PREFACE.

The design of this work is to point out the way to a just appreciation of the American political system.

The PRINCIPLES fundamental to political self-government, should doubtless be clearly understood by every VOTER or ELECTOR. For his status, in this country, is no less than that of one of a body of absolute sovereigns. The three fundamentally different and mutually opposing theories of our political system,-one or another of which every voter must necessarily sanction, and consequently, -one or another of which must furnish the key to every administration of government, state and federal,-are therefore severally and distinctly presented, so that every voter may judge for himself, as he ought to do, which of these theories should receive his assent and support.

Attention is also directed to the different foundations of government, to the rise and development of the system peculiar to America, to the sovereign legislation by the People themselves from the dawn of the Revolution to the xvth Amendment, and to the views and doctrines of the original framers of our Constitutions; ever so little reflection upon which will enable any voter to form his own independent opinion, regardless of partisan strifes, and to cast his vote with a clear understanding of what it involves.

The principle of the XIVth and xvth Amendments to the national Constitution,--the principle of partisan changes of the fundamental organic law, affecting the paramount sovereignty of the People,-is reviewed in the light of principles deemed sacred by the fathers of our republic, and the conclusion unavoidably reached, that one more step, if sanctioned by the People, will wholly divest

1 On the responsibility resting with electors or voters, see 2 97 of this work.

them of their sovereign right of suffrage and election-the sceptre of their sovereignty and their proudest inheritance-and clothe their common government with an imperial and despotic power. That step is now foreshadowed as a probable xvith or xvIIth Amendment, in substance this:-The right of citizens of the United States, to vote, shall be protected by the United States, and by congressional legislation prescribing the right to vote and the qualifications requisite to the exercise thereof. The proposition that THE UNITED STATES ARE A NATION may be the form of the new Amendment. For the power of congress to regulate all matters which may in any way affect the NATION, has been already deduced from this proposition by some of our political writers. In this connection, it should be remembered, that Amendments to the Constitution of the United States, DISPOSING OF THE PARAMOUNT SOVEREIGNTY OF THE PEOPLE PURSUANT TO THE CAPRICE OF THE DOMINANT PARTY IN CONGRESS, are no longer submitted to the People themselves, for adoption or rejection, but only to the State legislatures! If the Constitution of the United States is thus at the mercy of any administration that may come into power under it, there is plainly an end of Constitutional Government in America. The subject bespeaks its own importance; an importance outweighing all other political considerations.

While the issues of the late war are now universally regarded as forever decided and set at rest, the People are yet to determine and decide, by their votes at the coming elections, whether they will or will not continue to exist as they have always existed,— that is, as self-governing States, each State being a separate body of electors or voters, and each body of electors or voters making and controlling their own election law by their State Constitution; -or whether the sceptre of their paramount sovereignty, their power to govern by holding the right of suffrage and election at their own sovereign will, shall pass from them to a congress which must thereby become an irresponsible and despotic power.'

This question is ever before the People, whether they, or their Government, shall be Sovereign. For political government is of

1 See 96, pp. 163-164. See also ¿? 171 to 181.

such a nature as to keep this question forever alive so long as the decision of the People is in their own favor. This very same question was the first to be decided in 1776. It is now the first to be

decided in 1876.

ST. LOUIS, 1876.

Wм. O. BATEMAN.