Without encroaching upon the powers reserved to the authorities of the respective States or to the people

From John Quincy Adams' First Annual Message, December 6, 1825.

I am struck by two aspects.

One is the optimism bordering on joy of the opening statement.

In taking a general survey of the concerns of our beloved country, with reference to subjects interesting to the common welfare, the first sentiment which impresses itself upon the mind is of gratitude to the Omnipotent Disposer of All Good for the continuance of the signal blessings of His providence, and especially for that health which to an unusual extent has prevailed within our borders, and for that abundance which in the vicissitudes of the seasons has been scattered with profusion over our land. Nor ought we less to ascribe to Him the glory that we are permitted to enjoy the bounties of His hand in peace and tranquillity -- in peace with all the other nations of the earth, in tranquillity among our selves. There has, indeed, rarely been a period in the history of civilized man in which the general condition of the Christian nations has been marked so extensively by peace and prosperity.

And then there is the recitation in the final paragraph of one of the critical attributes of the American system of government which is so absent elsewhere - the checks and balances arising from the division of authority and the acknowledgment that all power resides within the citizens themselves. Emphasis added

Finally, fellow citizens, I shall await with cheering hope and faithful cooperation the result of your deliberations, assured that, without encroaching upon the powers reserved to the authorities of the respective States or to the people, you will, with a due sense of your obligations to your country and of the high responsibilities weighing upon yourselves, give efficacy to the means committed to you for the common good. And may He who searches the hearts of the children of men prosper your exertions to secure the blessings of peace and promote the highest welfare of your country.

It is easy to forget in today's environment where gargantuan government agencies are constantly seeking, almost always with good intent (initially), to find ways to exert authority without having to explicitly seek authorization from citizens, that at one time division of power was taken very seriously and was a bedrock assumption of not only citizens but of the political elite as well.