The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1882-03-29
The Political Issues.
American Register.

The political issues before the country are
matters OF National concern, and ii is i'm
portant to understand them and have clear
conceptions of their import and bearing
These are TO be gathered from the history OF
the two great political parties of the coun-
try, their National platforms. and their
authoritative public acts and declarations
in the proceedings OF the Government
part OF the issues relate TO the organic
principles in the structure of the Federal
Government, and part 10 the policy and
manner OF its administration.
The doctrine of the present Repub-
licsn party, that the Federal Government is
National Governments OF the whole people
of the United States taken collectively and
subOrdinatiug the States tends inevitably 10
the consolidation OF all supreme power in
the General Government, to the destruction
of the States, and to the creation of a CEN
tralized despOtsm, finally ending in the
ultimate total abrogation and change in the
Constitution as originally made by the Revo.
lutiOnary fathers.
on the contrary, the doctrine of the Dem
ocratic party is, that the Federal Govern
ment was created by q Union of free, sover-
eign and independent States, clothing it
with a delegation of powers specifically de-
fined in the Constitution for general and
National purposes, and reserving all the
other powers Of Government not defined or
thus delegated, to the several States respec-
lively, or to the people of the several States;
SO that, while the Federal Government was
made supreme within the sphere of its dele
gated powers, the several States were left
supreme within the sphere of their reserved
powers.
At the close of the Revolutionary War
each State was distinct, separate and inde-
pendent people, and so declared To be in the
treaty IF peace with England, which named
each, and acknowledged its independence
separately. And in the formation of the
Constitution each State acted separately for
itself, and so voted in the Convention.
So that the Union formed as a basis for
the Federal Government was a Union of
free sovereign aud independent States
for general purposes of common defense
and the general welfare in the nee
eSsary and proper interstate regulations,
leaving the States free and supreme as 10 all
their reserved rights. 1t is clear, therefore
that ''ike people OF the United States" men
toned in the Constitution. meant the people
of the several States, rs distinct communi-
| ties, united, and nothing more. From the
| manner Sn which the several States acted in
| forming and IN saufyiDs tue Constitution.
and the declarations of its Trainers. il WAS
not, at the time, supposed that any one
would ever claim anything different
Even Alexander Ham lion. relied upon as
authority by the Republican party, in the
New York Contention. at the adoption Of
the Constitution, and an his articles in the
Federalist defending the Constitution, in-
sisted that there was 10 incOmpatibility in
the concurrent supremacy or sovereignty OF
the States and the Federal Government;
that While the United States were made SUI
preme within the sphere of their delegated
| powers. the STATES were left Supreme within
the sphere OF their reserved powers. (Sec
Elliors Debates. V. ,, PIP. 355 and $685. and
the Federalist Nos aud So
In the New York Convention lac said fur
tier;
"They (tbe States) are absolutely neces-
sary TO the system. Their existence must
form a leading principle in the most perfect
Constitution we could form"
Again he said
THE Union Is dependent on the will of
the State governments for its Chief Magis-
trate and for the Senate. The blow aimed
at the members must give fatal blow to
the head; and the destruction of the States
must be at once political suicide" ETC.
elliot Deb, V. 2 p. 352
And Hamilton says in the Federalist:
In fact and in theory the Union is an