Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-10-10

cal leaders 10 destroy the plainest rights
of the states and of the people, and there
by 10 overthrow local self government in
the United States, will justify me in ask.
ing your attention tonight u some Oh
servatiors that have been repeated q
thousand times, and have therefore no
charm of novelty to recommend them,
but which can not be repeated too FIRE.
Quently if we would preserve our system
Of government and the liberties 6f the
people.
STATE RIGHTS.
In the first constitution of this state it
was declared THAT a frequent recurrence
- the fundamental principles of civil
government is absolutely necessary TO
preserve the blessings Of liberty" And
with equal truth it may be declared that
a frequent recurrence 10 the fundamental
principles of our system Of government
IS necessary to its preservation and the
preservation of liberty. The purpose of
the radical leaders to overthrow the
rights of the states and the people, and to
vest in the general government all the
substantial powers of government, is
proved by act after act Of congress, by
numerous party platforms, by multitude
of speeches almost daily delivered, and
by their dcnunciation Of the plainost doc
trines upon which our system is found
ed, and which in the better days of the
republic.were seldom, if ever, questioned
by any public man. Let democrat use
the term sovereign state and he is
al once denounced by the radical leaders
and the radical press as a nullifier or a
secesslonist. Let him speak of the re-
T. rh nf n N fa1
eral constitution, and he is forthwith an
nounced as assailing the just powers Of
the federal government. Let congress
pass laws in plain violation of the consti-
tuition, and the man who questions their
authority is assaulted as an enemy Of the
national government and of the perpetu-
ity of the union. In Il word, in every
form in which it can be manifested, those
who govern the radical party have shown
their intention 10 reduce the states to the
mere category of counties or townships,
leaving them no sovereign powers what
ever that may not be oyerthrown at the
will of a majority of congress, thus eff.
tectually destroying, what the founders
Of our government considered its great.
est merit, the right of local selfgovern.
ment. OF course these enemies to our
system do not openly avow their purpose.
But whoever shall carefully scrutinize the
laws they have enacted, the doctrines
they have advanced, the arguments they
have made, the denunciations they have
uttered, can not fail to discover that pur-
pose, and to find that it aims at nothing
less than a practical DIES ,ruction of the
government of the states.
Now, my friends, let us consider for a
moment what is our system of govern
ment and then further consider what
would be the result of oyerthrowing local
self-government and consolidating all
power in the hands OF the general gov
eminent. We have in this country two
govcrnmcnts-thc federal or national
government, whichever term you prefer,
deriving all its powers from the constitu
ton of the United States; and the state
governments, deriving all their powers
from the state constitutions. r. nature
of this system was expressed with admir-.
able brevity by Chief Justice Marshall,
delivering the unanimous opinion of the
supreme court Of the United States in
McCulloch vs.. the State of Maryland, 4
Wheaton, 410. He said: I'm America the
powers OF sovereignty are divided be-
tween the government of the union and
those of the states. They are each sove-
reign with respect to the objects commit
ted TO 1t, but neither sovereign with re-
spect to the objects committed to the 9th
err In the same opinion, page 40o,
speaking Of the general government, he
said This government IS acknowledg.
ed by all to be one of enumerated
powers. The principle, that il can exer.
else only the powers granted to It, would
seem too apparent TO have required to be
enforced by all those arguments which its
enlightened friends, while it was depend
ing before the people, found it necessary
10 urge. The principle is now universal.
" admitted. But the question respecting
the extent of the powers actually granted,
is perpGtual.y arising, and will probably
continue TO arise as long as our system
shall exist
In Texas vs.. White, z Wallace, T25,
Chief Justice Chase, delivering the opin.
ion of the supreme court, said: "But the
perpetuity and indissolubility Of the
union by no means implies the loss OF
distinct and 'ud ytu.! Ok Stence, or Of
the RICH Of sc,t government BY the states
Under the articles Of confederation each
state retained its sovereignty, freedom,
and independence, and every power, iii
risdlction AMI right not expressly dele.
gated to the United States. Under the
constitution, though the powers of the
states were much restricted, still, all pow.
ers not delegated to the United States, nor
prohibited 10 the states, are reserved to
the states respectively, or to the people
And we have already had occasion to re.
mark at this term that The people Of each
state compose state, having its own GOV.
eminent and endowed with all the func.
tions essential to separate aud independ.
eut existence" and that without the
states in union there could be no such no.
litical body a. tile United States" Not
only, therefore, can there be no less Of
separate and independent autonomy 10
the states, through their union under tho
constitution, but il may be not unreason-
ably said that tile preservation of the
states, and the maintenance Of their gov
ornmcnts are as much within the design
and care Of the constitution as the pres
eryation Of the union and the mainten-
once Of the national government The
constitution, in all its provisions, looks
20 an lndcstruetible union, composed OF
lndestructibic states
"a thus sec. my friends, that aceord.
Ing 70 The highest authority, the rights Of