The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-10-09
STATE RIGHTS.
The Dcmocrrtic Doctrine.


Hon. Rufus p. Spalding, in intro
ducing ex-Governor Hendricks to tho
recent meeting at Cleveland took oc-
casion to allude to the doctrines assert
ed by Republican speakers and poll
ticians as to the nature of the general
Government, in which he clearly and
concisely stated the true Der ocratic
and constitutional doctrines on that
subject. He said:
Are we q nation ?" In the Ian.
guage of the lexicographer, We are
nation, because we are "a body of peo-
pie inf abiting the same country and
lying under tle same government"
But this government is q complex
government, purity state and partly
at,onal. 1t is, in all its features, q
government of the pr ople. Hence the
Significance of this assemblage. You
are met together to hear expounded
the true p .nclples of popular. govern
ment ana to consult as TO the fitness
Of those who propose to become your
servants, in the several State and
county Offices. Tho States existed
when our Independence was achieved
at the close of the Seven Years War.
The government of the United States
was framed four years after the war
by dy delegates chosen by the States
aud was atterward sanctioned by the
people of the States, respectively, as
sembled In State convention. That
government has its powers well de-
fined and limited by the United States
Constitution. All other powers not
prohibited by that instrument to the
States are expressly reserved to the
States or to the people. According
to the plan OF the convention" says
Alexander Hamilton in the Federdlist
No. 80, "the state governments would
clesrly retain all the Hghts Of s0ver-
eigntv which they before had and
which were not by that act exclusive.
ly delegated to the United States." "
james Madison. in No. 45 Of the same
work, says: "The powers delegated
by the proposed constitution to the
federal government are .fe.o and de-
fined. Those which are to remain in
the state governments are numerous
and Indefinite. The former will be
exercised principally on external OBJ.
tects, as war, peace, and foreign COM
merce. The powers reserved to the
00v0T6i 6t0tcS Will cAt0uu 70 QGG CfSC
objects s0hich in the ordinary course
Of affairs concern the lives, Liberties
and properties Of the people" In the
state convention of Massachusetts, sit
ting In January, l788, and celebrating
upon sthe p.opriety Of adopting the
federal constitutions the !. celebrated
Fisher Ames delivered, his sentiments
on this subject as follows: "Too much
provision cannot be made as Afhst con-
solidation. The state governments
represent, the wishes and feelings and
local interests; Of the. people. They
are the safeguard and ornamei of the
constitution. They Will protract the
period Of our liberties, they will 'af-
ford q shelter against the abuse of
power and will be the natural avepg!
ers of our violated rights" l msin-
tain the true Democratic doctrine to
be this: Under the Constitution Of
the Unit d States the real sovereign
power rests with the people. The fed.
eral government, within the sphere of
it's delegated powers, is the supreme
government of the nation. But the
respective. state governments in the
exercise, of their peculiar, powers are
a. little under the control of the gov
ernrnent at Was ngton as is the Perl
sian empire. - '1A 49, q