The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-10-26
State Sovereignty.
The Round Table Of October 10th, in

The Round Table Of October 10th, in a
review of two books which treat Of the ma
tnre Of the Federal Government, avows in
the plainest Language its opinion that the
several States were intended to be soye-
reign. 1t scouts the notion that sovereignty
can be divided, declaring that tho signifca-
ton Of the word is superlative. Itiikens the
States to the owner of land, and the Federal
Government to his agent. 1t declares that
the powers granted to the Federal Govern
ment are the powers Of mere agent; ana
that while the agent may be authorized TO
do many acts similar to those OF the owner
Of the land, the latter never loses his own
right TO do the same. The theory Of such
superficial observers as SUMNER, MOTLEY,
and the rest of the consolidationists, is
held up to merited contempt. It comedies
that Mr.. sTfrHENs's book proves all this
too plainly to admit of doubt; yet
says the doctrine is so manifestly true
that he might have produced in the
trainers of the Constitution better wit
"sses than those he go largely quotes.
n.- ne is in the review nothing new
Ai' ~ s.,, nor to any person who
has investigated the subJe~..' +" % 'nAa' ~
BILE as coming from northern mS w
appearing in the leading weekly q Wv
country--a paper which stands second TO
none on this side of the Atlantic 1or
the breadth of its views, its literary aoli-
itv. it's absolute independence Of all parties
and all cliques, and its sterling worth Inc
illustration of the relative powers OF the
Federal and State governments by compar-
ing them to the landlord and his agent is
not unobjectionable. Southern statesmen
never went to this length. Yet 1t shows
how strong hold upon the mind OF the re-
viewer the doctrine Of States rights
has taken. The contempt which ne 1eeis
for those who compare State to county,
as the great Boston historian, Mr.. MOTLEY,
does, is expressed in choice but strong Ian
guage.
The people of the North, if the Gov
eminent lasts long enough, will be edu-
Gated up to the true idea Of free govern
ment by its thinking and reading men.
They have been led astray by poetaSters,
such as SUMNER men of little education,
such as WILSON; pedagogues, such as Sc
WARD; and demagogues, such as GREE
LEY. They have too little State pride.
They keep down their men of first-rate tai
ents, and send fourth-rate ones to Congress.
They prefer blatant pedagogue to clear
headed lawyer. But they cannot always
remain in this condition. They will yet
learn the true principles of constitutional
government if papers such as the hound
Table will continue to treat of them. II
the Government does not too soon run into
q military despotism, they will 60 beyond
the southern people in their advocacy of
the rights of the States. 1t is manifestly
absurd to call that government of consent
which relies for its perpetuity upon the
power of the bayonet. 1t is equally alb
surd to claim that the Federal Gov
eminent is to judge as to whether In
passing any law Congress exceeds its
granted powers. The States formed the
Union, and they alone can say when their
rights are abridged. JOHN HAMPDEN was
q traitor in his day, yet no mans fame is
more enviable than his. CRoMwELL's bones
were dug up and hung at Tyburn, yet only
a few years elapsed after this silly act was
performed before JAMES II. was driven
from England, and the principle for which
CROMWELL fought was established as the
fundamental law Of England. So it will be
with the great leaders of the American
/" rebellion" as it is now called. Posterity
will regard them as the champions of |
the true principles of republican govern
ment, whether our government THIS into q |
hereditary dsspasttiias1m OF IS brought back to
its original fcrm-the only two events
which are possible.