Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1872-04-23
[Forths Spirit Of Jefferson
Col. Morgan's Splendid Veto!

Mr.. Editor nae ECLECTIC" in politics, and
disposed, hope, to follow principle wher
ever it may lead me, cannot withhold the
need ofmy admiration from the noble, pa
triotic and manly vote of Col. VIM a.. Mor>
gan, upon Willey's resolutions. The time
will come, and is not far Of, when the whole
country, North, South, East and West, VIII
honor him for his gallant stand for the con-
stitutional rights and liberties of:the whole
people. His silent vote upon those resolu>
lions is more eloquent than all the speeches
made or poetry quoted on the occasion:
..Nor horid prose. honied lines of rhyme
Can biazon evil deeds, or consecrate ciime!"
twill be admitted by all that the spirit
and philosophy of our forms of government,
both Federal and State. is to secure and per-
petuate the liberty of the people by division
| of power, and that the people are the fountain
Of all power, and not the governments. Now,
| while the people have given to these govern.
ments all the powers they possess, there are
certain vital powers which they have refused
to give, and have explicitly reserved, kept
back, and retained in their own keeping, as
their own security against their own govern
ments. Among those powers kept back and
never granted, are their rights of religion and
conscience, freedom of speech and liberty of
the press, the right of each State to regulate
| peers for all offences, the right to carry arms
and control its milita-the only sanction for
these reserved rights. IF the government, in
peace or in war, taking advantage of the peo>
| pie, can seize and appropriate any one of these
reserved rights either by force or fraud, it
may in the same way rob the whole people OF
the sacred division Of power reserved to itself
Tor its own protection and the people are
naked and defenceless, and in the power of
despotism. Neither of.our governments, State
or federal, may be suffered toscncroah upon
any one of these reserved rights under any
pretext; and it it is permitted to do so, it can
and will, one by one, swallowed up and en-
gross the whole! To quote Mr. WHY'S au-
thority. Shakespear:
at must not be; there is no power in Venice
Can alter decree established
VIII be recorded for a precedent
viii rash a an ef,os ~ the same example,
And yet Mr.. Wiley says: "The authority
of the United States government is now re-,
stored and recognized in every State of the
Unions" and again, 'tthe great fundamental
principles claimed to be necessary to consoli
date, secure and perpetuate ats authority have
| been incorporated in the constitution and
everywhere acknowledged as the supreme law
of the land" And ho,p, pray! have these
great fundamental principles. i" and bu uAom.
been consolidated" &C., &C. !? by the people,
or by the government? Why by the govern.
ment. aud in despite the people, and their
decree established IN the constitution, which
likes the rights and powers of the govern
and the rights and reserved powers of the PEG.
pie For, there are but two modes in which
the 'dccree established" -fhe constitution-
can be altered" One is through couyen.
to" OF the people. and the other is by fair
vote or expression of the ,cW not of the gov
eminent. hut of the acW of the peoplc, BY
three>fourths OF the legislatures of the States
There has been no convention we know was
there fair expression of the 7cM of the peo
pie by ihree-tourths of the Legislatures of the
| Strtes The whole Southern States were
forced by the ''decree" of Congress- backed by
the bayonet; and the great States of Ohio
and Michigan, though the people of the one
ny fifty thousand majority, and of the ether
by over thirty thousand, had expressed their
wishes, were overridden, and circumvented.
by the Vaccinations and frauds of the govern
ment, and its mcrcenary Office holders !!
Now, is this abominable thing, this vile and
palpahle usurpation, to be ''rccort7ed as a
precedent {! IT SO; the gouernment in other
hands, may do the same thing; and other
"sreat fundamental principles claimed to be
necessary to consolidate, secure aud perpetuatc
ats authority" may be incorporated in the
constitution" in the same way until the peo
pie, deprived of all their reserved powers-
even freedom of religion and of speech and
OF the press--will sink into the tame and sub.
misslve tools and objects of usurpation and
tyranny, or be driven to bloody revelation
to regain their ri gifts and liberties. What
power-what constitutional power-has this
government to deprive its citizens and sover,
s'gns; of life, liberty, and property, or po-
iitlcal rights and privileges. any thing else.
without law, or trial by Jury? None what.
ever. 10 approach it, then. on Bonded knee.
oY way II petition or resolutions, and whin-
ihSiy 10 neg their mercy, is to acknowledge
Its authority to do wha. it had no right I, do
and to pander to its usurpation!
One of the gushing orators nut the reso,
utlons upon another ground to>wit. "This
is period in which the State needs the ser.
vices OF her best men: indeed, she cannot
wen dispense with them, and as the resolu
tons wouid tend to the restoration of all no.
iltical rights, he hoped it would meet with
the appreciation of every member of the con.
vention: - &c, &c. I hope that few of the
members acted on this consideration; was
happy to see, on another occasion, there was
distinguished member who deprecated it:
IT, itn Plies too much consideration for the in
dispenslble services Of the "best men" and
too little for the best service and dipn;tv of
the State. The best man in the State renders
1t higher service by Indignantly frowpine
on tyranny and usurpation, than blending the
pregnant hinges of the knee, that thrift NAV
follow fawning"
Honor then, and three cheers, to gallant
Co'. Morgan! His example and his vote, re-.
fleet honor on himself and his State, and will
reflect it on his children after him
TIMoLEoN.
Gs' The telegraph has announced the
death on Monday, the 18th instant, a. his res
'aence In Parkersburg, of Hon. P. G. Van