Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-04-25
IMPERiALIsM.
EXTRACTS from the Lecture OF
Juoge Il. ~. own, De-
Ityered In 1856.


Iivered In 1866.
We have only to deal now with the
results. For all such conflicts are ever
followed by the most decided ana
rnarked consequences. Commissions IN
the social and political spheres, IKE
those in the physical, leave their impress
ON the world for all time. They are but
Arcadiap dreamers-who for 4 moment
immagine that the vast and yaWnlng
ehasm in the citidel of our freedom Will
close over the dead heroes of the war,
as did the gulf in the Roman Forum
over the self-devoted Marcus CUrtlus.
Would 10 God that we could realize the
fortunate deIiverance vouehesafed IN
this legend to the once awe strlken
dwellers on the Seven Hills. For
surely there has been rendered up IN
sacratice Is much of valor and virtue to
avert the great woe of the present hour,
as eger belonged to the youthful proto-
MARTYR of Rome. But the hOrrid rent
will not close, and from its profound
depths are exhaled the pestilential va
nors that drive through every vein and
artery of the body polite death-dealing
noisou. Ii is related that after one OF
The most terrible of the eruptions Of
Vesnvius. when the lava yomited from
its burning crater poured IN torrents
down the mountain side on every hand,
sweeping from its fiery track every yes
tige Of Vegetable Hfe-withering IN Its
blasting heat flower, shrub and grass-a
s;Dgle olive tree remained in its fresh
ness and verdure unscathed by the
flaming food. What plant Of liberty
has the lava tide Of passion, that lately
swept over this land, left to bloom and
Weld its grateful fruit?
If our reasoning be true, then two
nregnant results remain from the war
The destruction Of The autonomy Of the
States and tEe predoHiHGRce Of de-
aaocracy IN our political system. These
two consequences are necessarily linked
together. The one could not occur
without the other. The autonomy Of
the States is the right Of self-goyern-
ment in each. The assertion by Federal
power Of the authority to cOerce unwil-
ling States into an Union, that was at
first voluntary, and intended to remain
so Cf we are to credit the express utter
ances of the founders of the Federal
system), was itself a denial of this
autonomy to the States-and its exercise
was the practical extinction of this right
of selfgovernment True, the conclusion
was not admitted at the outset by those
who urged coercion. Perhaps it was
not seen-at least the right was an
pounced in timid and evasIve language.
To repOssess forts, arsenals, harbors,
and collect duties, was the manifesto at
first promulgated. In such Illogical
and feeble propositions was the scheme
for war on the seeeeding South first
preached to the popular ear Of the
North. In this was exhibited conci
business, that what was contemplated
and about being undertaken was against
American law aHe preeedent--and not
vet comprehended by the American
mind. But as the fury Of war gradually
.distempered popular thoughts armies
we're gathered wherein the soldier ceased
to be free citizen and became military
slaveIEand as the passions aroused by
battle ran riot, when each biligerent
thought only Of success in the field,
careless as to the means by which it was
aeeomplished-this moment Of public
phrenzy was seized-(when the citizen
was of his guard, and no longer exer-
cising that eternal vigilance which is
the price of.liberty), to PROFOUND and
have accepted by the popular mind the
doctrine that blotted out the autonomy
of the States, ranging them around
Federal power only as municipal divi-
sions of one integral nation, conceding
70 them IN principle no more dignity and
authority than may be enjoyed by the
counties of a State-the attendant sat
telites of one absorbing central power.
Can this be truthfully denied 2 Is
there any receding from this position,
now that the war has ceased? Where
will be found any practical recantation
of this heresy? Is there any disposition
manifested to resurrect from its bloody
crave this autonomy? On the contrary
2 aow more explicitly claimed than
svar tat Federal power must give law
- & a. Stotes In reference to their inter
81 onJ domesti;e affairs, and that the
iegislatiOn Of the States shall only be
such as Federal authorlt = may permit
A central magistracy now spC1AS 70 the
States as to municipalities. 1t EapPenS
that ten States are now the only practlc.aaII
victims of this theory. But this WlL
not always be so. Other victims will
multiply in time, and perhaps the ten
ostracised States may at some day, not
far distant in the future, aid the in
perial autocraey to press to the lips OF
Others the cup Of bitterness, which they
now drain. One by one will disappear
from our old political plaDitarium the
stars. that in the past revolved within
individual orbits shedding for themselves
each some special splendor, while they
nevertheless blended together in one
common effulgeDce-Or if they protraet
a nominal individuality, their light will
be SO feeble and shaded as to be indls-
tinguishable one from the other, ike the
aim burners in the milky way. 1t Is
thus that false principle ever operates
returning always to plague the In
TentoEs.
In this departure from the constitution