The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-05-09
NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY.

"i-We believe that the government of the
United States is national sovereignty. su-
preme within its sphere as delegated and de-
lined IN the constitution; and to that governs
rnent onr first allegianceis due; and we belieye
IN willing and loyal obedience to its laws
a1G strict enforcement of the same.e-Demo-.
cratic PLATFORM
The constitution is the supreme law of
the land. 1t is binding upon every one
within thejurisdiction of the United States
or of any state or territory. The states
themselves are bound by it, and so are all
officials. Itmay be amended with the con-
currence of the legislatures of three fourths
OF the states. 1t is claw for rulers and
people, equally in war and peace, and covers
with the shield Of its protection all classes
OF men, at all times and under all circum-
Stances
But the power that thus inheres in the
constitution is delegated one. 1t is de-
rived from direct grant of the people, and
whatever power the people have not con-
ferred upon the federal government by
placing it in the constitution, is withheld
and belongs to the several states or to the
people thereof
Before the constitution was formed the
states were already in existence, and made
grant of powers to q new general govern
ment, clearly defining and limiting it's
powers, and reserying to the states and to
the people all the powers not ex
pressly delegated to the United
States by the constitution. When
the constitution was agreed upon by
delegates representing the states, it was
submitted to the people of the several
states by their respective legislatures it
was adopted by the people through dele
gates elected for the express purpose of
considering it, and became thenceforth the
supreme law Of the land.
But supreme does not mean unlimited.
The United States can exercise no author
ity whatever unless expressly or by fair
implication the authority claimed is found
granted to it by the constitution. If Con-
gress should enact any measure for which
authority is not found in the constitution,
the courts would declare the en- actment un-
stitutional and obligatory upon no one.
That the federal authority is supreme
within Its sphere;'' that it must be con-
fined with jealous watchfulness to It's
enumerated powers; that attempts to en-
large its powers by loose Interpretation
of the grant of authority must be kept
sternly in check; that it is revolutionary to
assume that some power ought to be in the
constitution that is actually not there and
therefore may be exercised by Congress:
that while the laws stand they should be
enforced, and be repealed or amended. not
remain dead letters merely, if they are
wrong; that allegiance to constituted au-
thority is the only condition under which
government can exist at ali, this is the
Democratic doctrine briefly and clearly
indicated in the sentence that introduces
this article.
In case there is a doubt as to whether
Congress should or should not exercise any
power claimed for it, Democrats hold that
doubt to reserve the power in question to
the states or the people. If the power is
not given to Congress in and by the consti-
tuition, then Congress has not the power.
1t must not be supposed that because
Congress may not exercise any power not
given by the people to the federal govern
ment, therefore no one can exercise that
power. The states exercise all the powers
not delegated to Congress or prohibited to,
the states themselves. And it has been
well said that if there be anything fixed
established and uudeniable as a pro-
position of public law, it is the
natural right of a free commun-
ity to govern itself. And herein
lies the essence of Democratic doctrine on
the question of national sovereignty, viz.
that while the federal power is supreme
within its sphere, it has no sphere other
than that prescribed for it by the people
themselves in the written constitution. All
else belongs to the states or to the people.
Congress can neither give nor withhold the
blessings of popular government. If it did
its grant or denial would be void and Of no
effect. The birthright of freeman does
not depend upon federal charter; it is in
alienable, This is Democracy.