The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-12-07
STATE AND NATION.
P. G. Cent? Makes Conclusive and
Crushing Reply to Senator Ed
munds.
THE THEORY OF THE GOVERNMENT As Ex
POUNDED BIZ THE FATHERS.


To the Editor of the Philadelphia Press:
In the October number of the Nortl
American Review this eminent gentle
man, besides Popsnapping the "Repub
lie of Republic" completely away, pre-
sents the following assertions and views
The American government is that
mixed system of National and State or
CARNATIONS which found their last ant
best expression in the Constitution o
the United States. The vital principle
of this system is the balancing of tbs
governments, National and State, in
such manner as to hold them forevel
in equipose. This is quoted anc
adopted from Hon. D. D. Field.
The doctrines of Repub
lies are wholly unfounded. The Con
federacy of the Revolution came neal
being what Mr. Cent? conceives the
United States to be now. The Declare
ton of Independence, when efeetual
made each colony State. perfectly in
dependent of all the others. There was
no obligation to any kind Of union. Six
teen months later, these States, as such
formed confederation, which was
neither legally nor philosophically q
The independence of the American
States having finally been achieved by
the peace of 1888, the confederacy o1
the thirteen independent and associated
republics continued for fodr years of
peace the experiment Of that associa.
tion. X 4 x
The Capitalization feared was not so
much that of lodging powers in a gov
ernment of all the States and all the
peole, as that of power falling into the
hands of few-an aristocracy-and SO
drifting back to class and kingly gov
ernment, like that from which the col
onies had delivered themselves. x x
The very fact that the people of all the
States were one people, with common
intercourse, with common objects and
common necessities and dangers, made
it evident that for common purposes a
government of that people should be
instituted, x K x
Achange of system was resolved upon,
and it was change that was to make
the situation of the State and Of the
people different from what it was before.
The association of republics not less
dear to us than to Mr.. Cent?, remained !;
but, if plain language can be trusted,
the people of the United States, in
order to secure the blessings of liberty,
ETC., to themselves and their posterity,'
the Constitution of the
United States of America. In it, and
by it, the people, as whole people,
and as one people, granted legislative
powers to Congress created by the
itself. x
Here, then, was government capa-
bic in all its parts, which purported to
be established by the people, and which
was to make and execute supreme laws.
Were not these laws to operate on, and
be enforced against persons?
The discussion of such question at this
day would be inexcusable." He con-
cIudes the paragraph by saying, the
Supreme Court, through Judge Mar
shall, settled ''all there could be of the
question F."
The last paragraph is specimen of
this class of writings. Nobody has ever
questioned that we have complete
general government; that it was estab-
lished by the people; that the Consti-
tuition providing for and controlling it,
together with the Federal laws and
treaties, are supreme, and that the laws
of the said government were to operate
on and be enforced against persons.
But the paragraph seems to serve an
evasive purpose, and to imply that the
government was not established by the
people as States that it is not federal,
and that it is not an agency of republics
or self-governing societies of people-al
of which is unquestionably is as it was
intended to be.
Another interesting and amusing ex-
hibition in the above extract, which
must be noticed before passing to
is the jauntiness and
kipping gaits with which the Senator
passes from States as sovereigns to the
sovereign nation that yokes them, as
if he were tripping from one figure to
another in a dance. In the next few
paragraphs it is proposed to compel him
to see the infinite Importance of stopping
to give few facts to verify the change
he asserts. The discovery of even one
showing it, and how the nation acted,
with disproof of the absolute action of
the States in the same premises, will i'm
mortalize him. Let US now proceed to
destroy his myth.
THE CONSTITUTION NAMES THE STATES,
she 13 original ones, with their proper
names. They and the ''new States to
be admitted into the Union" are pro-
gided for throughout, as parties to and
lctors under the Constitution; and no
change is provided for or limited at in
lame, geography, people, organism or
political authority. The States are
tyled "the United States" and are
as union of States re-
,eatedly in the Constitution, while all
he people in the land are provided for
citizens of each State" and "citizens of
Iifferent States" Now, Mr. Edmunds |
,onfesses that when the making of this
was begun, these States
we're absolutely independent-eaeh with |
IS own mind and will. Must they not
conform to their nature In their action ?
We're they not to exercise their minds
n establishing and administering gov
,rnment? What other mind could there
1e to act ? Senator e. should show it. |
That he knew and contemplated the |
lbove, results from his quoting the pre-
Lmble SO as to make it read as follows
The people of the United States In or
Ter to secure the blessings of liberty"
stc.; whereas the true quotation is
The people of the United States, in
,rder to form 8 perfect union" etc.
he supplanting of less perfect by "a
more perfect union" of States, being the |
Tery idea Senator Edmunds was inter- !
ssted to conceal.
a.-WE HAVE NOW 4 UNION OF UE-f
CHANGED STATES.
Among numerous proofs that no /
,hange was made in the States as the
governing powers, article 5 provides for
States amending BY q three-q quarter vote
-unanimity, probably, being too rare
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