The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-10-04
THE DEMOCRACY AND STATE
RIGHTS

We have said that the young Democracy
comes seeking to rule the present in the
spirit in which II ruled the past. II learned
nothing from the war. This is noticeable in
the matter Of Stale Rights In each success.
i've platform. from 1910 to 1850, the old De,
mocracy put in its platform, as its tandamen-
tai plank, The right OF each State to regulate
and control fits own domestic institutions
The young Democracy makes the same dec
laration of political faith without any explau.
atory clauses. By its doctrine, put in that
language, the old Democracy meant to pre-
serve Slavery. 1t is dubious what tie Young
Democracy mean, unless it be that ehianci-
patton was an act forced upon The States
while in duress, was, to that extent, a com
pusory Federal interference with '.the do
mestic institutions Of the States and illegal
and void.
From 1910 to 1860 it was the South that
put that States Rights dogma into each
Democratic platform. The Southern poiti
clans expressed BY it their creed. It was
satisfactory to the Davises and Yanceys and
Rhetts and Sldells. And to them it became
the Democratic text for Democratic seces.
sion. They professed to have embraced no
rev Democratic creed when they argued,
at the commencement of The rebellion, for
the right Of State to dissolve its relations
with the Union. The Southern DEMOCRACY
understood the Democratic doctrine Of State
Rights to embrace, include, end hence iusti>
~, the doctrine of secession. Now, that the
Young Democracy reafhrms the States
Rights doctrine in its old breadth, the onus
probandi is upon it to show that il means
something different from doctrine which,
for four years, waged war upon the Govern.
ment and nearly overthrow H. GSoRer n
Pcs DLEToS is, intellectually, the ables, Dem.
ocrat in the country, will probably be tina,
party's next candidate for the Presidency.
and is thoroughly its representative he 10,
too, the champion of the Young Democracy
States Rights doctrine; yet to him his doe
trine meant that, when the States seeded
they should be allowed to depart in peace. =
TO Naliandigham, the Young Democracy :
that States Rights doctrine meant the same
thing, aud necessitated mo coercion on the
part OF the Federal Governmen; when a
State seeded. Charles Mason is snothe
champion of the States Rights doctrine Of
the Young Democracy; and as be logically
carried out his creed when secession came il
made him, according to Claget,, "a traitor IL
the National Government it for the
Young Democracy to show that Thu ct the
inevitable ultimate Of their creeu That il
doesn't logically and really involve "treasor
to the National Government"
1t is noticeable that while the Democracy
have ever been in mortal terror lest the Fed
eral Government should interfere with ant
destroy ''the domestic institutions of the
States, they have never showed the leas
fear lest "the domestic institutions of the
States should interfere with and destroy the
Federal Government. The Federal Govern.
ment never did (apart from recent and ne
cessary reconstruction attempt to interfere
with or destroy the domestic institutions d
the States; but the domestic institutions
aforesaid did attempt to destroy the Govern
ment. If the Democracy want to provide
sgainst the only danger that has eyer oc.
Cured or threatened, from this dire ction. We
recommend them to change their State.
Rights plank to a Government hight.
plank, and declare that the domestic insti.u
lions Of the States shall not interfere with Of
destroy the National Government.
The Republican party-and in It's mos
radical phase, TOBIAS had control of lows
since 1856 !; has it surrendered any of tn.
proper rights of the State? The Republican
party has had control Of nearly all the oya
States for several years, has it done so in any
OF these States? That party has had contro
OF the Government since 1861, has Iowa, OF
any other State, had i.s legitimate subordi
nate sovereignty broken down? Oh! bu
the Southern States! Will, as to them
your Democratic States Rights. doctrine led
them into an unsuccessful rebel.ioa. which
lett them without any proper civil govern
ments (ride Andrew Johnson's rrocIama.
nonsl. Then it was and is the duty of Con.
gress to give them governments Republican
in form, as the Constitution provides. And
Congress proposes to do it. Aud lw,,h these
States, thus Republican in form, the Renuh
lican party doesn't propose to interfere al ali.
II d said Andrew johnson is about to pub
lish privaae lister from John W. Foraey,
written shortly after his Inauguration. To
publish private lss.srs ~ sarble Official de.
spatches seems to b A. is conception Of
honor md hoo1sey. The " humble individ-
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