The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-06-02
MARYLAND.

CLOSING EXERCISES OF THE LAW DEPARTMENT
OF THE MARYLAND UNIvERsITY-HoN. MR..
fuckers SPEECH. ......
BALTIMORE, Md, June 1.-The annual
commencement exercises OF the law depart
ment of the University Of Maryland took
place to-day at the Academy Of Music,
which was crowded with spectators. There
were twenty-one graduates. Hon. j. Ran
dolph Tucker, M. c., OF Virginia, deliver
ed the Grafton, treating on the profession
and origin of law, and giving his views in
relation to constitutional law.
Referring to our Federal system of gov
eminent Mr.. Tucker said:
cit is sadly true that despite all the cau-
tiousness of our fathers the Federal system
has failed to realize all the hopes Of its
founders. The spirit OF centralism has Sc
duced men at the mad bidding of fanatical
sentiment to extend the domain OF Federal
power to the detriment OF the reserved
rights Of the States, and this brought about
results upon which the true friend Of lib
erty must look with dependency and almost
despair.
You have seen in this city the venerable
Chief Justice, wearing the ermine Of the
highest court in the land, defed by the
military when he threw about the persons
Of your citizens the sacred writ Of habeas
corpus. You have seen your State Legisla-
| ture invaded, its members imprisoned. and
its organization broken up. You have seen
the governments Of eleven States suspended
You have seen the writ OF hdbedS corpus
suspended by order Of the President in
time Of civil war, and the same thing done
by Congress III time OF peace. You have
seen the question OF State government de-
termined by the President and the whole
State power placed at The mercy OF
his decree. You have seen the sol
diery standing at the doors Of the capitol
as the arbiters OF their Legislative organiza-
ton, and the civil subordinated to the mill
tary power, and these things done in the
teeth of constitutional prohibitions and linn
itations, and in violation of the sacred con-
stitutional principles OF British-American
| liberty.
But, gentlemen, I have not despaired-I
will not despair-of this republic Of con-
! federated Commonwealths. They created
! the Union by their concurrent compact, and
they can save il by their concurrent action.
II we are faithful to the institutions Of our
freedom; il the legal mind will stand true
to the transmitted traditions OF our ancient
liberties during these ten centuries, il neces.
sary to the fundamental principles on which
our federatire system rests, and maintain
ing the complete autonomy of the States as
an essential and permanent part OF our or
ganic law, and steering wisely between
the national centralisln OF power on one
hand, and any tendency OF the State
to deny the neediul authority Of the
Federal Government on the other, we
shall check corruption by limiting pow.
er; prevent decay by vitalizing the or
ganic principles OF the Constitution, and
purify the Administration by controlling
patronage. We will save the Republic, and
4 what is better will strengthen it and perpet-
uate our liberties. But il centralism shall
eat out the power OF the States-oi the indie.
pendent creators OF the Constitutions the
parties to the Federal compact, and as essen.
tial factors in the Government, then the
days OF the Republic will be numbered, and
free citizens Of these States will become the
subjects OF M imperial despotisnl., But
forbear to say more on this tempting sub
lject." 7, IS
"