Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-03-24
NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY.

The Maine Standard, with its usual dis
honesty, cuts out from the proceedings in
Congress single resolution of series
offered in the House on the 18th by Cox of
New York, against which Mr.. Blaine vot-
ed, and with the record thus garbled an
nounces that Mr.. Blaine favored secession
by his action. In order that our readers
may see the whole matter and judge for
themselves, we copy the following from
the report of the proceedings in the
House:
Mr.. Baker Of Indiana, offered the following res
olution:
Resolued, That the people of the United States
constitute one nation, and not a mere confederacy
of States or nations; that the Constitution was
formed by the people acting in their primary and
individual capacity through their delegates there
to duly constituted; that the Government under
the Constitution is one ofthe people, by the people,
and for the people, and that in its appropriate
sphere the Government of this nation is sovereign
and supreme; that in its nature it is permanent
and indissoluble except by the action and consent
of the whole people; that no State has any right
or authority to judge of the constitutonality of
laws enacted by Congress- or to nullify the execu-
ton of the same; and that all overt acts by any
State, or the people thereof, of secession there
from, or of rebellion against the same constitute
treason, and that the late of the rebellion for
the dismemberment Of the Union was causeess
and indefensible any theory of right or of con-
stitutonal law.
He moved that the rules be suspended and the
resolution be adopted, and he called for the yeas
and nays, which were ordered.
The motion to suspend the rules and adopt the
resolution was rejected-yeas 81, nays 72-two-
thirds not having voted in the affirmative. Very
few democrats voted for it, among them were
Messrs Durand, of Michigan; Hardenburgh, of
New jersey; jerks, Of Pennsylvania; New, of
Indiana; Phelps, ofConnecticut; Potter, of Mich
igan; Vance, Of Ohio, and A. S. Williams, of
Michigan.
All the republicans voted for it, all the South
ern democrats against it, and most of the North
ern democrats refrained from voting
Mr.. Cox, Of New York, then offered the follow
ing resolutions;
Resolped, That the people of the United States
constitute nation, in the sense, to the extent, and
for the purposes defined in the Federal Constitu-
ton.
Resolred, That the Government of the United
States is Federal Union, and was formed by the
people of the several States in their sovereign ca
pacty; that the rights and powers Of the United
States Government are defined and limited by the
Federal Constitution, and these rights and powers
cannot be enlarged diminished except by an
amendment to the Constitution.
Resotued, That the rights of States have the
same sanction OF security in the Constitution as
the rights and powers OF the Federal Government,
and that local domestic government bv the sew
eral States, within the limits of the Constitution
is absolutely necessary for the preservation of the
Liberties OF the citizen and the continuance of our
republican system of government.
Resolred, That the doctrine that any State has
the right to secede from the Union is in conflict
with the idea of a perpetual Union as contempla-
ted by the Constitution and should be regarded
as being forever extDguished by the result of the
recent civil conflict.
Mr.. Holman, OF Indiana, called for the yeas and
nays and they were ordered.
Mr.. Blaine, of Maine, expressed the hope that
every Union man in the House would vote gainst
the resolutions.
The motion to suspend the rules and adopt the
resolutions was adopted; yeas $50, nays AZ. All
the democrats and few Of the republicans voted
for the resolutions
Among the republicans voting yea were Messrs.
Kelley, LeavenworJh, McDl, Phillips of Ken
tucky; Plat, Townsend, of Pennsylvania; Will
lard and w. Ii. Williams, of Michigan; and Will
son, of Michigan. The rest Of the republicans
voted nay.
1t will be seen by those who examine
the resolves above that the resolution in
troduced by Mr.. Baker endorses the doc
trine that the United States constitute a
nation, that the government is of the peo-
pie, by the people, and for the people,
and sovereign and supreme in its APP
propriate sphere, and that SECESSION by
any State constitutes TREASON. For
that resolve Mr.. Blaine voted, as did all
the republicans, while the southern demo-
Gratis voted solid against it. And yet the
Standard with unblushing fasehood says
he put himself on record as in favor of the
doctrine OF secession
The resolves offered by Cox. which Mr..
Blaine opposed. were supported by every
secession democrat in the House, and they
viii 90 back TO their constituents in the