The Waynesburg Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 1867-18??, 1867-08-07
VOL. Nj.


these conflicting principles and parties
there has been perpetual warfare. In
the main, the old Wing party ranged
itself under the banner of Webster,
and the Democratic party under that
of Calhoun. One of the legitimate
fruits of the States Rights doctrine
was the rebellion of 1888, in South
Carolina the avowed object of which
was to nullify the protective tariff of
Congress, enacted in 1928. The coun-
try at that time was saved from a dis
astrous civil war by the firmness OF
President Jackson, the wisdom of Con-
gress, and the patriotism of General
Scott. That effort at rebellion and
civil war failed and the principle on
which it was based was repudiatcd.
But in 1860 and 1861 South Curolina,
and other rebel States, again endcavOr-
ed to put in force their States Rights
doctrine of secession. The sympathy,
imbccility and connivance Of President
Buchanan, and his advisers, so con-
tributed TO the success Of the effort
that it, consummation could only be
prevented by a long, desperate and
bloody civil war. In the end, and
after fearful sacrifices Of life and trea-
sure, the rights and power Of the Ma
tional Government were again vindica-
ted, and the Calhoun doc. rile Of
secession was again ovcrthrown. Such
at least has been the popular conviction
and cause for rejoicing; and even the
worst of Southern rebels have been
compelled to confess it, and for two
years past have been weeping over
their "lost cause" Strange, sad and
incredible as it may seem, we are al
ready called upon to fight. these great
issues over again! The Democratic
party, with Judge Sharswood for its
leader, and with Free Trade, State
Rights and Secession upon its banner
is again marshaling its hosts, and now
summoning Us to the field Of political
combat, on these same issues That
party at their National Conventions in
1886 and 1860 rc-adoptcd what arc
known as the Virginia and Kentucky
resolutions of 1893 and 1899, as part
Of their platforms. These resolutions
are known as the embodiment of tho
old State rights and Calhoun doctrines
They do not regard thc relations Of the
States or people thereof to the United
States as constituting gorcrWment, in
the ordinary and proper sense Of the
term, but declare them to be merely a
compact, and that "oS in ali other cases
Of compact omong parties horing no
common .julge, each party has an equal
right to .judge for jtsc!t, As WELL OF
INFRACTIoNs, As OF THE MODE AND
MEASURE OF REDRESS"
Under this free democratic charter
for rebellion, the lawful election of
Abraham Lincoln as President of the
United States was claimed by the
people Of the rebel States as an Gin
fraction Of the compact y and they
chose secession and civil war as the
"moHc," and the destruction of the
Union and State independence as "dto
measures ofreIrcss." The democratic
party, at its last National Convention,
proclaimed the war failure and it
has now put into the field a lifelong
Free Trade and State Rights candi-
date, whom Judge Black endorses a,
one who "will stand by the Constitu-
ton and give pure law'-vi2: who
will stand by the Constitution as the
State Rights party construc it, and
give us such "pure law as Judge
Black has given President Buchanan
and Andrew johnson.
Judge Sharswood and his party
friends have not only denied the lawful
power of the National Government to
coerce a rebcllious State, to make and
enforce draft, to make paper money
legal tender, to emancipate and arm
negroes, to punish rebels and traitors
by disfranchiscment, to suspend the
writ of ha5cds corpus in time Of rebel
lion, or to arrest and try offenders in
time of war bv court-martial but
they hold that all these things, though
actually done, were Illegally and
wrongfully done, md therefore settled
nothing! Or, as the Democratic organ
(the PhIadclphia Age), in a recent
elaborate editorial on the Republican
State platform, thus expresses the same
idea: ave put it to the sober
thoughts ofthe peopleof Pennsylvania,
whether they would not have all these
grave pending questions decided ac-
cording to law, and not according to
war, JUST, IN FACT AS THEY WOULD
HAVE BEEN DECIDED HAD THEY
ARISEN EIGHT YEARS AGO OR HAD NO
WAR TAKEN PLACE"
Is, then, the ''lost cause" not lost ?
Has the late dreadful war decided
nothing? Is the right of secession an
open question? Has slavery not been
abolished? Are not the four millions
of bondsmen free? Has our national
debt no legal existence? Have the
victors no power over the vanquished?
Have the rebel States and people lost
no rights by rebellion Have our
sacrifices of blood and treasure been
all made in vain? Fellow citizens,
weigh we'll these solemn questions, and
answer them at the ballot box on the
second Tuesday of October next.
Having concluded to reserve for a
future occasion some remarks on party
orrap;zotion and other topics. this adj