The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-02-10
PIrTsBuRG, January s,h, 1872.


PITTsBURG, January sth, 1872.
TO THE DEMOCRATIC VOTERS OF PENNSYLVANIA
FELLOW CITIZENS Assembled on this
anniversary of the victory of jackson and
the volunteers and militia Of the Southern
and Western States, over an invading for.
eign foe, for the sole purpose Of ogconsidering
the best means to secure for the principles
of the Democratic party an abiding and
eminent confidence from your love of
country, and the success of the Democratic
Party in the coming elections from your
zeal, united effort, and devotion. We
therefore, most urgently invite you now to
consider this appeal TO your intelligence,
and patriotism. The government of the
Union was established by the separate and
sovereign States assembled in convention
at Philadelphia, on the 18th Of September,
1887. The Constitution of the United
States then ordained, was deemed necessary
to establish IA more perfect union than
the confederation entered into by the States
on tho 9th of July, 177s, which, by the
Declaration of Independence were '.in the
name and by the authority of the good peo
pie OF these colonies are, and ofrght ought
to be free and Independent States" And
as if still more emphatically to mark the
sovereis nty Of these "Colonies," now de-
clared to be Estates, the Fathers use this
significant language, ''That they are absolv.
ed from all allegiance to the British crown.
and that all political connection between
them and the state of Great Britain Is and
ought to be totally dissolved" Thus these
States are respectively equivalent in sover
eignty, with the State of Great Britain.
This constitution was attested 10 the words:
s. Done in convention by the unanimous
consent Of the States present" The dele
gates were commissioned by the State Leg
islatures, and not elected by the people.
The preamble declared on behalf Of the
people of the United States, the purpose of
these delegates was to form a more perfect
union, and secure the blessings of liberty
" for ourselves and our posterity." From
the Declaration Of Independence, on the
4th ofJuly, l776, through the years of the
'confederative government, up to the 18th
of September, 1887, the fathers of our in.
dependence, and the trainers of our gov.
ernment held as solemn rnd sacred the
separate and sovereign character of the
States. The Constitution Of these United
States tunited nder the articles of confed.
Grafton, union of States under the Con
stitution) was the compact between them
for the purposes declared to be necessary
for It's creation. 1t begins in its first arti.
Gle by granting legi slative powers, and in
every subsequent article 1t either grants to,
or denies, powers to the Federal Govern.
ment. Not satisfied with this manifest and
clear exposition of the character of the
Government of the Union as a delegated
and granted authority bg States which had
ahe capacity to create tins Government at
their will. pleasure, it ia further declar.
cd THAT the powers not delegated to the
United States by this Consultation, nor
prohibited by it to the States, are reserved
ITO the States respectively, or to the people. Z"
AS eorroborative of the character Of the
Constitution, and as exclusive of other con.
clusions as to the con stituents who framed
it from its first to its last article, the word
States is used as descriptive of the authority
creating it, and their sovereign powers
which are limited by it. This is proof at
least, that the limitation to these powers
was voluntary, and those granted to the
Federal Government, were parts Of in.
herent faculties of sovereign parties. 1t
may not be without moment to know in
this connection, that in the articles of the
Constitution the word States occur ffty.six
times, as in the twelve amendments made
prior to 1910, the same word is found nine
times. The Government of the Union went
into operation under Washington as the
FIRST President. John Adams followed him
as the Chief Magistrate, During those irst
eight years OF the experiment of our con.
stitutional system, there existed opposing
parties ip the country. Hamilton, who was
monarchist, and animated with hatred
for tho government of the people, tried
by various schemes and devices to give to
the Constitution, strained, forced and lati
tudinary constructions thereby to centralize
power in the Federal Government not war.
ranted by the compact itself, or to seize
powers which the Constitution might be
said to permit. The last arti6ee was TO
make the Federal Judiciary an irresponsible
and sovereign power, controlling both the
Congress and the President. This was, of
course, resisted almost unanimously by all
his contemporaries and co oworkers in the
convention which framed the Constitution.
To show the opinions and hopes of Mr..
Hamilton and his party of monarchists, he
writes soon after the adjournment of the
convention which made the Constitution /;
referring to the election of Washington IA
hrst President; "a good administration
will coneiliate the confidence and affection
OF the people, and perhaps, enable the gov,
ernment to acquire more consistency than
the proposed Constitution seems to prom.
Use for so great country, II may then
triumph oUer the State Governments and re.
dhee them 10 entire subordination, diuidinl
the larger States into smaller districts. Iu
lso2, after the purpose of subordinatng the