The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-10-24

maintained entire, is the very great
est refinement in social policy to
which any state or circumstances has
ever given rise, or to which any age
has ever given BIRTH"
Here is the basis of hope for the
perpetuity of our Nation. AS attrac-
ton and repulsion in gravitation,
these trends must each act. The
National Government has only what
the States have granted it, of power
and rights. The States have not the
powers and rights coded to the Ma
tional Government.
De Tocqueville, in his work on
Democracy in America, has this pas
sage relative to the Constitution:
"This Constitution, which may first
be COMPOUNDED with the federal con-
stitutions which have preceded it,
rests, in truth, upon wholly novel
theory, which may be considered as
great discovery in modern political
science. In all the considerations
which preceded the American Con-
stitution of 1889 the allied States for
common object, agreed to obey the
injunctons of federal government,
but they reserved to themselves the
right of ordaining and enforcing the
laws of the union. The American
States, which combined in 1880,
agreed that the Federal Government
should not only dictate, but should
execute its ozOn enaefmeHIS. In both
cases the right is the same, but the
exercise of the right is different, and
and this difference produced the most
momentous consequences" l wish
you to note the expression which l
have emphasized, the Federal Gov
eminent ''should execute its own en-
actments:'
Let me now call attention to the
method by VIII ich change in our
National Constitution may be effected.
In the first place, Congress, by two
thirds vote of both houses, may sub
nit to the Nation the proposed
amendment, and then it must be rat
| flied by three. fourths of the States.
An amendment prohibiting the man.
ufacture and sale, the importation,
the expectation, and the transporta-
ton Of Intoxicating liquors, save for
medicinal, mechanical and chemical
purposes, anywhere in the United
States, may thus be brought about.
Such an amendment means handing
over to the National administration
the power to dictate, and the duty to
execute, its own enactments relative to
it. There are many who not only
seriously object, but who are strenu-
ously opposed to placing such vast
police power in the hands Of what
we misterm the Central Govern
ment." Really and necessarily this
matter would be committed to the
care of changing administrations.
The Government" is the people.
The administrations" are chosen to
execute the will of the people. Ad-
ministrations change, the Govern
ment, the people live. While it is an
undoubted truth that many who are
opposed to vesting such power in the
hands of the National Administration
are in other parties, the National
Democratic party have been the vigi'
liant conservators of the States
Rights trend. And multitudes OF
them, who never did and never would
carry their views to the extreme it
was carried to preserve slavery, are
in that party because of their views
on this question. Those whose party
affiliations are determined by such
views ought not to be considered as
having "made a league with death
and a covenant with hell" If the
liquor interests need that sentimen
to help keep their power, they will use
it; but to charge the holders of the
sentiment with being in sympathy
with the traffic is not only unfair, it is
untrue. If it was question Of so
amending the National Constitution
as to forever forbid the States from
enacting prohibitory legislation, no
States Rights scruples would keep