The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-11-22
From the American Register.

was expounded by Plato, Aristotle, and
Cicero in ancient times, and by Milton,
Algernon Sidney, and Locke in the
18th century. But grasping cupidity
and vsulting ambition prevailing in
the old world, the rights and liberties
of the masses of the people were cloven
down, and through the various forms
Of monarchy and aristocracy the pre-
vailins few had been enobled, for GEN.
turies, to live in splendor, luxury and
extravaganza on the labors and by the
oppression Of the many. But the peo-
pie in settling the new world took
fresh start. And here, on American
soil, the doctrine OF civil government
taught by the sages above mentioned,
and formulated by Jefferson, was pro-
claimed, and made the basis of our
political system.
The declaration of the self-evident
truth, "that all men are created equal
that they are endowed by their Creator
with certain inalienable rights, among
which are life, liberty and the pursuit
of happiness; that to secure these rights
men, deriving their just poUers from the
consent of the governed" &C., is the
foundation of popular government. It
is declaration that the true object of
government is the protection and benefit
of the governed equally and alike.
The equality mentioned in the decla
ration qualities, and applies to the fun
damental rights OF man mentioned in
connection with it, to wit, the inalen-
oble rights of life, liberty and the pur-
suit of happiness, the projections oi
those rights by government, and con-
sent of the governed as the only just
source of the powers of government
This is self-evident and philosophical
truth, as taught by Plato and Aristotle
and by Milton. Sydney and Locke
And more than that, it is the great
political truth proclaimed, maintained
and established by the American Rev
Olution,
|
ed in all its departments and opera
tions with strict reference to this equality
of all men as to their rights, and as to tn
protection to be afforded, and as to tht
just source of the powers of government
and injustice and oppression will neY
er be imposed by the arm of civi
power.
Upon this foundation the independ
ence and freedom Of the people of the
several States of the American Unior
were established. And in the treaty
of peace, at the close of the Revolu
tionary War, England acknowledged
=, the sovereignty, freedom and independence
of each one Of the thirteen States, seyerall.
by name, as q separate and distinc
;. State. And by the articles of the con
: federation it was declared, that !" Eacl
State retains its sovereignty, freedom
and independence, and every powe
g and right not expressly delegated to th
u United States in Congress asse ,1bled.
u And the Const tuition of the Unite
= States, which Was positively and ez
9 preesly formed by the several States il
n their seperate State capacities, and
l. ratified. did not profess to form ne'
IL Union, or to do more than "t0 form,
Il more perf feet Union, - of that which wa
IL already union between the States i
d their several capacities, for the hig
st purposes declared.
" Thus the Uuitsd States were mad
10 by the Constitution Republic Of RI
y publics, a Republic Of free and SOY
= ereign States. As to foreign nations, th
Union made the several States on
nation for the common defense an
general welfare, and also one natio
for the government Of the intercours
bstween the people of the sever
l. states, and as to all interstate affairs. A
., to all other matters of internal loc
government the people of the sever
OF States were, by the express terms
at the Constitution, left free and sove
al eign. The powers of the Federal Go
te ernment were specifically defined
~ the Constitution, and in the tenth a
Do ticls it was provided, that " The POI
's ers not delegated to the United States
Oh the Constitution, nor prohibited by
- to the States, are reserUed to the States
ty spectiUely, or to the people,"
y Thus while the Federal Governme
~ was made supreme within the sprere
its delegated powers, the several Stat
were left supreme within the sphere
Aie their reserved powers. And these sc
''9 eral authorities, thus defined, W,
n made and designed to be a NUT,
IN check upon each other against usurl
'ni ton or the abuse Of power. This
10 the political structure which Clay
ias nominated the fairest fabric of
10" man government that ever rose to
'ne innate the hopes of civilized man.
wv The Democratic party was organic
nd to maintain this political system
its original purity, and with it's sa
tary safeguards. The equality of
men as to their political and perseI
rights above defined, which censtitu
the philosophical principles of ci
- government, and the only true foun
,aI ton of popular government, was
80 basis on which the Democratic pa
>, was established, and on which it
-, been maintained. And the Democl
.ou ic principles for the administration
the Government were substantial
- defined, by Jefferson, in his first
- augural address, which will be fou
in the Register of the 22nd of Septe
ber last.
ty, In opposition to the Democrs
ent party thus founded, the Federal pa
q a was organized on the doctrine of .
) OF exander Hamilton, its acknowlede
ere leader, who had declared himself
INV peatedly, and in various forms, in
I'M. Constitutional convention of 1857;
to be opposed to popular government a