The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1858-08-19
CONDENSED from the National Era l

TranspOsitiOn of Parties-..NatiOnality.
The partisan supporters of the Admin
istration have much to say of the nation
atty of their party. In the great polli-
cal contest Of 1900, which resulted in
the election of Mr.. Jefferson, the party
issues were between the NATIoSALIsTs,
who were defeated, and the STATE RIGHTs
men, who succeeded The advocates of
a strong central government assumed the
name Of Federalists while those who
were for limiting the action of the Fed
eral Government to the powers expressly
granted by the Constitution which crea-
ted it. were known as Republicans In
establishing a central Government, the
States did not invest it with absolute and
unlimited authority, but endowed it with
certain specified powers, expressly re-
serving to themselves, respectively, and
to the people, all power not delegated
The Republicans, while favoring feder-
al union of the States, were opposed to
any approach towards a consolidated Ma
tional Government but the Federalists,
to great extent, distrusted the expert
ment of National Government thus re-
stricted, and were for clothing it with
something akin to imperial authority.
The Republican party first, and the
Democratic party subsequently, were
supporters of the rights of the States, and
opposed to the assumption and exercise
of undelegated powers by the National
Government. But the policy of this Ad-
ministration is the reverse of this and
it is their boast not that they sustain the
rights and sovereignty of the States, but
that they are National. To nationalize
and extend the great monopoly interest
of Slavery, are the great objects and pur-
poses of the Administration party.
Sectionalism, the twin sister of cen
tralism, is fostered and sustained by the
Administration, and is cherished and
patroniZed in return. Mr. Buchanan, an
original Federalist, was elected as the
friend and supporter of "Southern
rights There are no Northern rights,
or Western rights, but the President and
his friends are the devoted champions of
Southern rights.
1t is one of the most beautiful, as we'll
as one of the most benifcent features of
our Federal Union, that it Is so consti-
tuted, if faithfully observed, as to destroy
sectionalism. Were our Government
consolidated empire, we should have sec
tional animosity and rivalry but our
system of Independent State Sovereign
ties is preventative. Hence, in the past
history of parties, whether of Republi-
can or Federal under the first dynasty,
or Democratic and Whig under the sec
ond, the States. North and South, were
each divided among themselves on the
Iocslioho peioio thc Couhus, aHu tuc
controversies in either case were not of a
sectional character. Such, however, is
not the existing state of parties. The
present Administration was brought into
power avowedly as a sectional Admins
tration. 1t has, thus far, been admins
tered on sectional principles, and the
power and patronage of the National
Government are welded to promote Sec
tional views. The old, established, and
traditional Territorial policy Of the gov
ernment has been violated, in obedience
to arrogant sectional demands. Slavery.
a local municipal institution. has been in
stalled by the Administration party in a
national position, and extends through
out the limits of the Union, except where
prohibited by positive State law. Popu-
lar sovereignty is discarded.
Twenty years since, these Southern
Rights" sectonalists claimed that Slavery
was such peculiarly local State institu-
ton, that Congress could not receive or
consider petitions which had any refer
ence or allusion to it. Now, Slavery is
no longer local, aud limited to the States
which authorize it, but il is national, and
spread over the whole public domain
1t is one of those g Southern rights that
is above and beyond the Constitution, the
authorities, and the people, for it is pro-
claimed that Congress cannot interdict it
in the Territories, the Legislative assem-
blies cannot, nor can the people them
selves. Slavery is National aud Demo
cratic, according to the political ethics
of the Administration.