s for itself, the connecting power. Its acts must not be disputed
by any one of the States or by any number of them acting in concert. If
one or more States may defy the central authority or attempt to withdraw
from its government, any other States may do likewise, to the ruin of
the political fabric erected at so much cost, and in its place would
spring up scores of weak and unprotected communities. But, says the
State rights advocate, this central power will have too much authority,
too much control over the States; will become despotic, and in time
destroy the liberties of the people. How? By whom will those liberties
be destroyed? This central power, styled the Federal Government, is
formed by the people, is of the people, is for the people, and has only
such power as the people gave it; and thus being of and from the people,
it (or they) can not destroy its (or their) own liberties. Were our
government hereditary instead of elective; were our institutions
monarchical instead of republican; had we privileged classes perpetuated
by primogeniture, there might be some danger of placing too much power
in the hands of the Federal Government; but formed as our institutions
are, framed as our Constitution is, educated as our people are, there
can be no fear of having the central power or general Federal Government
too strong, or its authority supreme. Without strength there can be no
authority; without authority there can be no respect; without respect
there can be no government; without government there can be no
civilization. The doctrine of State rights as applied to the communities
forming the American Union, elevates the State over the nation, demands
that the Federal shall yield to the State laws, and completely ignores
the supremacy of the united authority of the whole people. This theory
carried out logically, would make counties equal to States; towns equal
to counties; wards and districts equal to towns; neighborhoods equal to
districts and wards; and to come down to the last application of the
principle, every one man in a neighborhood equal to the whole, in fact,
superior, if the State rights doctrine be true, that the State is
supreme within its own limits. The application of this principle ends
society by destroying the order based on authority, and placing the
State above the Nation, and the individual above the State. Civilized
societies are but the aggregation of persons coming or remaining
together for mutu