Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1872-04-27
(From the Spirit of Jeferson.)
Col. MOrgan's Splendid Veto.

hold the need of my admiration from
the noble, patriotic and manly vote of
Col. VIM. a. Morgan, upon Nilleys
resolutions. The time will come, and
is not far off, when the whole country,
North, South, East and West, will hon
or him for his gallant stand for the
constitutional rights and liberties Of the
whole people His silent vote upon
those resolutions is more eloquent than
all the speeches made or poetry quoted
on the occasion:
''Nor ford prose, nor honied lines Of rhyme
Can blazon evil deeds or cOnsecrate 1 crime"
1t will be admitted by all that the
spirit and philosophy Of our forms of
government, both Federal and State, is
to secure and perpetuate to liberty OF
the people by division ofpower, and
that the people are the fountain OF all
power, and not the governments. Now
while the people have given to these
governments all the powers they poSs-
ess, there are certain vital powers which
they have refused to give, and have eX
plicitly reserved, kept back, and retain
ed in their own security against their
own governments. Among those pow
ers 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 regu-
! late its own suffrage, the right of trial
bv their peers for all offences the right
to carry arms and control its militia
! the only sanction for these reserved
rights. If the government, in peace or
in war, taking advantage of the people,
can seize and appropriate any one of
these reserved rights either by force or
fraud, it may III the same way rob the
whole people of the sacred division Of
power reserved to itself for lis own
protection; and the people are naked
and detenceless, and in the power Of a
despotism. Neither of our govern
ments, State or Federal, may be suffer
ed to encroach upon any one of these
reserved rights, under any pretext; and
if it is permitted to do so, it can and
will, one by one, swallow up and en-
gross the whole, TO quote Mr.. Willey's
authority, Shakespeare:
at must not be; there i no power in NeLice
Can alter Il decree established;
Twill be recorded for a precedent
And many an error, by the same example,
Will rush into The State; 1t cannot be-"
And vet Mr. Wiley SAYS: TIE au-
thoritv of the United States govern
mcnt is now restored and recognized
i'm every state of the union;' and again,
the great Fundamental principles claim
ed to be necessary toconsolidate, secure
and pcrpetuate It's authority have been
incorporated in the constitution and
everywhere acknowledged rs the SIT
preme law of the land And hom,
pray, have these great Fundamental
/ principles and By whom, been con
solidated' &C., &C.? by the people, or
by the government! Why by the GOV
eminent, and in despite thepeoplc, and
their decree established i'll the consti-
tuition, which fixes the rights and pow
ers of the government and the rights
and reserved powers Of the people, For,
'here are pu' Two III i;o"eS III T:,en INC
"eCFee eStaoliS'ie'' o 1-'"' '0''S''' 81 'g"
can De al'eL ti OnG Is 49,, '4 .i .,, 1"
cohot"''oH Vi l''e people, anu '"o o''. -,
IS by ia'r 'o'e OF eA P'eSsioI. oi ''le "t .r
not OF 'he government D"' o' '"e %''
OF 'ne people ~ '' U,,5 !2 o.. 'ie
LesIS'".urSs % inc ,'"'t f.I I'VE "'J h
' ~ - '.,', "N, "s ,o,I.|i W.