Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-10-09

The New Orleans Picayune has great reason
for supporting Greeley" 1t is that Greeley will
help the democrats break down CONSOLIDATED
despotism" and establish "local self govern
ment" These significant terms have been used
so abundantly in political discussion, since the
disorganized states were reconstructed, that
most people know precisely what they mean;
and Mr.. Greeley knew how much there was in
his bid for southern and ultra democratic votes,
when he said, in his 'ietter of acceptance" that
"our policy should aim al local self govern
ment, and not at Capitalization" and that each
state should 'be left free to enforce the rights
and well being Of its inhabitants, 10y such means
as the judgment Of It's own people shall pre-
scribe" The Picayuue quotes these expressions
and finds in them is great reason for sup
porting Greeiey They mean, Of course that
the national government ShAl not interfere with
kukluxism, nor 6etead ciyil riEhts IS iha CON
stitudon requires, nor DO anything else TO pre-
vent such null5eatou Of The constitution by
focal SET government" as viii enable each
state io daUy or cur1ai the rights Of colored
citizens -ty such means Us lis own people shall
prescribe"
-fAt1tN -l aEA-Ialtil iItitiiAbAas M AsGt5 L-4-
principal editor of tine pcayuue, owned and COB
Quoted tine Charleston Mercury. He Is & gentle
man Of much ability, positive III ms political
convictions, End tranE in stating them. II ne
mas moi changed MS views, he is one Of the cx-
IRENE advocates Of 'stale sovereignty" thar
sort Of state s3rgrsgufv which fourisbed iu
South Carolina fifteen or twenty years ago, and
which was expounded in the national senate
with such ability and such fearless consistency,
by Senator Rhett Of that state His doctrine de-
Ried tie sovereignty Of the nation, and recog.
nized no allegiance save that Of each citizen to
his state; but this doctrine, which was never
generally accepted, has shared the fate of the
"lost cause 1t grew naturally out of
the southern policy of defending and
upholding slavery; it gave birth to the
secession attempt 10 break up the nation
1t was overthrow when the rebellion
was suppressed and all attempts to revive it
will be as vain as ultramontane attempts 10 re.
store the exploded doctrines and policies of the
dark ages If the editor of the Pcayune will
make an accurate study of the tendencies OF
public opinion, throughout the country, he will
be likely to understand that any party that
should support an administration in carrying
out the policy he desires to have established,
would be speedily overwhelmed in the elections,
by general uprising Of the people against it.
The talk about Consolidated despotism" is
the talk of prejudice and passion, the talk oil
thwarted local despotism, and not the talk of
reason and candid observation There has
never been a time when some of the states did
not seek to nulljfy the authority of the national
government and usurppowers to which they were
not entitled The duty of the national govern
ment to protect the rights of citizenship, have
been interlered with; and when Massachusetts
sent an agent to South Carolina, to test the
consttutionality of laws by which citizens oil
Massachusetts were oppressed, he was compelled
to leave the state to find safety from violence
The only despotism that has ever troubled the
nation is local despotism; the despotism of do
cal self government" In other days, most of the
southern states were ruled by this kind of DIES
potism, which nteriered with freedom OF
speech aud opinion, and which claimed
authority to deal with tie rights
Of citizenship in its own way, without
appeal or interference Of any kind. South Caro-
lima was practically, and, to certain extent, in
form, az aristocratc despotism, which disre-
garded aud defed certain provisions of the ma
tional constitution. The Consolidated despot-
ism" complained Of is simply constitutional
influence of the national government which OBJ
strucis all attempts to restore the old local des-
po'lsms. II would be far better Tor the south
and for all concerned if those who seek to re-
store them would honestly accept the situation,
and use their influence to make all. the southern
states peaceful and prosperous.