Wyoming democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., Pa.) 1867-1940, 1868-09-30
Our System of Government.
'Union or Unity"--Which shall it be

livered at Bangor, Maine, August Goth, 6S
The men of 1887 were self-denying men
They feared consolidation of power They
put behind them the allurements of impe-
rial pomp They denied themselves the
fascinations of strong Government They
contented themselves with simplicity OF
confederation. They committed to the
| Federal Government interstate and inter
national affairs All the rest they reserved
to the States themselves. Within this mar
row sphere they made the Federal Gov
ernment supreme. All beyond remains tc
the unmpaired sovereignty of the severa
States. If you seek to know our Federal
system, to determine what are the powers
of the Federal Government, go to the plain
provisions of the Constitutions If you
woulG desire to know what are the powers
of the States, 90 to that vast reserve OF
power which by the laws of enlightened
civilization is lodged in every sovereign
community. Massachusetts, understood
this system of government well in the be
ginning. She knew that the rights of her
people were safe in her hands; that heir
lives, liberty, and property were best pre-
served under her guardianship, and there
| fore, first of all the States, at the very in
slant of her adoption of the Federal Con-
stitution, she proposed that amendment
which decided that all the power not Civ
| en- by the Constitution TO the United
States nor prohibited to the States, re-
mained TO the States and people respective
ly Unfortunately, in these latter days,
Massachusetts has wandered from the
faith, but she will return to it with renewed
zeal when power shall have passed into
another section, and she feels the doom of
isolation. Wise men of 1887, purified in
the trials ofthc Revolution, experienced in
the lessons of the confederation, virtuous
themselves and upheld in the practice cf
virtue by the public sentiment OF an extra
ordinary people-they laid SO strong foun-
dations of the Government, which can
alone accomplish this result. that neither
force, nor time. nor the progress Of the age
can shake them. They will endure until
the degeneracy of our race shall call from
indignant Heaven a denial of such bless
ings as punishment for our manifold sins.
Gentlemen, the PHILOSOPHY of Govern
ment will dictate to me the subject upon
which | shall speak to you.
do not understand your local politics; :;
| do not propose to take part in them. l
shall confine myself to those matters which
concern US all alike. / shall speak with no
partisan bitterness. Not accustomed my
self to yield anything to harsh words,
seek not to apply them to others. Conf
dent in the purity of my motives and the
sincerity Of my convictions, | am ready
to admit the same integrity of purpose in
all my fellow citizens. | shall not dispar-
age the ability or character of our oppo-
nents. would not, if could, pluck one
leaf from the laurals of General Grant,
whatever may be his ability as a soldier he
stood the test of success, and so far as
have known he has borne himself with
moderation au magnanimity in his high
office. ] have known Mr. Colfax well for
many years. | have seen him in possession
of great power. He is an amiable and es-
timable gentleman, and would perform
with dignity the duties of the high office
to which he aspires.
have had pleasant associations with the
members of Congress from your State, and
| remember with satisfaction that we
passed through many years of service in
that body, interchanging those courtesies
which soften the asperities of political ex-
citement. Indeed, gentlemen, my observa
ton of such has led me to expect the most
erroneous opinions coupled with the purest
motives, and the most destructive policy as
sociated with the loftiest aspirations for the
public good. l do not, therefore, deal here
or at any. other time with the personal
character, with the motives, or with the in
tellgence of men. | deal with their opin-
ions and their actions, and their party as
an organization.
| have described to you in the briefest
possible terms the philosophy of our sys-
TEN of government. 1t is a union not a
unity. 1t is a union Of States, not of mu-
nicipal corporations---of States, sovereign,
except in SO far as they delegated the ex-
ercise of some powers and have contracted
to abate the exercise of others -Indepen-
dent, except in so far as they have united
lUeIuSeINcS Ny 1uC lCLlhS Vi lhO SOuSIltu-
ton. This system of government has
solved the great problem. 1t has recon
ciled vastness of territory and strength of
government with liberty. 1t has made it
possible that we should be one people, and
this is the crowning glory of our matchless
Constitution-( great applause "a free
people. 1t has assured strength to the
Federal head, and health and vigor to the
constituent parts. The States have grown
in numbers, in population, in power. They
have developed every local interest, they
have secured to their citizens such inten-
tons and such measures of liberty as they
desired for themselves. The genera! fea-
lures of the State governments have, of
course, a striking similarity, but the diver
sity of their policy is wonderful. The pol
icy of each is adapted to the interests, the
tastes, the habits of the people.
The manufacturing States, the CONNER
cial States, the agricultural States, have
their respective systems and adapt their
laws to their material interests. Laws
which are popular in New England could
,o1 bo anforooI -,