National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-08-12

The frequent use OF illusions to the alleged
drift Of public sentiment In favor Of strong
central government has so familiarized our
people with the idea that without under
standing Its exact significance, they have ac-
ccpted 1t as among tho natural results Of the
war. No greater mistake than this could be
made. The history Of our Constitution and
of the party divisions which have ensued re-
garding questions arising from proposed
amendments to 1t shows plainly tho existence
at all times since the organization Of the Gov
ernment Of n majority In favor Of an efficient
national government, to which the powers OF
the States shall DO submissive. Under the
Articles Of the Confederation each
State had one vote In the Continental
Congress, and any State could defeat
any important measure whenever Its
Legislature might chose to dlsapprovo Of
the action Of Congress. No tar could be
levied against the will Of State, and there
was no power to compel State to make q
tax levy. The Constitutional Convention,
called In 1857, to amend the Articles was com
posed Of mes now revered as the founders OF
our present system Of government. Some OF
the leaders saw these glazing defects Of the
old SYSTEM among them Charles Pinck-
ney, Of South Carolina, who submitted q
draft Of constitution, the prominent feature
of which were provisions enabling the Gov
ernment to act directly upon individuals re.
gardless Of the will Of any Of the States. The
spirit of this draft remains to this day pari
OF the Constitution. Fully one half the time OF
the session Of the convention was consumed In
debating this fundamental principle and its
application to the details Of the new system.
The phrase then used was consolidation, "
and the friends Of the new movement were
denounced as supporters OF q consolidated
government" But the theory was upheld
by majority Of the convention, and subse-
quently by q majority of the people, 10 the
adoption Of the new constitution. Patrick
Henry, who proposed that 1--WE, the States,
instead Of 1--WE, the people," should be the
language Of the preamble, afterwards became
convinced Of the error of his judgment and
gave Washingtons administration a hearty
support. Luther Martain, the leader of the
Tories, and subsequently Thomas Jefferson,
who deserted his party to take the lead OF the
Tory or Democratic organization, continued
the opposition. John c. Calhoun, In his
famous notification scheme, reviewed the OPP
position and stranded himself upon the theo'
riss OF the Authorization party. Later
the opposition was renewed as the basis Of
secession, and resulted In the late war for the
preservation Of the Union.
We refer to this matter now, and give the
foregoing brief history, not only for the pur-
pose of showing that the centraliLlng i'm
pulses Of the present day had their origin In
the South, but that the opponents Of consoli-
dalton or Capitalization have always ranked
with the enemies OF the Government. At
one time they seriously proposed that each
and every act of Congress should receive the
unanimous approval Of tho States rs repre-
scented by their Legislatures before going Into
effect and force. This was, of course, the
most radical phase Of the fallaey with which
they were enamored, but 1t shows the ex-
srsme TO which they naturally drift, and
which would have been reached long ere this
n The majority Of our people had not been