The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-11-16
What a Wise and Good Man
thought. Il.

In view of the fact that the FEEDER
al administration, under the auspices
of the Jacobin party, is daily extend
ing its encroachments upon the rights
of the States and the liberties of the
people, as sinisterly and perhaps as
effectively as the Germans Enclosed
their lines about Metz. it may be well
enough to set aside the accusations of
"Bourbonism" in politics, and revert
to and recall the ideas of those who
established the foremost republic in
the world, since subverted, and see
whether the sapient clamorers for
nationality" improve upon the
plan of the maker, or so clearly pre-
dict the dangers that attend its opera
ton. After first devastating the
Southern States, destroying their
Institutions and ignoring their rights
and interests, this fanatical party of
monarchists have felt able to venture
upon the subjugation OF the Northern
section by means of bogus amend
ments 10 the original compact and
odious laws enacted by an illegal
Congress, in the interest of a purely
sectional party, under the assumed
amendments, and not in pursuance of
the original compact. In proof of
this usurpation by the Federal admin
istration, and lis greedy desire to
rerolutionize the whole system of free
government by ;:b :orb;ng all powers
in itself, witness the audacious militia
ry interference of Grant in the New
York election. f--r...r
In a letter dated Monticello, Dec.
18th, 1925, Thomas jefferson wrote
to Mr. GILES as follows:
II see as you do, and with the
deepest affection, the rapid strides by
which the Federal branch of our
Government is advancing toward the
usurpation of all the rights reserved
to the States, and the consolidation
in itself of all power, foreign and do
nestle /; and that, too, by construc-
tons, which, if Legitimate, leave no
limits to their power. Take together
the decisions of the Federal Courts,
the doctrines of the President, q. O.
.Adams)and the misconstructions of
the constitutional compact acted on
by the Legislation of the Federal branch
and it is but too evident that h
three ruling branches of this Depart
ment are in combination to strip their
colleagues, the State authorities, of the
powers resi- rived to them, and to exer-
else themselves all functions, foreign
and domestic. X
And what is our recourse for the
preservation OF the Constitution p
Reason and argument? You might
we'll reason and argue with. the
marble columns encircling them
The representatives chosen by BUR
selves? They are found in the COM
bination. some from incorrect views
of the Government, some from cor
rupt ones, sufficient voting together
to outnumber the sound party, (Which
of course means the Democracy, and
with m~ajorities of only one, two or
three, bold enough to go. forward in
defiance. Mr.. Madison declared that
the divergence between ur, Colonel
Hamilton and myself took place from
his wish to administrate or to adj
minister the Government, these are
Mr.. Madison's very words1 into what
he thought it oughtto be; while on
my part, I endeavor to make it o
form to the Constitution as under
stoed by the convention that made
and recommended it, and particularly
by the State Conventions that adopt
ed it."
The strides of Federal usurpation
which 50 deeply afflicted Thomas jeff
erson, have not been confined to the
subjugatlon of a certain set of States
upon the pretence of war necessity:
but now, in a time of presumed peace,
are being taken over States not affect
ed by that pretence, and this upon
the authority of laws enacted under
bogus amendments to a constitution,
Of the principles of which they +
wholly subversive- The republica
ton of this old and prophetic letter
should be suggestive to all those who
really wish the good of the country
and the preservation of a decent sys-
TO-, ~ T