New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-12-13
TIE AMERICAN UNION.

|
tiers, as well, indeed, as those which have
been favored with more advanced civil
ization on the other side, is that all just
powers of government are derived from
the consent of the governed. The United
States of America is, perhaps, the only
sovereignty that has yet been enrolled in
the family of nations which has laid down
its foundations and embedded its funda-
mental principles in the broad philosophy
that the government under which we live
has fully recognized the doctrine that all
men are created equal. This being then
the basis and groundwork of our society,
let us look around us for a moment
and discover, if we can, whether
We are. following its teachings apd in
structions to its ultimate results. In con-
sldering this question We must first ex-
anime our government in its individual
and national character as unfolded in
national point Of view; when we speak
OF national government We mean the
governmental the United States without
reference to the subdivisions into State
and municipal districts into which We
find our great nation divided Although
the republic of America is divided up and
sub-divided into many thousand different
integral parts, yet We imagine there are
now none who can justly lay claim to
even ordinary information on the
subject, who do not recognize the fact
that all sovereignty, all nationality
is primarily lodged in the national
authority. 1t, then, being established
and conceded that the only real SOW
ereignty in this country belongs of
right to the nation, to the people at large,
we are freed from many of the difficulties
that environ us in pursuing our investiga-
ton.
We suppose it will not now be seriously
urged by any considerable number of the
American people Of any particular polit-
ical bias that local or State authority can
in any case be legitimately set up against
the national authority. No class or body
of men representing any peculiar phase
or shade Of opinion would be found bold
enough to put forward the doctrine in
any tangible form that any State, locality
or district Of the American Union could |
set up its own will against
that Of the nation, Any division or SUBJ
division might set mp a rebellion or re-
volt, but such rebellion or revolt would, |
whenever or wherever set up, under the |
established theory and doctrines Of our
share the fate Of all rebeliions
They would be successful only in case
they showed themselves to be the strong
er party. If on the contrary, as did the
States which seeded and found themselves
in rebellion in 1860, they proved to be the
weaker party, without right, might or
reason to sustain them, they must fail,
and at last be controlled and governed
by the legitimate national authority.
The political authority or party or
ganization which recognizes and en-
forces this broad national principle
must, in the very nature of things, be the
dominant and ruling organization Of the
country, as opposed to the party or factions
which adopt the opposite theory as the
groundwork Of their political faith. Such
is exactly the condition of political party
now in our great country.
lust so long as the great Republican or
,anization retains its integrity and con-
inues to enforce and maintain the true
heory. that the nation is supreme and
he local divisions are subordinate, this
great and growing country will increase,
row in strength, sohdity and greatness,
ven without the aid of a great rival party
organization having the same great aims
nd ends in view. For it is to-day a re-
ogniZed and admitted fact that it has no
iyal political organization to counter
'oise or counterbalance its natural ten
lency and proneness to final dissolution.
Its dissolution if immediate, and before
theirs could be formed with equal
'otency, would, therefore, work inevitable
alamities and cause untold woes to the
ountless millions who would thereby be
lunged into inextricable anarchy. But,
an this take place so long as majority
+ the American people are true to them
elves and to the principles which have
lade them what they are.
We would, therefore, admonish the De-
locracy with all its isms to hastily disband
IS shattered forces dismember its organi-
alton entirely; ignore the name by which !
has heretofore been known: bury all it's
addition that may be said to be good or
ven plausible; consign all the treason and
-eachery with which it has been of late
, deeply infused to infamy and oblivion; 6
1 a word rub out everything and start {
new under a new name and creed. By
Ding this the perpetuity Of free govern
lent is secured, popular confidence is re-
ored and this great nation moves for
ard to the fulfllment of her destiny
SIMULATED GRIEF.
It would be interesting to ascertain to- ]
ay, if that could be done to nicely, how t
he committee of tifty-one feels since its {
embers have assumed the onerous posi- t
on Of taxpayers for the first time. They f