Wyoming democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., Pa.) 1867-1940, 1869-03-24
To THE SrSA TIE OF PENNSYLVANIA

eral Relations, to which JOINT resolution for
the ratification of the amendment to the
Constitution of the United States, to be
known rs article fifteenth, was referred for
consideration, cannot agree with the con-
clusions arrived at by the majority OF the
committee and respectfully report that, in
their opinion, the question of the ratiti-
cation or rejection of the said amendment
should not be now acted upon by the legis-
ture, but should be submitted to the peo-
pie i'll order that their desires upon the sub
ject may be known and their instructions
obeyed
We will not enter into discussion OF
the propriety of the amendment itself, but
waiving that will contine ourselves to what,
in our opinion, is of infinitely Of more I'M
mine for themselves who shall, and who
/ shall not vote.
| That governments derive their just pow
ers from the consent of the governed, is
maxim Us old as our institutions, and the
violation of the principle embodied in it,
was, more than any other, the cause OF the
Revolution and the establishment of our
independence. 1t is as true to-day as 1t
was in 1776, that the people are to be con-
suited when any of their rights on privil-
eges are about to be affected or taken from
them.
Sovereignty is in the people; not in the
sense in which this assertion is often highly
made, but in that important and substantl-
al sense which makes it the very basis of
our system of government. Our own con-
stitution explicitly provides in the second
section of the declaration Of rights, ''that
all power is inherent in the people" 1t
was wei said by Judge Wilson III the con-
vention held in this State to ratify the
Federal Constitution That the supreme,
absolute and uncomfortable power is in the
people before they make a constitution,
and remains in them after it is made. To
control the power and conduct of the Leg
islature by an overruling constitution was
an improvement in the science and practice
of government reserved to the American
States. When they have madea State con-
stitution, they have bestowed upon the
government created by it a certain portion
of their power ; but the fee-simple of their
power remains in themselves 1t resides
in the people as the fountain OF govern
ment the people have not-the people
meant not-and the people ought motto
part with it to any government whatsoever.
In their hands it remains secure. They
can delegate it in such proportions, to such
bodies. on such terms, and under such lin
itations as they think proper.
This great power is not vested in the
State, nor in the United States. Neither q
legislature or a convention can possess it.
Perhaps some politician, who has not con-
sidered with sufficient accuracy our polltl-
cal systems, would answer that, in our gov
, ernments, the supreme power was vested
in the constitutions. This opinion ap-
proaches O step nearer to the truth, but
does not reach it. The truth is, that in oul
governments, the supreme, absolute and
] uncomfortable power remains in the peo
2 pie. As our constitutions are superior tC
a our Legislatures, SO the people are superior
e to our constitutions. Indeed, the superi
: ority in this last instance, is much great
- er for the people possess over our cOnsti
s tutions control in act, as well as right"
t Under our system the work Of conven
!. ton specially delegated to form constitu
: ton is imperative until it is passed upon
S by the people, and receives from theil
e hands its vitality The Constitution of the
J. United States and that Of our own State
n both passed the ordeal of the people, ant
became operative only under the approval
I! The tendency of public is more and more
t in this direction, for of the constitutions
q? adopted in the Uunited States, upwards o.
: eighty have thus been submitted and ap
!, proved.
Having thus seen that the consent of the
= people is II matter OF theory, Of right, and
OF practice, we now come to consider the
/, application of these principles to the ques
= ton before us.
The proposition contained in the amend
: ment is fundamental one. BY this we
= mean that it was one of those vital and i'm
: portant rights that entered deeply into the
s compromise of the Constitution and that
i polcer orer ii eraS gieea neilherto the Fedora
nor State g0rernment but that the right tc
declare who should exercise the power o1
election in the State was reserved to the
people and remains with them.
Judge Wilson, before referred to, in com
menting upon the character of this right
s says: "Au authority, Of every kind, is de-
a rired By REPRESENTATION from The PEOPLE
s andhe DEMOCRATIC principle as Carried iatG
eoery part Of The goeeramenL secures, in
, tie strongest manner, tie right IF Suffrage
. Montesquieu, book I'd, chap. ID, speaking
e of the laws relative to democracy, says:
''In democracy the people are in some
: respects the sovereign, and in others the
| subject"
: There can be no exercise of their sover-
eiCntv but bv their suffrages which are