The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-03-31

language expresses. And all power not
granted is, by the Constitution itself, ere
served to the States respectively and to the
people,"
Our political system is little complex. but
in its main outlines it is very Ineligible.
The fundamental idea of its PARTITION of
powers is, that all the e1terndI relations of
the States are controlled by the General Gov
eminent, and their internal affairs belong to
the jurisiotion of their separate govern
ments. Their relations with foreign powe
and their mutual relations with each other,
are regulated exclusively by the central au
thority, but the preservation of order and
administration of justice within the States
belonging exclusively to their several govern
ments, without Federal Intervention except
at their request on their own independent
judgment of its necessity. This fundamental
principle of the American Union has here
fore been held and asserted by all our
political parties as the sheet anchor of the
Constitution, and Yves very well expressed
by the National Republican Convention which
nominated Mr.. Lincoln in 1860, in the fol-
lowing language:-
THAT the maintenance iIlRiolate Of the rights of
the States and especially theright OF each State TO
order and control its own domestic institutions
according TO its own judgmens exclusively is essen
tial to the balance OF powers on which the perfec-
and we denounoe the iawIess. ioTas,on bv armed
force Of the soil Of any State or Territory matter
under what pretext, as the gravest Of crimes"
We do not make this quotation from the
Republican platform for any such idle pur-
pose as to exhibit the gross hypocrisy and
glarisg inconsistency of that party (Which are
too manifest for proof, but to show the una
nimity and emphasis with which all eur poll
tical parties have heretofore accepted that
fundamental principle of oar institutions
which divides by impassable lines, the au-
thority of the Federal Government from the
reserved rights of the States. From the day
the Constitution was framed until now this
broad line of demarcation has been regarded
as the characteristic feature Of our double
system Of governments. IChe following quo
tation Selected among hun dreds of a similar
tenor) from the 'Federa ist, exhibits the
great lineaments Of the G, institution as por-
trayed by its founders and authors while it
was pending before the pee pie awaiting their
adoption:-"The powers delegated by the
proposed Constitution to tn Federal Govern
ment are few and defined. Those which re-
main ia the State GoRernme lnts ere numerous
and indefinite. The former will1be exercised
mainly on external object s, as war. peace,
negotiation and foreign commerce; with
which last the power of tax ationawill, for the
most part, be connected. The powers re-
served to. the several States will extend to all
the objects which, in the ordinary course
of affairs, concern the liv es, Liberties and
pEopoEtlSo-OAf tAIo EbOplej anu Un9 internal
order, improvement, and prosperity of the
State"
Mr.. Webster, twenty yea RS before he was
accused of Southern leaniI lgs, in his great
speech against nullifieation in reply to Hayne.
gave similar description of tho,oheracter of
our double governments and tho, partition of
powers between them:-'.I admit, he said,
''that il is a government of STRICTLY limited
powers; Of enumerated, specified. particular
lied powers and that whatsoever is not
granted is withheld.
Now-where within the four corners of the
Constitution, new amendments and all, is
there an enumerated specified, parti ,ular-
lied" powercto suppress domestic violence in
State without previous agplioatborl by the
State authorities? We can point to- the CLAUSE
Which b. confeTs Jurisdiction in in the forts; but
to enlarge the same jurisdiction and convest
the whole country into one vast fort? There
is- of course no such authority, and it canno,
be usurped by Congress without total sub.
version oS the principles or which the Consti
tuition is founded.