Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-10-11


never thought Of It is impossible in her
condition. If Prussia with her excellent
population were at a vast distance from
where she is, and protected by oceans and
mountains, ahe might Sc q republic; but
Where she is, it is impossible. On the con-
tihent OF Europe no State cen exist with
Iree institutions, because the form of gov
eminent must be such as furnishes the
greatest amount OF military strength. -
Ferhaps it may be said that Switzerland
contradicts my theory. Ireply that Swift
zerland is an exceptional case-a few nests
OF poor people buried in remote valies
surrounded by inaccessible mountains;
they are not worth conquering. Besides
the mutual jealousy of the great powers is
their real safeguard. England is the only
great and free power in Europe. This is
owing to her insular position. The ocean
Is the divine charter of her freedom. If
nothing but surveyors line separated
England from France, England would be
military despotism as France is. No
country can be free which has to sleep
with her hand on her sword.
But why resort to general reasoning and
the condition Of European nations to prove
what nave asserted, when the proof stares-
Us IN the face in the example of our own
country. We see it in every sight; we
feel 1t in every emotion we hear it in
every sound. When our present govern
ment was established, every thing possible
was done in the interest of State Rights,
every conceivable guarantee was taken for
individual freedom-as little as possible
was conceded to the Federal government.
The Federal government was cabinned,
cribbed, confined, hedged in by saucy
doubts and fears" The school of extreme
State Rights were at work framing a Con-
stltutlon Tor federal government, with
the accumulated suspicious of seventy
years. Their did their work we'll. The
problems to be solved was the framing of
a Federal government, with the minimum
OF power to function. l thought at the
time it was useless labor, because l con-
ceived, in the humility Of my judgment,
that the Constitution of country was that
which its necessities pointed out, and that
you could mott in advance say would be the
necessities of Confederacy exposed to
perpetual war with neighboring power
Of superior force. But the trainers of our
Constitution were not deferred by any such
considerations as these from their work
They established their Confederacy, guard
ed and limited in the interest Of the rights
OF the separate States'as much as possible.
Well, we have been at war not quite four
years, and what is the result? Is not our
Federal government in the exercise of eve
~ possible power of a national centralized
military despotism9 Suppose there were
no States, only provinces, and unlimited
power was conferred upon You and Con-
gress, what greater powers would you ex.
ercise than you now do2 Have we not
carried CONSUMPTION to It's last limits! Is
not every man in the country between II
and so subject to military authority p
None arc exempt except upon considera
tons Of public interest. Have we not
been compelled to lay direct taxes in the
very teeth Of the theory Of the Constitu-
lion? Have we not issued such vast
amounts of paper money IS to unsettIe all
values? Have we not compelled the hold
ers of our paper money to fund it, or lose
one-third? Have we not seized all the
railroads? Have we not destroyed rail
roads and built others? Have we not es
tablished an universal system of impress
ment of property, at our own prices, lii
our own money? Have we not establish
cd a government monopoly Of the expor-
tations of the great stapl of the country?
Have we not forbidden the importation OF
luxuries? Have we not compelled those
whom we permit to remain at home, to
execute bonds to furnish their products TO
us at our priest Have we not suspend
ed the writ of habeas cOrpus? Have we
not introduced the passport system, which,
we used to think, belonged exclusivelyto the
iron despotisms of Europel In short has
not our Federal government done every
thing that a centralized military despotismI
could GO? Indeed if you were appointed
Military Dictator, what greater powers
would you exercise than you now do! l al
ludeto these things not to complain tthem,
but to lament them. If you tell me they
arc necessary, reply that is precisely my
argument. My argument assumes and re-
uuires that necessity. 1t is plain that our
government exercises the powers of cen
trail despotism. | blame no one for 1t.
am sure those who are at the head of the
government would gladly have it other
wise, but necessity compeI5 the course
they have taken. But shall be told, per-
haps, this necessity is limited TO the war,
and when peace returns we will go back
to our old state of liberty. That depends
upon the kind of peace. A peace without
reconciliation carries in its bosom the seeds
Of new wars. This armed peace and its
offspring war would fasten upon us perma-
rentIy a central military despotism. 1t is
common to hear it said that the United
States have gone into despotism. Ii So
m AZ it is very sad truth for us, for that
won Vi develop their maximum military
newer and would, of course, necessltate
the sam g thing in the same way on our
nars Tn, truth is, we are vitality interest
ed in the p, ;eser gation of free institutions
in the North. va States, because the people
of the United States will not make their