The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-12-22
NATIONAL UNION.
State Sovereignty.

WASHINGTON, Dec, 90 Senator Ne
Donald, OF Indiana, has prepared for the
consideration of the senate series of re
solutions which he will offer as an amend
ment for Mortons double-back ac.ion
patent elliptic, uniOn-saving dodge. Ths
resolutions are designed to meet the queS-
tions presented relating to national AID
state rights and define the relations OF
state and federal governments toward each
other.
The first resolution is merely introduc-
| tory and negatives tho proposition contain
ed in the first resolution of the series sub
mitted by Gov. Morton as to the national
unity of the people of the United States.
| The second resolution Historically pre-
sents the origin and formation of the
federal government, the purpose Of its
establishment, and the powers reserved to
the states and to the people.
The third resolution asserts that the
powers reserved are sovereign, becau: e
they were received by states that were
sovereign. free, aud independents; that
| these powers cannot be impaired without
usurpatinn, and can only be preserved by
adhering to stricC construction OF the
federal constitution, and the assum ption of
no doubtful powers on the part of the
federal government.
The fourth resolution shows the relations
Of the states to the federal government IL.
the division of powers and Of the people
to both the state and federal governments,
and as a consequence of that double rela
ton, the people of the United States cannot
be deemed national Unity in the ordinary
sense of that term.
The fifth resolution declares that the
right of secession was not one of the
reserved rights, ard could have no exist
ence in a government designed to be per-
petual. and SO far as such right had been
claimed to exist it should be deemed for
ever settled by the results of the civil war.
e The principal propositions contained in
! the resolutions are quotations taken from
, the articles of confederation, preamble to
the constitution, and the substance of the
! tenth amendment to the same Cons.itu
!. tional lawyers in the senate consider them
e of real Importance They are as follows:
Z Res0tUed By the senate, the house IF representa-
t tres concurrang, Ihat the people OF the Unit s
Sta es cOistl Ute nation, and are one people in
manner only and to The extent provided for iii the
c federal constitution and amendments thereto
\ 9 That the united colonies dec red and
achiev, their independence. and the federal con
r stituliJn was framed and adopted by the several
states comprising the cunfederacy called the Umtec
to form more perfect union, estab ish justce
= domestic tranquility, and provide for the comm.
Defense and he powers not delegated by it tu th
7 United states, nor prohibited by it to the states
were reserved to the states respectively and lht
: people.
That as the states were at the time Of t.,
, formation and adop ion of the federal constitution
each sYere ,gn, free and independent, except in
. far only as such sovereignty lad been expressl!
delegated to congress by the articles of cunfedera
ton, the rights reserved to the states and to th
peOp in the formation Cf the fedora
Government were sovereign rights which can
net be impaired without usurp2tiOn, and th
only safe rule by which to administer the fedora
government with respect to the rights of the stat
and the people Is strict construction of the fedora
constitution and the amendments thereto and the
| assumption of no doubtful p wers.
4 That in the ei0rmation of the federal govern
ment ii tie clear design to leave each state
the people thereof sovereign as to all matters @
legal domestic concern and confer upon the fedeT
al government sovereign powers only as to such mat
tiers might affect the general Welt re of all states
or as might be necessary to secure domestic tran
quillity, which powers are defined in the fldera
| consultation and its amrndmen e, The p ople c
the United States, therefore. from The naiure an
character of their state governments and their rels
ton to each are not national unity in the ord
! nary scuse-of the term,
g. That IL being the design to make the governmeI
formed under lhe federal constitution peIpstual III
right of "A t t. or any number Of states to seced
from the union was reserved, and so r y
such right has been claimed to exist. It should
deemed forever settled against il by the Result of th
. late civil war,