Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-09-03
NEW SERIES--V0L. 90, NO. 81

and oftener studied then than now
There is reason to believe that man
of our politicians, including some VIII
have reached high station, have nove
road it more than once or twice.
Not few Of our present publ
, speakers ana writers are indulging il
: denunciations of State sovereignty, a
If the very idea of such thing were
visionary notion and a wild and poril
GUS heresy. They see, or pretend /,
see, the possibility Ct but one sover
eighty in a single governmental sys
TEN. They forget the fact, or know
ingly ignore it, that, in the complex
scheme constructed by the ingenious
wisdom Of the founders of this Gov,
ernment, the various powers OF SOW.
ereighty-which are not q unit but
distinct and several-were deliberate
ly distributed between the nation and
the States, and that each in its sepa
rate sphere, and as regards the sub.
jects allotted it, is supreme. An in.
tense and eager devotion to consolda.
tion runs into absolutism. A single
sovereignty is the equivalent of pure
autocracy. 1t is nothing less than
despotism. This was the especial evil
which the trainers OF the Union sought
to avoid by discreet partition of the
supreme authority.
The Federal Constitution realized
the dream of Cicero. whose ideal opti.
ma conStitma repuJlica was a govern.
ment organized with proper balance
of the element of regal, aristocratic
and popular power, as expressed in
executive, judicial and Legislative de.
partments. The people being the pri-
mary source of authority in the new
republic, the laws are made by their
immediate representatives. The aris.
tooratic principle becomes concrete
in the Judiciary which expounds
them. The regal integer appears in
the executive which enforces them.
The same thrce-fold system was adopt-
cd by the States, and is the archetype
or standard of that "Republican form
of government" which the United
States guarantees to every State.
Not only are the attributes or func.
tions of sovereignty in this country
separated into these three distinct and
independent classes, but there is
further division as to its subjects be-
tween the States respectively on tho
one hand and the nation on the other.
Within its prescribed sphere, and in all
things which relate TO its own iuris.
diction, each is sovereign. The national
jurisdiction is more august and impos-
ing, embracing. as il does. those LARGER
and more general functions which are
the marks of peership in the family of
nations, and armed with which il con.
fronts the world. These are the pow.
crs vested in the Federal Government
relative to security from foreign dan
ger, for regulating intercourse with for
eign nations and for maintaining har-
mony and proper intercourse among
the States. TO these are added now.
ers concerning certain MISCELLANEOUS
objects of general utility. such as the
grant of patents and copyriphts to in.
yentors and authors; exclusive leeis.
lation over the District of Columbia
and the forts, magazines, arsenaIs
dock-yards and public buildings of the
United States; the power to declare
the punishment of treason: the ad.
mission of new States; the control of
the Territories and the protection OF
the States against invasion and domes.
tic violence. Another class of provis.
ions in favor of the Federal authority
consists of restrictions. some absolute
and others qualified. upon the mowers
of the several States The States are
prohibited from making treaties, from
granting letters OF marque and re.
prisals, from coming money, emitting
bills OF credit or making anything OK.
cept gold or silver coin a legal tender.
from passing bills of attainder. er post
fdcto laws or laws impairing the obi.
cation of contracts, and from granting
titles of nobility. Without the con.
sent of Congress, no State can levy
imposts or duties on imports or ex-
ports, except what may be absolutely
necessary for executing its inspection
laws nor can it lay any duty on ton.
mage, keep troops or ships of war in
times of peace, enter into any compact
with another State or with foreign