Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-10-15

Henry Clay voted for this resolution;
EIGHTEEN of the States voted for it-sixI
AGAINST it; Ohio was divided; Maryland
Adid not vote. [See Niles Register, pagesl
Gen. jackson, IN his first inaugural of
March 4, 1929, says:
In such measures as / may be called
on TO pursue In regard to the rights of thel
separate States, hope / may be animated
+ by proper respect for those sovereignE
members; of our Union [Ststesman's'
Manual, vol. 2, p. 695.
Gen. jackson, In his first message,
Dec. 8, 1929, says; -
1.-THE task devolves upon me, under the
provisions of the Constitution, to present.
to you, as the Federal Legislature of
stwenty -four sovereign States, and tweiveI
mlllions of happy people, view of our
affairs.1 [Statesman's Manual, vol. 2,
ID. 69T. as'sse ~ a.ir ~.sa--a, 'a.As- 's--'
In his farewell address, he uses the fol-
flowing patriotic and pertinent language i
3 1t is well known that there have always
Ebeen those among us who wish to enlarged
the lowers of the general government Il
&and experience would seem to INDICATED
4that there is tendency upon the part of
<lthis government to overstep the bounda
9ries marked out for it by the Constitution.
It's legitimate authority is abundantly sufa
cient for all the purposes for which it was
created, and its powers being expressly
enumerated, there can be no Justification
for claiming anything beyond them.
Every attempt to exercise power beyond
these limits should be promptly and firmly
4opposed. If the principles of construc-
4tive powers, or supposed advantages, or
Temporary circumstances shall ever be
& permitted to Justify the assumption of q
Spower not given by the Constitution, the
general government will before long alb
ssorb all the,powers of legislation, and you
Twill have in effect but one consolidated
5government. From the extent of our
scountry, its diversified interests, different
z pursuits and different habits, it is too OBJ
vious for argument, that q single con-
z solidated government would be wholly in
adequate to watch over and protect its
Interests, and every friend of our free in
;stitutions should always be prepared 70
1nsintsin unimpaired and in full vigor the
rights and sovereignty of the States, and
Ito confne the action of the general gov
.emment to the sphere of its appropriate
duties..n
Gen. jackson in his second inaugural
address, said: 'tMy experience in public
concerns and the observation of life
somewhat advanced, confirm the opinion
long since imbibed by me, that the de-
struction of our State governments, or the
humiliation of their control over the
local concerns of the people, would lead
directly to revolution and anarchy, and
finally to despotism and military domina-
hion. Solemnly impressed with these
considerations my countrymen will ever
find me readyto exercise my constitutional
powers in arresting measures which may
directly or indirectly encroach upon the
rights of the States, or tend to censoli-
date all power in the General Governs
ment"
Do you want more authorities on this
pointl If so, will call on that great
champion of the Northwest, Stephen A.
Douglas, who fought secession, and who
BIN his memorable canvass against Abra-
ham Lincoln, and in his debates with
him in the State of Illinois, constantly
styles the States sovereign States" See
s volume of Debates between Douglas and
Liucoln. Pages 10, 46, 70, III. he calls
them Sovereign States" every time he
refers to them.
Abraham Lincoln, admits the same doc
Urine, as will be seen by reference to the
E book have just quoted, pages ll9 and
2Sl. I'LL. IA
EH President Andrew johnson, upon whom
the people of Tennessee, have conferred
more honors than upon any of her sons,
= native or adopted, in his speech in the
8 United States Senate, in the memorable
discussion of the Tennessee Resolutions,
in 1858, said:
81 "What is this Federal Government p
1t is a government of divided, of limited
powers, not possessing single origina
epower. Can we by any process Of rea
soning convert the derivative into the
sprimitive Can we erect the creature
into the creator2 Whence does this Gov
+ ernment derive its power From tbs
8 StstesY 1t is the agent of the States, ex
IS ercising delegated, but not sovereign pow
Ter Whence do the States derive theil
powerG From the people. The people
1are the original source of power. Power
lis inherent in man now as in the revolu-
sStion. When State is to be formed you
must go back TO the original power. Con-
gress cannot impart it. .--.s.
~
''SuppOse an honest man goes from
q North Carolina, or Tennessee, or any Of
= the other States, to Kansas, or any othel
country; he was source of power in thu
State from which he emigTated, and THU
Estate derived all its legitimate function
from him as an item or part of the aggre
gation. should like to know if, whel
Ihe goes into territory, he does not carr
Sovereignty with hims Sovereignty i
* inherent in man. He carries sovereignty
nto the territories with him. Congress
l77tmsy give its assent that certain numbel
|RlOf individuals may erect government
3upon its soil; and they have here powe
existing in the part of the Federal Gov
eminent to expel or eject intruders AM
trespassers.
"That is all the assent they have from
Congress. Man carries sovereignty witt
him, and sovereignty is the essential neces
sary to State. When the people in
territory come to form their organic law
it is for them to combine their will II tn
shape of a constitution, and when the.
get these, might say each is a part o
one entire whole-the peoples will, tn
sovereign and soul, ETC., etc.
In the convention of 1866, which adopt
led amendments to the Constitution o
Tennessee, Mr.. johnson was invited t
deliver an address, and among othe
things said:
1.-TWO things change not-huT1an reaso
and the sovereignty of the people"
l will call upon my opponent, Mr.. W
III. Wisener, as q witness. de was
member of the convention in 1865. This
convention, however, kept no journal, a
they were ashamed of their acts, l sup
pose, and if they kept one. destroyed it
but viii read TO you preamble whic
was adopted by that convention. 1t is
follows:
''Whereas, The first article and tn
first section of declaration of rights in tn
Constitution of the State of Tennessee
declares That all power is inherent in tn
people, and all free governments are found
led on their authority and instituted fo
their peace, safety and happiness, and fo
the advancement of these ends they have
at all times, an inaliensble and indefeas
BILE right to alter, reform or abolish th
Government in such manner as they ma
think proper
Mr.. Wisener voted for the adoption o
that preamble. And will he be hear
now to say, that people can alter, re
form or abolish their Government in an
i manner they please, and yet that Gov
eminent is not sovereigul
In the session of the Legislature {
l859-6O, my competitor, who was
member of the Lower House, was
friend of bill to remove the free me
e and women of color from the State, an