Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-01-14
SACREDNESS OF BILLS OF



The following resolutions were intro
duced a few days since by Mr.. Under
wood, of st. Clair county, in the Illinois
Constitutional Convention, and were re-
ferred to the Judiciary Committee. 1t is
not probable that they will be very &C
ceptable to the Radicals That party
have, as a general rule, discarded the old
republican doctrine that ''all power is in
herent in the people, and all free govern
ments are founded on their authority, y
and instead thereof have embraced the
more modern doctrpe that "all power is
inherent in Congress, and all State and
Federal Governments dependent on its
authority" What an astonishing and la
mentable fact it is that while all of the
despotisms of the old world are gradually
marching towards Republicanism, the re-
public of America is rapidly marching
into despOtism. The resolutions of Mr.
Underwood are as follows:
Resolved, That in civil war many sac
Tifices must necessarily be made of nat
ural rights and civil privileges for the
public safety and the restoration of law
and order, the great principles of Ameri-
can liberty and bills of rights should be
erected in the beginning of constitutions
as beacon lights to all departments of the
government, and that a frequent recur-
renee to, and faithful regard for, such
fundamental principles of civil govern
ment are absolutely necessary TO preserve
the blessings Of liberty.
Resolved, That all political sovereignty
emanates from the people, portion of
which they have delegated to the govern
ment of the United States, for national
purposes, q 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
privileges, they have expressly reserved
for themselves in bills of rights and res
trictiOns upon their government.
Resolved, That our national Govern
ment is one Of limited powers, defined
in the Constitution and the amendments
thereto, with power to pass all laws
necessary and proper to carry those pow
ers into effect, and power to expand and
enforce said Constitution and amendments
thoreto, and laws passed in pursuance
thereof, and 50 expanded, are the SUI
preme law of the land.
Resolved, That the history of our
country and the late civil war have PROV
ed that the national Government, when
sustained by a patriotic people, has under
q reasonably strict construction of its
powers, ample authority for its own
self preservation, and to defend itself,
its property, and its loyal citizens, at
home and abroad, against its enemies,
foreign and domestic, by the civil au-
thorities in ordinary times, and by militia
ry 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 to the States, or
the people, and peace, union and har
mony and prosperity, viii be best pre-
served by both governments avoiding the |
exercise of doubtful pOwers-by the
national Government, combining its legis-
latiOn and action TO national matters and |
interests; and State governments to State
interests and domestic affairs; and by |
both governments holding sacred the ma
turalrights and civil privileges enumerated
in bills of rights, and thus we can secure |
and perpetuate in the United States good
government and equal and exact justice
for all our people.