO doing, some political
end, they much desired, may be at
taiued. At one time we have found
in our history one party insisting
upon a strict construction of the
powers granted in tho Constitution,
and the opposing party holding al
vcrsely. At another time VIC have
seen tho same parties in the reverse
positions, At ono time the Demo
cratic party argued for high powers
in the Federal Government, when il
had control Of the Government, but
now that IL is out Of power, It would
narrow tho General Government to
the smallest limits. .f. o.. ...uao
But our inquiry is not what is nO'c
the power Of either the States or the
General Government, but what shoulo
they respectively be2 What do tn,
best interests of the people of th'
United States require2 Is the powe
over suffrage where it should be2 d,
+, reason aud argument so decide? Doe
our own history affirm it2
We assume that there must b
sovereign or supreme authority L
! human government, over all territor,
within the Government, Sovereign
ty must repose in either the States o
the General Government. 1t cannot
= be in both-portly in one and partly
in the other, Sovereignty is not di
!, visible. When you sub b.divide il, J
!, is not sovereignty. If sovereignty
!, in each State over its own territory
then It is not in any degree in tn
. General Government, When cac'
. State may be wholly Independent no
F., only Of each other State, but of tn
General Government also. Fac
State in the exercise Of that sovcr
\ eighty, could prescribe its constitu
ton and its laws, respective of al
! others. That, whom accomplished,
Federal annihilation.
Sovereignty must and does rcpos
in tho Federal Government. 1t
charged with the duty Of maintaipin
Republican form of Goyerhmor
rI for itself, and also oi guaranteeing I
= the people Of each State Repnbl
can form of government. Held re
sponsiblc for this, and hold respor
sibIc also for securing to the pcopl
> the fullest measure of the blessing
. that can be given by Republics
:, Government, it follows that it Inu'
. be authorized to use tho prop'
mcans to best secure these ends. III
6rst cardinal truth in our govern
= ment being that all men arc create
equal, the FIRST duty Of tho Govern
= lneut should be to presume thu
!, equality. God established tho cquaI
! ity, SO says our declaration, and ma
! cannot do wiser thing than to OF
) ! serve that fact, and shape their go'
eminent accordingly. Whom we dc
= clare, in our history, and now, thi
all men are created equal, VIC deelai
that VIC eau best promote the highe'
b good of all by preserving that oaua
!, ity in tho equal distribution ofapol
d teal power TO each and every maj
The ultimate power Of governmcI
!. bsing in the people, we should St
cure 70 that people, or rather th'
psoplo should secure to itself q
J equal possession Of political or go