The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-06-12

- wrYpn Az JUNE IL, 1880.
gA4 states and the Federal Govern
neut.
TIE Republican platform contains the
aelaowing plank
80 second. The Constitution Of the United
mates 4 Z supreme law, aud not mere con-
eraek. Out az confederate States II made :
pottreIrn natton. Some powers are denied
3 a Ia nation, while others are denied 10 tne
sSee. but the boundary between The
poWers dc.egaied and those reserved 10 70
s. determined by the national and not oy
the Stxtc tribunAis." :.
The Commom,reoifh Gays OF this that II
toe u,stsorm Of the Republicans contained
uotbtsg more Objectionable, Its editor twho
~ delegate to CiHcInns,I) would "urge
the sdoptton OF their platform upon our
cwn couvcntion.n We take n, then, that
he Will urge at least the adoption OF THAI
one plank
OF course there Is sense In which the
above might be considered an unoojec.
f,spab,c resolution. II is ike the Federal
Constitution itself In this respect. Con-
strued by the Democrats, the Constitution
issuH that It ought to be. and no more.
Construed by the Republicans, II coniers
unlimited powers upon the Federal eosern'
nent. We object TO the resolution rs IL
was meant 10 be understood by its trainers,
apd:as It will be construed by them II
under It they should gain possession OF
Congress and the Presidency. They already
have the Supreme Court.
We are not surprised that our neighbor
should ayow such doctrines. Concerning
the proposition that one State, rs the as
xiguee Of a bondholder, can sue another
State for debt In the courts OF the United
States, the Commonwealth recently said:
"What the Supreme Court will decide
when the cause is brought before them, 1t IS
of course impossible to say; but It cannot
be denied that the proposition Is one fuli OF
Justice and good sense, and decisions which
II has already made sQuint very strongly at
the doctrine."
We regard the proposition as anything.
else than one "ful of justice and good
sense"; and II Judge FIELD, OF the SUI
preme Court, holds such an opinion and
will let the Virginia delegates TO Cincinnati
know the fact, we don't think he will get
the vote Of delegate from any other dis
trict than this one. This is by the way. but
the quotation we have made shows whittier
our neighbor is tending.
Now, as to the doctrine that the State tri-
bunals have no right to determine the
boundary between the powers delegated to
the Federal Government and those reserved
TO the States.
The first question Is, Did the new amend
ments added to the Constitution since the
war closed confer upon the Federal Gov
eminent any powers which 1t did not pos
scss beforef We let our neighbor answer.
He said recently:
"The Republican party claims that the
war was fought for the purpose OF enlarging
the powers OF the General Government, and
the war party haviog prevailed that the
amendments TO the Constitution which were
adopted after the war were intended to
largely Increase the powers OF the General
practically to make them un-
limited. The Democratic party replies that
that ioas not the purpose of the amend. |
ments. II says that the war was fought for |
the single purpose OF preserving the Union |
as ii was; and at Its successful conclusion |
the General Government had not acquired |
single additional power, but had simply ex-
ercised those powers conferred upon it by |
the Constitution for its own preservation"
SO far we are agreed. Here Is, however,
other good doctrine preached by our neigh
Dor: f ~
"We propose to rekflirm the old Demo- |
cratic and Wing doctrine which teaches that |
the Federal Government possesses no pow
ers except those which are expressly. or by |
necessary implication, delegated to IL by the |
Constitutions: that it Is sovereign in re-
spect to all these delegated powers, and no
Others" lrn
They [the fatbers] said that the Govern
ment ought TO have complete control over
all matters Of general nature, such as the
matter Of peace and war, the regulation OF
intercourse with foreign powers, the reeu-
lation OF the currency, &c. But they said
that Ia all matters OF Intercourse between |
man and ran-the terms upon which one |
farmer shall sell butter to another, aud the |
punishment that should be imposed upon |
Bill jones for giving John Smith black |!
eye-they said that In all such matters as
these the General Government should have |
no powers, hut that the people should re- |
serve control over all such matters in them |
selves, to oe exercised by way OF local SELF
government. They constituted the Gov |
ernment after this plan, and 1t 80 stood |
from the time Of It's constitution down to |
March, 1880, and was SO understood by |
ali American citizens"
Our peighbor, therefore, must bold that
the power to determine the boundary be-
twecn The powers delegated to the Federal
Government and those reserved to the |
States wss one OF the powers delegated to |
the Federal Governrent. He says In the |
extract quoted above that the Federal Gov
ernmeat Is 4ssovereigh in respect to'' no |
other poWera.- is.y u4Ha<Jn $50 81
Let US see what the Virginia Convention
that ratified the Federal Constitution had
to say on this point. We quote:
ave 80 now met In Convention > =
do in the name and behalf OF the people OF |
Virginia declare aud make known that the /
powers granted under the Constitution, be-
Ing derived from the people Of the United
States, may be resumed by them whenss-
ever the same shall be perverted TO thew
injury or opp ession," &e.
Not so, says cur nelghbor. The Federal
tribunals have the power to decide all these
questions; not the people of Virginia.
Recollect, the amendments had no such
purpose as that Of charging the powers OF
the Federal Goyernment.)
Mr.. CALHoUN's celebrated resolutions OF
1888 declare as follows: