Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-09-11

And when for its validity it required the
approval of people that occupied large
part of q continent and acted separately
In many distinct conventions, what is
more wonderful than that, after earnest
contention and long discussion, all feel
ings and all opinions were ultimately
drawn in one way to its support3
The Constitution to which life, was thus
| impaired contains within itself ample re,
| sources for its own preservation. 1T has
power to enforce thelaws, punish treason,
and ensure domestic tranquility. In case
| of the usurpation of the Government of
| State by one man, or an oligarchy, it be-
comes a duty ofthe United States to make
| good the guarantee to that State of re-
| publican form of government, and 30 to
| maintain the homogeneousness of all. AS
| the lapse of time reveals defects, sim
pie mode of amendment is provided in
| the Constitution itself, so that its condi-
| tions can always be made to conform to
the necessities of the people and advanc-
| ing civilization. ~
3. That no room is allowed even for
the thought of q possibility of its coming
| 10 an end, and these powers of selt-pre-
| servation have always been asserted in
| their complete integrity by every patriotic
| Chief Magistrate-by jefferson and Jack
son. not less than by Washington and
Madison. The parting advice of the
| Father of his Country, while yet Presi-
| dent, TO the people of the United States,
was that the free Constitution, which
| wss the work of their hands, might be
| sacredIv maintained and the inaugural
| words of President jefferson held up the
preservation of the general Government,
| in its constitutional vigor, as the sheet
1 anchor of our peace at home and safety
| abroad The Constitution is the work of
the people of the several States, and it
| should be as indestructible as the people
themselves, .-. ..-..-- .. . .r
4, That the maintenance of the
Union brings with it the support of the
State Governments in all their rights, but
| it is not one of the rights of any State
Government to renounce its own place in
the Union, or TO nullify the laws of the
Union. The largest liberty is to be main
tanned in the discussion of the acts of the
Federal Government; but there is no sp-
peal from its laws, except TO the various
branches of that Government itself, or to
the people, who grant to the members of
the Legislative and of the Executive De-
pattments no tenure but a limited one,
and in that manner always retain the
power of redress. ..s
5. s. That the sovereignty of the
| State is the language of the articles
of confederation, and not the language
| of the Constitution. The latter contains
the emphatic words: 'The Constitution
and the laws of the United States which
shall be made in pursuance thereof, and
all treaties made, or which shall be made,
under the authority of the United States,
shall be the supreme law of the land !;
and the judges in every State shall be
bound thereby, anything in the constitu-
ton or laws of any State to the contrary
notwithstanding.
6. THAT the Government of the
| United States is a limited government !;
and so, also, is every State government a
limited government. With us, this idea
of Limitation spreads through every form
| of administration, general, State and NUM-
cipal, and rests on the great distinguish
ing principle of the recognition of the
rights of man. The ancient republics alb
sorbed the individual in the State, pre-
scribed his religion, and controlled his &C,
tivity. The American system rests Oh
the assertion of the equal rights of every
man to life, liberty, and the pursuit OF
happiness; to freedom of conscience, tC
| the culture and exercise of all his facul
| ties. AS a consequence, the State gov
eminent is limited, as to the Genera
Government, in the interest of union, a!
to the individual citizen, in the interest Of
freedom. .s.... ..-- t..-... D..
Z. That States, with proper limita
tons of power, are essential to the exist.
ence of the Constitution of the United
States At the very commencement
when we assumed place among the pow
ers of the earth, the Declaration of indie
pendence was adopted by States; so alsC
were the articles of confederation
and when the people of the United
States ordained and established the Con
stitution, it was the assent of the States
one by one, which gave it vitality. Ii
the event, too, of any amendment to tht
Constitution, the proposition of Congress
needs the confirmation of States. With
out States, one great branch of the legis
lative government would be wanting, and
| if we look beyond the letter of the Con
stitution to the character of our country
its capacity for compromising within it
jurisdiction vast continental empire j
due to the system of States. ....
s. That the best security for the per
petual existence of The States is the 'su
preme authority OF the Constitution Of
the United States. The perpetuity of thu
Constitution brings with it the perpetuity
of the States; their mutual relation make
US what we are, and in our political sys
tenn their connection is indissOluble. TIL,
whole cannot exist without the parts, MOI
| the parts without the whole. So long a!
the Constitution of the United States en-
dures, the States will endure; the destruc
ton of the one is the destruction of thu
other; the preservation of the one is The
preservation of the other.
9. That no State has the right to secedt
from, or of its own will renOunce its place
| in the Federal Union without the cOnsen
of the other States which ratified the Con
stitution. The Constitution when ratified
formed the Union without any provision
whatever for its dissolution. The COnsti
tuition was adopted by the States 'in tOtc
and forever, aUittO1H reservation o.
condition. While we deny the right Of
State constitutiOnally, or of its own will
to secede or renounce its place in thu
Union, we admit the great and inherent
right of revolution, abiding and remain
ing with every people; but right which
should not be exercised except in extreme
cases and in the last resort, when griev
ances are without redress and oppression
has become intolerable.
10. That the Congress of the United
States have no authority or right under
the Constitution to eject a State or State:
from the Union or exclude any of them
from an equal footing and perfect equali-
ty with the other States composing the
Union. Nor has Congress the right tx
deny any State or States their full repre-
sentation, nor to amend, or even author
lied TO propose any amendments to the
| Constitution which could deprive any
State of its equal suffrage without it;
I consent in the Senate, and that most, il
not all the laws passed by Congress in re
ference to representation and reconstruc
ton of the Southern States were arbitra-
/ - L,