The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1870-07-15
State Rights.

We arc indebted to friend for n
article which appears in the Butler
Co., (Ohio) Democrat, announces The
following sound States Rights doc
trinc:
"Tho Government under tho FEEDER
al Constitution is u Government OF
ccnscnt, and not Of forco and fraud
and all laws, acts Or amendments
which arc not directly made with the
desire, consent and will of the pco
ple, arc null and void, and should not
only not ho obcyed or complied with.
but resisted to the death, if ncccssa-
ry. The States or the people thereof
established and ordained tho Federal
Constitution and the Government.
which is based upon it. Each State
through, or by the will or consent OF
their peoples, agreed that they would
iyicld obedience to that Government,
subject TO the specified conditions of
, the Federal Constitution. BY this
compact, the Statcs-we use the word
States in its true sense, meaning their
pcoplcs-rcscrvcd to them certain
rights-all rights and powers not en-
bodied and specified in the Federal
compact-and are rs much indcpcnd-
cnt sovcrcigntics under that compact
as they wcre under the Articles of
Confederation. The Constitution is
simply the instrument which united
the States, and was and now ought TO
be the bond Of Union between the
States. When the Federal Constitu-
tion has been violated, its limits trans
ccndcd beyond its legitimate and dele
gated powers, the bond Of Union be.
tween the States is severed, dissolved.
broken. and those acts, resulting from
such violation and iilcgitimute cxcr-
else Of power arc without legal force.
and arc not bnding as the very na-
turc Of the contract has been i:;norcd
and violated, and The reserved rights
of the States have been cMcrearhcd
upon ana outraged. L. fyllows, there
fore, that whcr the Federal Constitl,-
ton, which is the bond OF UHion be-
tween the States by specified con,!i- ,
1ions embodied in it, that a violation |
of those conditions abso!vcs the
States from any further obchianca to +,
the compact: and lH every law that !;
governs contracts, empowers them !!
their State reservations, 20 !,
rcsume their individuality, to exercise !!
Trough their own organic powers.
he rights Of which usurping l"rants
have deprived them, by the abuse and
drspot:c exercise Of undelcgatcL au-
thority."
"-!# the States or their peoples in
their collective capacity made the
Federal Constitution, and ccur"uucI.t-
ly the Government based upon il, they
the citizens Of the States owe no
allegiance 10 the genera! Government
''ut only to their own State Govern
mcnt and obedience to the laws of
the Federal Government because their
State governments demand it Of them
subject to the specified conditions Of
The Federal Compact. The people
arc the sovcrciyns in sll free govern
mcnts, and their will and consent are
essential 10 the establishment of
government of such a character. In
our own Government, tho Federal
Constitution is tho embodiment Of the
Wills & the people, made by and with
their :ouscnt. and is the ''suprcmc
law Of the land" only by virtue Of the
sovereign will Of the whole people
throu4 their respective State gov
crDmclts. Therefore, when the Fed
cral Constitution is violated. it's lcgit-:
innate lol:ts exceeded and the rcscrv-
cd rights Of the States rutLlcssly
trampld upon, and laws enacted in
oppoS:;in 10 It's provisions and re-
quiremens, such laws are imperative
except bJbrutal coercion, are with
out legal anc.ion, and should be resis-
ted rs revolutionary attempts to de-
stroy oul free institutions, rob the
people Of heir liberties, and subYcrt
the reservd rights Of the States. |.