Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-05-13
MONDAY. MAY rs. 1873.
whn, ,hey WouId Restore.

v
For years, previous to the late rebellion, the
democratic party, in its national PLATFORM SUD
stituted the Virginia and Kentucky resolutions
OF 9S for the national constitution. The same
thing appeared perpetually in southern demo-
cratic speeches; and every man who aimed TO be
a democratic doctrinary treated those resolu-
tions as the very life of our fundamental law,
and made them the beginning and end of his
constitutional learning. This political philoso-
ply, which assumed to amend or transform the
national constitution in spite of ITSELF gave rise
TO the attempted notification Of Calhoun and
his followers; and it finally produced secession
and rebellion. 1t was crushed by the defeat of
rebellion; but mourners for the 'lost cause
and their sympathizers have sought to restore it
to its old prominence and influence; and we
hear their political partizans, and Others who
have not lost their old habit of being democratic
doctrinaries, talking again, in the old STYLE OF
"centralism,' and trying to inculcatc the old
secession views of Estate sovereignty"
1t is seen, also, that these uterances against
centralism," meaning by this term an actual
enforcement of the national authority, are di-
rected against all efforts of the government 10
put down kukluxism in the south, and protect
the rights of colored people. 1t is Central
ISM for the government TO interfere with the
bloody kuklux organizations, and defend the
colored people and their friends against their
murderous operations. 1t is "centralism'' for
the government TO guard and defend civil rights
in those states. The old secession doctrine of
Estate sovereignty" was intended to guard
slavery and make it entirely independent of the
nation; but the Infamous fugitive slave law
showed how far the nulliiers could go in the
opposite direction, in the service Of slave
ry. Nothing was said of eentraliSm
when the national government was used
to carry on the business of slave-hunting.
1t was only when slavery was in danger of
being touched to its injury, that the Outcry Of
'centralism" was raised. And now, this outcry
means simply that the southern freedmen should
be left wholly to the control and mercy of the
ex-slave-masters and their kukuX bullies.
These ex-slave-maSters cannot bear to see the
freedmen treated as if they were actually men
entitled to human rights Therefore, they and
their abettors revive the old talk of 'centralsn"
and Estate sovereignty" and use it against
measures to protect the freedmen just as they
formerly used it in support of slavery.
1t was slavery that gave rise to the famous
RESOLUTIONS of '9S" and kept them in use 50
long as the chief cornerstone of the democratic
platform; and tits the lingering spirit of slavery
that now seeks to revive them. To defend ku-
kluxism openly would seem very scandalous
but, to defend it indirectly by talking Central
ism" against all attempts to restrain and punish
the kukluX barbarians, is done more easily.
Therefore, we see it done; and we see the few
liberals" who operate as assistant democrats"
learn quickly to do it as a means of establishing
fraternity with copperhead democracy. In some
cases, however, their record proves to be ex-
tremely embarrassing. Last Thursday in the
senate, Mr.. Trumbull speaking against the civil
rights bill, maintained that colored men in the
south need no protection; whereupon Senator
Edmunds read from an old veto of Andrew
johnson passage strikingly similar to Trum-
bulls speech, in tone and sentiment, and then
added an extract from a speech in which Mr.
Trumbull replied to this veto. Trumbulfs radi-
cal speech against the veto served as an over
whelming reply to Trumbull's assistant demo-
cratic speech against the civil rights bill.
The old doctrine of Estate sovereignty" was
devised by men who sought 10 contrve in our
system of government secure fortress for the
'sum of all vIllanies." Men controlled bya
similar spirit, use ii now TO drive back the gov
eminent from affording protection to the rights
of freedmen. To talk on their side is to be their
aiders and abettors. The democratic national
committee propose, in their address, to effect
restoration of constitutional government"
We should like to hear them explain hon
estly and unequiyocally what they mean
by this. OF course it is declaration
against all measures for interfering with kukux
organizations and protecting freedmen. That
committee looks TO ex-rebels for support, and
therefore, can not afford to tolerate such meas
ures. What they actually seek to restore is, of
course, an administration of the government
regulated by the resolutions of '9S" and the
wishes Of the eX-slave-masters. We think they
will fail, for neither the dark ages nor the reign
of the slave power with its extra-constitutional,
secession theories of the government, can be
restored