The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-04-04
a Musty Heresy Revived.

The arguments OF Senator Pettus
against the imposition OF tariff taxes
upon the products of Puerto Rico pre-
sent a refreshing contrast to those Of
many of his party associates. They are
serious presentations of his views on
constitutional law, and lack entirely the
element of cheap demagogy which
has characterized too much OF the ut
terances of his side of the senate cham
Der Nevertheless, these arguments are
like the musty air from a long-closed
tomb, and bark back to a fundamental
error in constitutional construction,
over which many political controversy
ragged in the past Senator Pettus is
survival from the old days, and has
never rid himself of the old errors
This fundamental misconstruction "
the powers OF the federal government
dates back to the original adoption of
the constitution. At that time there
was a strong faction which failed 20
grasp completely the idea that with the
adoption Of the constitution the entire
framework and character of the gov
eminent was changed. Under the orig
inal articles of confederation. the United
states were simply leagued together IN
an offensive and defensive alliance.
These articles were a rope OF sand. an
alliance from which any one could with
draw at its option, and each state re-
manned a practically independent sover-
States was far more than a simple modi-
fieation of the articles Of confederation.
II changed the whole relations of the
states TO each other and brought into
being a new sovereignty. supreme over
all the states, in its relations with them,
save where expressly limited by the
constitution itself As far as regards re-
lations with all the world beside 1t was
distinct political entity. having every
element Of sovereign power possessed by
any nation on earth.
Senator Pettus. stlll under the guild
ancc Of the old. original heresy. insists
at this late day that the United states
is not sovereignty. as the governments
~ Europe are sovereign The logic Of
his position Is that the federal govern
ment is simply an agency OF the sew
eral states. acting FOR them collectively.
simply the constitutional machinery
through which sovereign states. indie
pendent ia other respects. act with re-
lation O. certain subjects the control OF
which is vested IN this central agency.
lie holds that the constitution Of the
United states is. In effect. a mere
power OF attorney from number OF
partners 20 an outsider. authorizing
him 70 transact q certain portion o.
their common business for them. but
comforting no powers beyond those ex-
pssssiy contained in the instrument
Itself
u Was this false and harsucal IDEA
as 70 the intent and meaning Of the
constitution which furnished the foun-
datlou on which the 81 hole argument Tor
the right u aulHacauon and seces-
SION was based. when the war q thu
rebellion started. the Northern Demo
rats used precisely this argument
against the constitutional power Of the
federal government 10 resist armed at
'aeks upon its authority. There can be
, no coercion Of q sovereign state" was
the campaign cry e the Northern allies
/ az the southern rebels
The war snd It's results. ana more
I Particularly the constitutional amend
ments adopted as result OF the var
settled the question and FOR an time
When the Northern armies Invaded the
South and By force OF arms compelled
A ha 1A.ss7