Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1873-03-20
Whittier Are We Drifting.


tralization our citizens have been pain
fully Indifferent. They have seen the
rights of the States infringed with as
little concern as they would watch the
doings of a town meeting. They do
not seem to comprehend that they
themselves made the States and the
States made the Federal government,
and that each is supreme in the limits
Of its powers. They have seen the
Federal government usurping the pow
er that belongs exclusively to the
States, and still they, the people, have
not raised II voice against it. The
great danger to our free institutions
lies in the apathy Of the people.
The all-night session of the United
States Senate, commencing on Thurs
day evening last at 7 o'clock, and end
ING on Friday morning at s o'clock,
presented remarkable scene. The
Louisiana question was under consi-
deration. The United States Senate
assumed the power to interfere i'll the
rights and control the ballots of the
people of Louisiana, The tallacy of
this assumption OF more than kingly
power by the Federal government has
so often been exposed and commented
upon by the press and by the Demo
Gratis in Congress, that the subject has
been almost exhausted And vet Il
recurrence to the principles Of sclfgov-
eminent will be iii o1der 50 long as the
States have any rights worth talking
about,
On the Louisiana question a gallant
struggle was made by the defenders
of the Constitution and the friends of
State rights, against radical usurpation
and contradiction. Some even Of the
radicals shrank from following the
lead of Morton in this crusade to debar
the people Of Louisiana Of the right to
govern themselves Many sound and
cutting words were spoken in opposi-
ton to the shameful scheme to over
ride the lawfully-eXpresSed will Of the
frccmen OF Louisiana.
Mr. Edmunds, Of Vermont, radi-
cal, who has heretofore been noted for
knuckling subsequently to the dictates
OF party leaders, mustered courage to
speak Il few words in behalf OF right.
lie said, 1T is the duty of Congress
- to undo the usurpalion Of a United
Estates judge, and leave the people Of
Louisiana to regulate their govern
'mcnt under the laws of the State"
This was brayely said and it is to be
regretted that this and kindred remarks
by other Republican Senator's did not
| have the desired effect to stay the UNI
constitutional proceedings. Other
members denounced the usllpation in
| the strongest language. Senator
Trrrmbull Indignantly remarked, This
is too monstrous and hdeous to waste
argument upon" Senator Schurz
said, III the people OF the South are
expected to obey the laws, we must
ourselves respect the laws.
1t is encouraging that a few mem.
berS of CONGRESS, outside Of the Dem
ocratic party. have become awakened
to sense Of the danger that threat
ems our free institutions. If the peo-
pie would preserve their liberties they
must resist the entertainments OF cen
tralization. 10 destroy the States
would be simply to destroy the pow
er Of the people to govern themselves.
The idea that the general govern
ment may launch its soldiers into a
State, and with its army .rample down
State laws, is a fallacy too abhorrent
for serious consideration. and yet
this is precisely what the United States
Senate presumed to do on the night of
the 27th Of February. in the Louisiana
matter. 1t was this uaupation of
power that caused Senator Trumbull
to denomce the whole proceeding as
''monstrous and hideous, and TO
charge that the design was to ''estab-
lish military headquarters in the New
| Orleans custom house, with direct sup
port from Washington"
The duty Of the people is plain.
Let them stop the encroachments of
Capitalization. Let them pause and
consider whittier the country is drift
in~.-Ua9t1rd Times.