The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1880-08-25

one overpowerlng central government,
under the control of an ambitious leader, is
being met by growing disposition to dis
cuss "state rights" and other constitutional
questions. The people think not at all, or
too little, on these, to them, vital subjects
until ambitious not to say reasonable de-
signs arouse them, when amid emotions OF
fear and resentment they discover them
selves without any adequate knowledge Of
their rights and duties as citizens Hence
arise doubts and conflicting opinions.
Every citizen owes it to himself and his
country that he should be familiar with
the constitutions OF his state and the
Federal union, for they are the buIwark OF
our liberties Ii had it in my power |
would Danish every reader from the
schools Of this land and substitute
histories, that by the passing
and repassing Of the grand historical
panorama before their mental vision the
scholar must not only become familiar with
every event portrayed, but understand the
relation between cause and effect in the
science of government. If the history Of
our country and of the world were instilled
into the minds Of our youth as part Of
their education, our citizens would have less
| occasion to be mortified at their ignorance,
better prepared to preserve their rights, and
our country be held in higher esteem by an
unprejudiced, patriotic and less partzan
people. Superstition, bias and yindicativc
prejudice are the Legitimate offspring of ig
norance, Tolerance, magnanimity and Il
reasonable regard for the rights and opin
ions of Others are the natural sequence Of
| intelligence. There is probably less in
telligence expended in the effort to under.
stand our state and federal constitutions
and laws than any other subject Of equal
| Importance. Since the formation Of our
federal constitution our people
have been divided regarding the
relative powers of the state and federal
governments, each leading to the absurd ex-
tremes on one side of secession and on the
other of Capitalization, or state sovereignty
opposed to federal sovereignty both based on
false premises both must OF necessity reach q
false conclusion. There is IN fact, no such SOW
ereignty now resting in either, the state or
| federal government. SOVEREIGNTY Is AN
| ATTRIBUTE OF SUPREME POLITICAL INDIE
! PENDEScE, AND WITH Us rs FOUND ONLY
WITH THE PEOPLE, AND EXERCISED By
| THEM IN THEIR CAPACITY AS CITIZENS or
THEIR RESPECTIVE STATES, AND THROUGH
THE STATES OPERATING UPON THE FEEDER
AL GOVERNMENT. Sovereignty does not
submit to limitations or restrictions there
fore the federal government being limited
| and restricted to the exercise OF those pow
ers, and those only, that have been dele
| gated TO it by the states, at time when
they enjoyed sovereign rights, first in their
representative colonial assembly or
convention OF delegates aud
subsequent ratification On the part Of
the several original independent states or
colonies, and thereafter by amendments
proposed by two thirds of their represen-
tatives il congress assembled and ratified
by three fourths Of the states.
Neither can this sovereignty be with
the state since it DERIVES its Just powers
from the consent of the governed who are
the sovereign people Of the state, and for
the further reason that although the state
governments are unlimited, they for the
common good and general welfare yolun-
tarily forbid to themselves the exercise of
those powers they surrendered in framing
the federal constitution.
During the late struggle a very large por-
ton of the voters, forgetting COR the time
petty differences and party affiliations
rushed TO the front TO defend and maintain
the Union and forever bury the suicidal
doctrine Of secession, yet if those same he
roes to-day in the same patriotic enthusiasm
and determination TO defend and protect
the states under the Union, should boldly
assert the doctrine of Estate rights" the
stalwart Republicans would denounce them
as secessionists and rebels: which TO the
stalwart are synonyms for Democrat al
though they at the same time are advocating
the obnoxious and disloyal doctrine of cen.
tralization, which would work a more GER
tain usurpation and destruction Of the PEG.
pies government A popular government
might possibly be maintained by number
of separate independent states situated a.
we are, but the people would soon have
their freedom and independence wrenched
from them under centralized or strong
government. sought to be foisted on us Ll
the Republican party, and towarC
| which they Would have taken