The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-05-04
From the N. Y. Sunday Fews.l '
The Great JeHersonian Theory Of
our Government. a. q

From the N. Y. Sunday Fews.l .1.
The Great Jeffersonian Theory Of
our GOvernment. ...
Mr.. Jefferson at a late period Of his
life, after long experience and mos
mature reflection, said with respect to
our State and Federal Governments
II do not think that their relations
are correctly understood by foreigners.
They suppose the former subordinate
to the latter This is by no means the
case. They are coordinate departments
of one simple and integral whole. But,
you may ask, if the two departments
should claim each the same subject oil
power, where is the umpire to decide
between them ? In cases of little ur-
gency and importance, the prudence OF
Both parties will keep them alo't from
the questionable ground; but, if it can
neither be avoided or compromised, a
Convention Of the States must be
called, to ascribe the doubtful power to
that department they may think wisest "
No man understood better the true
spirit Of our system Of government than
MI Jefferson. How different is allthis
from the examples and teachings OF the
revolutionary party now in power, and
whose madness and obstinacy plunged
us into civil war, the pernicious effects
of which we are now feeling, and
which this country will feel for a cen
fury yet to come. Mr.. Jefferson, whose
opportunities of observation and asso-
citation must have fitted him fully to
understand our Constitution, and the
spirit and intent of its trainers, finds
there no coercye power over States.
Our Constitution, by authorizing
amendments, and by prescribing the
authority and mode of making them,
did by simple continuance provide a
power which in the last resort, was in
tended to supersede effectually
the necessity and even the pre-
text for force-a power to which none
ought ever to have objected, with which
the interests of all were safe, and which
would have etfectually put an end to all
controversy in the most effective mode,
by freeing that compact OF every defect
aud uncertainty, by an amendment to
the instrument itself
But the mad zealots, wise above
that which is written, preferred to resort
TO the coercive agencies OF the sword,
and the result is before us in the his
tory of the most bloody and disastrous
strife that ever cursed the world, and
the end, we fear, from the events going
on around us, is not yet. 1t was impos
sible for human wisdom in system
ike ours to devise any other mode
which should be so safe and effective,
ard at the same time 50 consistent with
what are The relations and acknowledged
powers OF the two great departments Of
our government. This theory Of JEFF
ferson gave beauty, and would have
given security to our system, which, II
duly carried out and appreciated, would
have transmitted its blessings to the re-
motest generations. And now IN the
future that is before us, if we do not get
back to the solid basis of the true JET
fersonian system concerning the
sovereignty Of the States-itit is here
after to rest, as the Republican party
contends, opon the unrestrained will OF
a maiority-then it becomes consoll-
dated government, in which injustice,
violence and force will finally reign
triumphant. Mr.. Madison never al
luded to greater truth thaa when he
declared:
LET it never be forgotten, that where
the majority rules the minority is the
subject"
Where have we better illustration
OF this truth than in the scenes going
on around US to-day? 1t was we'll said
hy one of the most sagacious minds OIL
antiquity :.
That the object of Constitution is
to restrain the Government, as that OF
laws is to restrain the individual. ,"
The remark is no less true where the
government is vested in majority than
where it is in single man or a few in.
dividuaIs. We have great respect fol
the maxim that the majorities ought to
govern, but they ought to govern sub
iect to the restrictions OF the Constitu-
ton, and confined TO subjects in which
every portion OF the community have
similar interests. The right of the
majority to govern is not natural but
conventional right, aud must be re
strained by the Limitations the people
themselves have imposed. The party
in power to-day, on the contrary, look
upon it as an absolute, uncontrolled
right, giving the power to tyrannize over
majorities. = ..s.....