New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-11-20
ARE WE A NATION ?

gusled orator and statesman the Hon. Charles Sumner
OF Massachusetts,. Mr.. Sumner spoke with ms usual
grace and power and frequently applauded Among
the audience large number Of ladies' and occupy
ing the platform many OF most prominent citizens.
During the delivery OF the address Gen. sckes crossed
the rear of the platform and recognized by the audi
ence who greeted him uproariously The orator Of the
evening was introduced by DR.. Francis Iieber.
After brief exordium, which he said that the Decla-
ration OF Independence must be recognized as funda
mental law and state Rights in all their denationazing
pretensions must ramped out forever. to the end
that we may be in reality in name, Nation Mr. sum
prOpounded the question OF the evening; Are"e
Nation II we are then must have that essential III
destructibe Unity which belongs 10 Nation, with all
those central persuasive powers which minister to the
national lfe then must We have that central, necessary
authority inherent just government to protect the
citizen in all the rights Of citizenship; and then must We
have that other central nalienabe prerogatve OF pro
vdng for the performance OF all the promises solemnly
made when first claimed place Nation Remark
ing words things Mr. Sumner confessed that be
had never reconeed himself TO the use Of the word
Federal" instead Of National" To my mind said he
our Government not Federal but National our Con
sttutiOn not Federal but Nationals our courts under
the Constitution Federal but Naonal our army
Is Federal but National There one instance where
this msnomer docs occur The debt of country IS
always NaoR0i perhaps because this term promises IN
advance additional security to the anxious creditor
Liberty and Equally are much dollars and cents;
they should National also and enjoy the same security
During the imbeciity of the Confederation, which was
nothing but league tGduS, the Government was
naturally called Federal. This its proper desgna-
ton Any other would have been out Of place although
even then Washington liked to speak of the Nation In
summoning the Convention which framed the National
Constitution the States all spoke Of the existing govern
ment as Federal" But after the adoption OF thai
National Constitution which completed our organization
as one people, the designation inappropriate. 1t
should have been changed If not then. it must be now
Mr. Sumner dlated upon the history and meaning Of the
word Nation which, he said, is suggestive beyond any
thing supplied by the definitions Of the dictionary lt
awakens echo second only to that of country IL is
word OF unity and power brings 10 mind intelligent
Masses enjoying the advantage OfOrganzaoD Tor whom
there is law of NatOnsas there is law Of Nature
each Nation being unit Sometimes uttered vaguey,t
is simply an intensive as the familiar words ''ony a
Nation louder" but here the word furnishes meas
vastness In ordinary usage. it implies an aggre
CATION Of human beings, who have reached such an ad
vanced stage OF political development that they are no
longer tribe of Nomads like our Indians; no longer
mere colony city principally sate but they are one
people, throbDing with common life, occupying com
mon territory, rejoicing in common history.sharing in
common trials securing to each the protection OF the
common power.
STATE RIGHTS.
Opposed TO this prevailing tendency the earlier pro-
pensity to local sovereignty, which is gratifying to
petty pride and ambition This propen sity assuming
rious orms in different ages and countries accordngto
the degree OF development has always been species OF
egotsm. When the barbarous islanders OF the Pacific
ina gned themselves the whole world, they furnished an
illustration OF this egotism in its primitive FORM It's
latest manifestation has been IN State Rights But here
distinction must be observed For the purposes OF local
sefgovernment and to secure its educational aud pot-
cal blessings the States Of unquestoned value THIS
is their true function, to be praised and Nndicated al
ways local sovereignty whether in the name Of State
or prince, is ont Of place and ineongous under Gov
eminent truly national Ii entirely inconsistent with
the idea of a nation Perhaps Its essential absurdity
In such Government was better illustrated than
by the homely apologize OF the ancient Roman which SO
wrought upon secessonists Of his day that they at
once returned their allegiance According TO this sue
cessfu orator. different members Of the human body
once murmured against the belly which was pictured
very much as our National Government has been, and
they severay refused all further cooperation The hands
would not carry food to the mouth would the mouth
receive if carried would the teeth perform their
Office The rebellion began; but each member soon
found that its welfare was bound up nseparaDly
with the rest, and especially that In weakening the
"bely 1t weakened every part Such is the diseord OF
State Rights Would you know the incacuaoie nsehet
of state Rights Our continent furnishes three different
examples each worthy OF extended contemplation There
are first our Indians Aborgines of the SOIL split into
tribes possessing barbarous independence but through
this peryersc influence kent constant strife with small
chance OF Improvement Each chief is representative
o state Rights Turning their backs upon Union, they
our neishbor Republic Mexico where nature is bountful
in vain. and climate lends an unaYalling charm, We IS
states unwilling recognize the National power set up
their disorganzing pretentions and chaos becomes
chronic The story full OF darkness and Tragedy Inc
other instance own, where sacrifices or AL kinds
public and private rise up in blood before us Cn war
wasted treasure wounds ana dea,n are st st desd
All these with wallng voice cry OUT aEss. M. ~
enemy lurking in state Rights. But TINS wan may De
heard from the beginning Of history saddeDngls pages
wv wARNINGs OF HISTORY AGAINST STATE RIGHTS
In ancient the Ctystate was the highest e az
In Greece where every city was state, proud OF hs
miniature sovereignty: The natural consequence snseu
against State Rights The parts failed TO recognize the
whole and its natural supremacy Amid all me tllumphh
of genius and spendOrs Of there was no NatlOa me-
and Greece died From hervcnerable sepuleher wthlIs
cverburning funeral lamps where was buried SO mneh
az its mortal beauty, there constant voice OF walnlng
which sounds across continent and ocean, eehOmg, be
ware" Rome also was CITY state ~ nssu me az
querng Republic took TO itself all other communities anu
Of force ending in Universal Empire. whore the consent
of the governed was OF little account lhen CAME tS
colossal power of Charemagne under whom peoples anu
nroyinces were accumulated into neonguous mass
Here again Universal Empire but there was no IA
ton. Legend and song have depicted the paads that
surrounded Charlemagne lighting ms battles ana Sonsu
system which was the form that Europe assumed.
The whole country was parceled among eheitans under
rbon held district great ar small where he asserted
local sovereignty aud reyeled IN state Rights and yet
they all professcd allegiance. Gulzot was the
first 10 remark that feudalin taken as whole, was
confederation, which he boldly kens to what no calls
feudaism was essentially federal where each prinepalty
exercised a disturbing Influence, and unity was lmpos
Sihe. but utterly deny that our country can fa INTO
any such category unless IL sneenmbs at last To the
dogma OF Rights which was the essential element
of fhe foudal confederation.
Curiously enough, Sweden and Hungary were not
hrougbt within the sphere Of eudasm, and these two
ontIyng lands left free TO natural impulses revealed
Themselves at an early day nations When the Euro
mean Continent was weakened by anarchy, they were
aready strong in national life with influence beyond
their population means. Ii was because they were ma
tlOns. ~.
Feudalism has left its traces in England; but was
never sufficiently strong in that seagr land to resist the
natural tendencies to unity partly from ITS insuiar pos
ton and partly from the character OF IT'S people AZ gu