Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-01-20
THF STATES,


Its now considered aisloyal TO aliCde
q 10 the rights Of the States-disloyal be-
cause the party that controls the Gov
eminent finds profit in usurping their
rights That thing must not be touched.
To touch the centralized power is to
toueh the pockets Of hundreds Of thou
sands Of men in and out Of Office The
Southern people are accused Of disioyal
practices. These practices are simply
protests against usurpation, and de-
mauds for the restoration of those rights
accorded to the people by the COnsttu,
ton The States, according to Radical
theories. are mere dependencies OF the
General Government, and may be dis
I posed Of at its pleasure Yet as the
World remarks, every one feels, when he
looksabout him, that the substantive pow
or and the popular force Of this country
Is in the separate States, which, as
tbey preceded and created the Union, SO
they maintained and perpetuated it The
effective democracy, the vital essence OF
this republic, are in the people OF the
several States, acting together as States.
With them. and not with the national,
or Federal, government are the springs
of our industry. the development OF our
material resources, the preservation OF
order. the punishment Of crimes, the
social arrangements, the security OF
property, the ties Of husband and wife,
parent and child. guardian and ward,
the relief Of the needy, the institutions
Of religious worship, and all the most
material. concerns Of life and death
President Madison says: "The powers
delegated 70 the Federal government by
this Constitution are few and defined
those which are to remain in the State
goyernmeuts are numerous and IN
definite President Jefferson IN
vokes the support Of the State gov
ernments in all their rights as the
most competent administrations Tor our
domestic concerns, and the surest bull
wark against anti-repubican tenden-
eies" President jackson said our true
strength and wisdom consist. not IN
binding the States more closely TO the
center but in leaving each more unos-
strueted in its proper orbit" President
Pierce said: IAN the pursuits Of indus
try. everything which promotes the ma
terial or intellectual well-being of the
race. every ear of corn or boil Of cotton
which grows is national. for each one Of
these things goes to swell the aggregate
of national prosperity and happiness OF
the United States; but it confounds all
meaning Of language 20 say that these
things are national. as equivalent tc
federal so as to come within any OF
the classes Of appropriation for which
Congress is authorized by the Constitu:
ton to legislate.
This is the Democratic doctrine, the
doctrine Of the fathers, and the only
doctrine that can preserve our Liberties.
A Capitalization of power at Washington
would leave nothing but abject submis-
sion to those who annul the rights Of The
States while they affect TO be their repre-
sentatives. Mere questions Of admins
trative expediency-of banks, Of tariffs
Of currency, etc, are not to be brought
into comparison with the question Of the
preservation Of the authority Of tbs
States. la every government Of Europe
power is centralized, and with scarcely
an exception those governments are
monarchies. Exclusive power drifts into
monarchy as naturally as snow drift
into the ruts and rayines. When tbs
Government at Washington shall hay'
absorbed the rights and powers of tn
States, whatever form it may assume, j
will be nothing but monarchy. u
preserve the States in all their jus
rights, is to preserve American liberty