The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-01-19
$50 piis';ip|'atft,.
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= WEDNESDAY. .....JANoAhi 'S' i''0'
,s,-ch of Consolidation.

be completely orcrslanghea ny ~, ht.o
ground to base prophecy or hope upon. we
have looked forward to the age OF Federal
supremacy MS certain, and vet we regret to
sec that it is coming go rapidly-hardly al
lowing time for decent intcrmcnt OF the
dead principles of our fedcrative reTo-
lutionarv system. The consolidated CEN
trail authority must take place prior to the
empire. which will certainly have its day.
But these changes might proceed with inc
stateeliness of the tragic step. 1t wou'o re-
l;erc us from the shock of surprise anu
dull the edge Of modification or sofro"'
Yet the changes in the great process are,
sooth to say. marked by impulses ana mo-
t;vcs not suited to its magnitude.
There has been hunting after all the lit
tie ncirhhorhood pcculiarities and personal
, relationships discreditable to those who
were the instruments in the great revolu-
tion-a revolution that was inevitable, and
must have come sooner or LATER. 1t would
have been more philosophic and humane,
ana would have been submitted to with lar
less reluctance, had it been lifted up
out of the arena of the small passions and
bitter hatrcds and bigotrics with which 1t
has been cursed.
We trust that there is to be nm end Of the
microscopic policy which spies out the in
diriaual acts of the people and peers into
the privacy Of domestic life. II the States
arc to be allowed to exist, and to have their
local governments at least for an age or so,
don't distrust them altogether just yet.
Tie dignity of the great national drama
REQUIRES that there should be decent re-
spcct for the length and the number of the
acts that make up the play. Good, sound
State policy requires that the changes
should not be too sudden; for then they
shock the State and do incalculablc in
Jury to its peace and prosperity. They
should be sufficiently retarded to make
those who have to conform to them do so
without violence to their pursuits, their
commerce, and their domestic peace. In
short, the whole matter should be done " de-
Gently and in order
But We hear further demands made for
the burying of the States yet deeper and
with continued indecent haste. 1t is now
asked that Congress shall make "such le-
"gal provision rs will secure and assure
"thc purity of the balIot-boX in all cleo
"tions for Federal functionaries and repre-
" scntatives."
The motive alleged in this quotation
for asking the interference Of Congress is
the very last that should have been urged:
to "sccurc and assure the purity of the
hallo.-box." Does any man believe that
the Interference of the Federal Government
in the State elections will promote their
purity? The idea is absurd. The very
contrary effect will follow.
But the proposition strikes at the root of
all State authority. Once let Congress con-
troll the appointment of officers for Federal
elections, and inevitably the whole system
of elections will fall under Federal autho-
rity. Two systems ard two sets of officers
cannot be kept in existence. All elections
viii be under Federal authority, and all
officers will be indebted for their places to
Federal Judges of elections, influenced by
the predominant Federal party, which
would then become supreme. We should
have the supremacy a party, not of the
Ec4crm Government.
There is, of course, moi the slightest ne
cessity for any such provision. 1t would
promote fraud and dishonesty instead Of
guarding the purity Of elections, and take
away very nearly The last vcstge of State
authority. 1t can have no object but that
Of party power. We all know now that
whenever an issue arises between State
and the Federal Government the State
must 20 to the wall. The States exercise
local jurisdiction which is convenient for
tic preservation of order and the admins
tration of justice, relieving the Federal
Government of much trouble. But that
Government should feel assured of its
power, and not permit itself to be inyeigled
into imposing such farther shacklcs upon
the States as may so cripple them as to de-
stroy their usefulness even in this respect.
Certainly no such sacrifice of q safe and
bencfcent local policy should be made to
propitiate rampant and destructive par
tisan spirit.
REpELLIoNs AND WARS WITH VARIA-