Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-03-27

powers. We see in every movement, in
every phase, desire to get from under tho,
control Of the people, 20 get from under the
Constitution, which is nothing ulSre nOr
less than the combined and expressed viii
Of the people in the form Of an organic law;
and before it should be violated, even If it
needed amendment, we should be patient
ana amend it in the mode and manner
designated IN the instrument as framed BY
washington and his compatriots.
EneEoaehmenf Upon the ConssIfutson-
we are referred to that provision Of the
CONSTITUTION which SAYS that the Tinted
states snall guarantee to each State OF the
Jnloh a republican form Of government.
We see 20 we travel along IN tie DISCUSSION
OF ms sllolect-and from our general read-
ing OF u we cannot but see, though narti-
san zeal and partisan interest,". nav carry
some so far as 70 aSsail it-that these en-
eroaehments are being made; and the
query comes up, What is a republican
form Of government within the principles
embraced in that provision Of the Ccnstitu-
ton which says the United States sbaU
guarantee TO each State a republican form
Of governments / know there has been
much said about the sovereignty and rights
Of the States; but know what tie Consti-
tuition says. It declares that the powers
not delegated to the United States BY the
Constitution are reserved to the people OF
50 the States respectively. Ours is a mixed
government. i shall not discuss that Gues-
ton Of sovereignty. 1t is one about which
there has been much division Of sentiment
and about which there has been some con-
trOVeSy. / Do not discuss that now: but I
shall pass to the point where / think SOW
ereignty resides. When we 20 into our
theory cf government and examine t.. We
md that all powers are derived from the
people. The people wear the crown. They
are the source Of power, and they are SOW
erelgn. The State governments derive all
their power from the people; the Federal
Government derives al its power either
through the States from the people or from
the people directly; l shall not discuss that;
Dut the source Of power and sovereignty
resides IN the people, and they under
our system Of governments can
change their form Of government
ia the mode and manner APPOINTED
by the State Constitution and the
mode and manner pointed out BY the Con-
stitution Of the United States. This is the
sovereignty that 1 contend for. only fear
that by usurpations, by arbitrary assunp-
tons, BY gross entertainments on the or
ganic law, this may all be changed. We
see things going on, a power seems to have
sprung up in the General Government TO
turn State upside down or downsido I'D.
70 turn state outside in or inside out. "A
process Of this kind after a while viii
change the whole character Of the Govern
ment. But still let Us hold our mOorings
and go back to the people, who are the
source Of all power; and before we attempt
70 exercise dangerous and doubtful powers,
either in State or in the Federal Govern
ment, let us 60 back to the source Of all
powers and have this question settled with
out violation Of liberty or encroachments
on their rights.
he time has arrived when it IS as i'm
portant to discuss the Fundamental princi-
pies Of this Government as it was when the
Constitution Of the United States was
adopted in 1857. We have read the writ
ings Of Madison Jay, and Hamilton, and
many others who wrote upon the COnsti-
tuition; we know the debates that sprang
up in the convention in reference to the
Government that should be formed. What
was all this for? The design was 70 get
The character, the principles, the frame OF
government IN the public mind, 50 that we
could have a standard by which we could
measure what power should be exercised,
and 50 that the representative, in whatever
capacity he might be, should find there his
standard and his guide and should conform
his action to it. L would, for one, make
he Constitution Of the country as infexi-
Die as the prOcrustean bedstead. so that it
should be the standard Of the agent acting
lnder the Constitution when he came into
power, and if be was too short for it, YOU
should stretch bin out until he fitted il;
and ifhe was too long, you should simply
reduce him TO the dimensions Of the stand
ard ami cut him of. When YOU have a
standard in the public mind BY which DOW
PTS are to Re measured, the people have
lOme security AGAINST abuse, they have
'Onle security against infringement, they
rave some security against violation Of
heir organic law.
We have been ina civil war; the public
mind mas been agitated; the Constitution
las been violated so frequently, torn in
lieces and trampled under foot and totally
hsregarded so often, that the public mind
L This day scarcely has any firm mOoring
o which it can anchor. All seem 20 IN
luire what the Congress does, not whether
{ has done according to the Constitution,
lOi whether it has transcribed the limits
If is pOwer-nO, but Congress does so
md 50, or atbe Legislature does so and
10; and when that comes to be the cass
'ur Government is gone. Give ~ the Con
titutiOn. Give me the COnstitu-
ION of my country unimpaired,
md make no change or alteration IN
{, except in the mode and manner pointed
,ut BY it. Give me back the Constitution
f my country that yOu have tasen away.
Do net give me arbitrary power; do not
I'VE me usurpatiOn; bur give me back the
Constitution that was made and handed
own to me and you and the nation BY our
lthers. Give that back 10 us, and that is
be great struggle Of ths age. If the cOun-
y is not carried back within the pale Of
be Constitution, il is gone. Then as
asriOts, as men who love our country, who
D"e constitutional governments, who love
government of law, let US unite as a band
brothers to make one more effort in this
eriOd to restore the Constitution Of the
United States.
ne Fundamental Principles Of Free
Government.
dislike to be too tedious, but upon this
inject Of government l wish 20 read frOma
gal authority. I have shown the kind Of
lyernment We ihave according to the best
sfnitiOn that L can find. The govern
ent that we have now in practical opera
on is a stratOcraCy.
The country understands it. This is the
Gaming Of tire government we have now,
? what have we but "army" and apOW-
Pr As far as in me lies I want TO incul-
te some Of the first notions Of our GeV-
lment. / have no idea that / can inform
enlighten those who sit around me here;
It there are others who are equally inter
ted with them. Let me read from ac-
pted legal authority:
Government is the msnner in which sovsr-
ynty Is exercised in the state. &C IL the means
opt 70 put the fundamental law Of the state
actiOu. 10 is the function and The very end OF
q government 20 apply the fundamental law
Z the happiness and adyautageof all the citt-
NJ, Tor the constitution OF the state Is the Law
e1 pressious Of the wants and Of the will If all
ence follows klis necessary consequence. that
e government IS the delegate Of society. the
rte, or the nation. The people, being sgver-
On, may adopt any Of the forms Of government
lich have been devised among men,
There have been at an times, and there are
~, different forms OF government ire three
ineipal II which are democracy, aTisfocracy.
% monarchy. But these dihsrenC fOllns are
mbined and subdiTided 70 inhnity. From the
.rican prince, who disposes freely Of .h3 lives
d properties Of his subjects, to the European