The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-04-25

Tv v' every obligation of public faith. We
cgnnot SEQ them sacrificed without apOs-
tacy, rthe power to protect them fails,
then is the National Constitution failure.
| do not set forth the evidence, for this has
been amply done by others, and to repeat
it would be only to occupy time and to
darken the hour.
The report Of the committee, ut least as
regards one State, the testimony OF the
public press, the stories Of violence with
which the air is laden, and private letters
with their painful narrations-all these
unite, leaving no doubt as to the harrow
ing condition OF things in certain States
lately in rebellion. Not the same in all
these States or in all parts Of a State, but
such as TO show in many States the social
fabric menaCed, disturbed, jmperiled in
its very foundations, while life, liberty,
property, and the enjoyment Of equal
rights are without that security which is
the first condition Orciviization. This is
the case simply stated. II such things
can be, without q remedy applied If need
be by the national arm, then we are little
more than y bundle OF sticks, but not O
nation. Believing that we are nation,
cannot doubt the pOwerand the duty OF
the National Government. So long rs
slavery was endured q State was allowed
to play the turtle, and sheltered within
its shell to escape the application Of those
master principles which arc truly nation
nj. The Declaration Of Independence,
with its immortal truths, was in abey-
ance. The Constitution itself was inter
preted always in support OF slavery. l
never doubted that this Interpretation
was wrong, even in the days OF slavery,
but it is dOubly, triply wrong now that
the Declaration of Independence is at last
regarded, and the Constitution not only
makes slavery impossible, but assures the
enjoyment Of equal rights. l do not
quote these texts, whether Of the DeCla-
ration OF the Constitution. You know
them by heart, but these are not vain
words. Vital in themselves, they are
armed with all needful powers to carry
them into execution. AS in other days
slavery gave its character to- the Consti-
ton, filling it with its own denial Of equal
rights, and compelling the National Gov.
crnment 10 be its instrument, so now do
insist that liberty must give its character
to the Constitution, filling it with life.giv.
ing presence, and compelling the National
Government to be its instrument. Once
the nation served slavery, and in the SER
vice ministered TO State rights. Now 1t
must serve liberty with kindred devotion,
even to the denial Of State rights. All
this insist is plain according 10 rules oil
interpretations, simple and commanding
In other days, while the sinister influence
prevailed, the State were surrounded by
a Chinese wall so broad that horsemen
and Chariots could travel upon 1t abreast;
but that wall has now been thrown down
and the citizen everywhere Is under thu
protection Of the same equal laws, moi
only without distinction Of color, but also
without distinction OfState. What makes
us nation? Not armies, not fleets, no
Notifications, not commerce, reaching
every shore abroad, not industry, filling
every vein at home, not population
thronging the highway. None Of these
make our nation. The national life o.
this Republic Is found In the principle O
unity, and in tho equal rights Of oil OIL
people, all Of which, being national in
character. are necessarily placed under
the great safeguard Of the nation.
Let the national unity be assailCd aud
the nation will spring to its defence. LIE,
the humblCst citizen in tho remotcst vii
lagG be assNiled III the enjoyment orequa
rights and tue nation must do for the
humblGst citizen what it would do for it
self. And this is only according 10 the
original promises Of the Declaration Of In
dependence, and the more recent promi
SEES of the constitutional amendments, the
two cOncurring in the same national print
ciples. DOyOu question the binding char
aCter Of the great Declarations Then do
invoke tho constitutional amendments
But you cannot turn from either, and each
establishes beyond question the bounda
ries of national power, making it cock
tGnsive with the national unity and the
equal rights Orall originally declared and
subsequently assured. Whatever is an-
nOunCed in the Declaration is essentially
national, and so also is all that is assured
The principles OF the Declaration, rein
forced with the constitutional amend
mcnts, cannot be allowed to suffer. Being
common TO all, they must be under th(
safeguard Of all. Nor can any State Sc
up its local system against the universe
law. Equality implies universally, ant
what is universal must be national. i
each State is LEFT to determine the protec
ton Of equal rights, then will projection
vary according to the State, and Gqua
rights will prevail only according to the
accident Of local law. There will be rs
many capabilities as States. Therefore, in
obedience to reason, Us well us 10 solemn
mandate, is this power in the nation. MOI
am l deferred from this conclusion by
any cry Of centralism, or it may be Of i'm
perialiSm. These IRE terms borrowed
from France, where this abuse has become
u tyranny, subjGcting the most distan
communities, even in the details Of admin
iStrNtiOn, to central control. Mark, ifyOr
please, the distinction. But no sucl
tyranny is proposed among us, no.
any interference OF any kind with natter
local in character. The nation will no
enter the State, except for the safeguard
Of rights national in character, and thCI
only as tho sunshine. with beneticen
power, and like the sunshine, for the eQua
good OF all. AS well aSsall the sun be
cause it is CGntral-beCausc it is imperial
Here is great Capitalization; here is &
| generous imperialism Stunning witt
patriotic care that injurious Capitalization
and that fatal imperialism which have
been the Nemesis Of France, l hail thai
other Centralism which supplies an equal
protection TO every citizen, and that Other
Imperialism which makes equal rights thC
supreme law, to be maintained BY the ma
tional arm in all parts Of the land. Cen
traliSm-imperialism. Give me the cen
tralism OF liberty. Give me the imperial
ism of equal rights. And may this Ma
uonal Capitol, where We are now Assem-
| hInA hn tho nuhlnm OcnIr nntion nl0ntpf