The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-09-18

law, and BY revolution. The Union, an
not themselves separately, procured thel
independence and their liberty. BY cor
quest, or purchase, the Union gave eacl
q them whatever OF Independence an,
liberty Il has. The Union Is older thai
any Of the States; and, In fact, It create
them as States. Originally, some depend
ent colonies madeth Union, and, in turn
the Union threw of their old dependence
for them, and made them States, such q
they are. Not one Of them ever had q Stat
constitution independent OF the Union. o
course, 1t Is not forgotten that oil the neV
States framed their constitutions beior,
they entered the Union; nevertheless, de
pendent upon, and preparatory TO, cominl
into the Union.p :
UnquestionablY the States have thl
powers and rights reserved TO them in ant
BY the National Constitution, and upot
this point, In another part OF this grea
message, Mr.. Lincoln says:
This relative matter OF National powel
and State rights, as principle, ID no otheI
than the principle Of generality and locality
Whatever concerns the whole should b
confded to the whole-to the Genera
Government; while whatever concerns
only the State should be left exclusively Il
theState. This Is all there Is OF origIna
principle about It." ~
Mr. Lincoln held that the United
States Is u nation, and that It's gov
eminent possesses ample power I'm.
der the Constitution to maintain
Its authority and enforce It's laws In ey.
cry part Of the territory. The denial Of
this principle by those who asserted the
doctrine Of States.rights, and who rightly
claimed that II was inconsistent with
State sovereignty, made up an issue over
which arose one OF the leading cortrover.
sizes which led to the civil war, The re.
suit Of the war decided that controversy
In favor Of nationality and in favor OF the
supremacy Of the National Government.
This decision Is In accordance with the
principles Of the fathers. On this day
ninety.two years ago the delegates in Con.
venton at Philadelphia agreed to the Con.
stttuton OF the United States, which was
afterwards ratified and adopted. On the
same day, September II, 1887, General
Washington sent letter transmitting the
Constitution to the Congress In session In
New York. In that letter he said:
"The friends OF our country have long
since desired that the power Of making
war, peace and treaties, that Of levying
money and regulating commerce, and tho
correspondent executive and judicial au-
thorities should be fully and efiectually
vested in the General Government of the
Union. It is obviously imprau.
icable in the Federal Government Of these
States to secure all rights OF independent
sovereignty TO each, and yet provide for
he interest and safety Of all. 8 . In
III our deliberations on this subject, we
Kept steadily In our view that which an.
pears to US the greatest interest Of every
rue American-the consolidation Of our
Union-in which is involved our prosper
ny, felicity, safety, perhaps our National
Again, in his Farewell Address, Wash.
Ington said: =
THE unity Of government, which con-
'titutes you one people, Is also Justly dear
% you. " . The name OF AMERICAN,
which belongs to you in your national
capacity, must always exalt the Just pride
u patriotism, more than any appellation
derived from local Determinations"
On the question OF human rights Mr..
Lincoln was equally explicit, and often
declared that it was involved in the con-
iict, and to be decided by the result. In
AIS matchless message, already quoted, he
'ays:
"Our adversaries have adopted some
declarations OF Independence, in which,
lnlike the good old one, penned by JET.
erson, they omit the words, all men are
treated equal whY2 They have adopt.
I'd q temporary national constitution, in
he preamble OF which, unlike our good
Did one, signed by Washington, they omit,
We, the people, and substitute, we, the
deputies Of the sovereign and independ-
ant States Why? Why this deliberate
pressing out Of view the rights OF
men. and the authority Of the peopleV
This is essentially peoples contest. On
the side OF the Union, it is struggle
Tor maintaining in the world that
Iorm and substance OF government
whose leading object is to elevate
the condition OF men; 10 Lift artificial
weights from all shoulders; 10 clear the
paths OF laudable pursuit to all; To afford
all an untettered start, and a fair chance in
The race OF life. Yielding 10 partial and
temporary departures, from necessity, this
g the leading object Of the Government
Tor whose existence We contend. lam
most happy to believe that the plain PEG.
pie understand and appreciate this"
On the subject OF suffrage, Mr.. Lincoln's
guiding principle was that mo man Is
good enough to govern another man with.
out that other mans consent" 1.ITI.
Thus we have from the lips and pen OF
Mr.. Lincoln-the great leader aud repre-.
sentative OF the Union cause-in the most
solemn and authentic form, a complete
OF the issues OF the war. He
held that the Union is perpetual; that It's
Government is national and supreme; and
that all gifts inhabitants should be free,
and be accorded equal, civil and political
rights. Ill
These are the great fundamental princi-
Piles, affirmed on the one side, and denied
On the other, upon which the appeal was
made to the God OF battles. l do not un-
tertake to review the debate as to the
nature and powers Of the Government of
The Union, and as to the doctrine OF
State-rights, which began with the iounda.
lion OF our institutions, and which was
until it was hushed by the clash
Of arms. tits enough for my present pur-
pose TO say that, as a matter OF history,
al Of the political parties OF the past,
when charged with the responsibility Of
the affairs Of the Government,
have maintained In their practical admin.
Of 1t, precisely the same princi.
pies which were held by President Lin.
colin. The principles as to the powers Of
the National Government which were act.
ed upon by Washington and Jackson, and
which are sustained by the decisions OF
Chief Justice Marshall, and by which
Lincoln and the Union armies crushed the
and rescued the Republic, are
among the legitimate and irreversible re.
suits Of the war which ought not to be
questioned. az ,sisS s. lsl a
Touching the remaining controversy set
tied by the war, the public avowals Of
opinion are almost all in favor ofthe faith.
full acceptance OF the new constitutional
On this subject the speech.
es OF public men and the creeds and plat.
formo ~ the Iaodtn1 ,,a1tk;oo1 .a..ta, (. -.