Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-01-08
SACBEDNESS OF HILLS OE
RIGHTS

Tho following resolutions were intro
duccd few days since by Mr.. Under
wood. Of St. Clair county, in the Illinois
Constitutional Convention, and were re-
fcrrcd to the judiciary Committee. It is
moi probable that they will be very &C
ceptabc to the Radicals That party
have, as a general rule, discarded the old
republican doctrine that AL power is in
hcrcnt in the people, and all free govern
mcnts are founded on their authority"
and instead thereof have embraced the
more modern doctrine that call power is
inherent in Congress, and all State and
Federal Governments dependent on its
authority" What an astonishing and la
menlaJle fact is i, that while all of the
dcspotisms of the old world are gradually
marching toward RepubIicanism, the re-
public Of America Is rapidly marching
into despotiom. The resolutions e Mr.
Underwood are as follows.
Resolved, That in civil wal many sac
rificcs must necessarily be made of natu-
raj rights and civil privileges for the pub
Tic safety and the restoration Of law and
order, the great principles of American
liberty in bills of rights should be erected
in the beginning Of constitutions as bca-
con lights to all departments Of the GOV
eminent, and that frequent recurrence
to, and faithful regard for, such funda-
mental principles of civil government are
absolutely necessary TO preserve the
blessings OF liberty.
Resolved, That all political sovereignty
cmanates from the people, a portion Of
which they have delegated to the govern
ment Of the United States, for national
purposes, a still larger portion of which
they have delegated to State governments
for local, domestic and municipal pur-
poses, and the residue Of that sovereignty,
consisting of natural rights and civil priv
lcgcs, they have expressly reserved for
themselves in bills of rights and rc.iriC-
tons upon their government.
Resolved, That our national government
is one Of limited powers, defined in the
Constitution and the amendments thereto:
with power to pass all laws necessary and
proper 10 carry those powers into effect
and power to expand and enforce said
Constitution and amendments thereto,
and laws passed in pursuance thereof,
and 50 expanded, are the supreme law Of
the land.
Resolved, That the history Of our
country and the late civil war have proved
that the national government, when sus-
tanned by patriotic people, has, under
reasonably strict construction Of its DOW
ers ample authority for its own sclf-prc-
scryatiOp, and TO defend itself, its proper
ty, and its loyal citizens, at home and
abroad, against its enemies, foreign and
domestic, by the civil authorities in ordi-
nary times, and by military and naval
force whenever the civil authorities are
unable so to do.
Resolved, That while we may glory in
the legitimate powers of our national
government, we must ever remember that
all powers not delegated TO the national
government are reserved 10 the States, or
the people, and peace, union, harmony
and prosperity, will be best preserved by
both governments avoiding the exercise
Of doubtful poWcrs-by the national GOV
eminent, combining its legislation and
action TO national matters and interest:
and State governments to State interests
and domestic affairs and by both govern
ments holding sacred the natural rights
and civil privileges enumerated in bills of
right, and thus we can secure and pcrpetu-
ate in the United States good government
and equal and exact justice for all our
pcODlp