The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1874-12-09
The New Tack.
MIR. JOSEPH MEDILL's SCHEME FOR CHECK
ING THE DEMOCRATIC REACTION
AND SAVING THE REPUBLI- . 4.
CAN PARTY--IIVE-
LY BUD -


LIZ BUD --
GET.
There are those even among Republicans
who overlook the important consequences
that may, and surely will, result from the
possession of the several branches of the
Government by the Democratic party.
Excluding from view altogether all thought
or suspicion of renewal of the struggle to
dissolve the Union, and assuming that the
people at the South are now as devoted to
the Union as any other of their country
men, there are other perils equally as
alarming and more easily made certain
ties, and which are all involved in the res
toration of the Democratic party to power.
We have already pointed out the revival
of the old fundamental issue whether the
United States constitute nation, endowed
with all the attributes of national sover-
eigntv, or whether it is mere cOnfedera-
ton of sovereign States, the General Gov
eminent acting as the mere agent and
creature its principles, theseveral States.
On that question the Democratic party is
now as undivided as it was before the war,
and insists with as great tenacity as ever
upon its old theories of Estate Rights
That doctrine can not he abandoned by
the Democratic party without q disband-
ment of the party itself.
Now, let us ask what is the Democratic
party to do when it obtains control of the
Executive, Legislative and Judicial
branches of the Government 1t will enter
office on the fundamental principle that
this is confederacy; that the General
Government is the agent of the sovereign
States" and that this doctrine, though ig-
nOred by the administration of the Gov
eminent by the Republicans, is now and
has always been the true doctrine; and, to
make any change in the administration OF
affairs this principle must be applied to all
questions presented to them for action.
At the very beginning of their admins
tration they will be met with a series OF
matters demanding legislative action
which have been rejected by the Republi-
cans. Among these are The refunding OF
the war-tax, imposed on cotton, which
with interest, Low amounts to Sl0O, 900, 900
The payment of all persons living within
the Contederates States of all losses and
damages sustained by them during. the
war. This includes. compensation for hOr.
ses, mules, cattle, grain of all kinds, and
| fences; for tirewood, cotton destroyed and
carried off; for buildings occupied, and
buildings destroyed, or injured; for dam.
ages resulting from all these and Other
acts, whereby these people have suffered in
person or property. 1t is not possible to
estimate the amount Of these claims. The
war was actively prosecuted in Virginia
during four years, and from that State
alone there will be claims enough tC
amount with interest to two hundred mil
lions of dollars. In the cotton States the
losses were greater, and Louisiana, Ala
bama, Georgia and Mississippi can furnish
authenticated claims for five to ten hun
dred millions of dollars. Then come the
claims of all the railroad and other trans
portation companies, and the owners OF
steamboats,, seeking compensation FOL
their damages. These people, all being
citizens of their respective States, and Ow'
ing, according to the Democratic doctrine
their first allegiance" te.their Sovereign
States" can not be held responsible fol
any acts committed by authority of Their
States; any invasion or occupation oftheil
premises. or any capture or use OF theli
property by the General Government was
wanton tresspass upon innocent persons
who were in insurrection by command OF
their lawful sovereigns, the several States
Personally. according to the Democratic
doctrine, these men were never i'll rebellion
against the United States; they were but
obey ing their sovereign, the State govern
Inent. The general and universal law is
that, in time of war, all persons residing
within the territory of opposing authority
are enemies. and as such have no legal ol
equitable claim for any compensation fo1
any loss or damage they may sustain ailt
this includes aliens as we'll as the native
or citizen inhabitants. This rnle is as alb
solute and AS universal in cases of civil
war, rebellion, and usurpation as i'll case
of war with foreign countries. Accordin;
to the Democratic doctrine, this law cal
not be applied to the people of the South
because they could not be in rebellion
against the mere agent of the States whel
commanded to bear arms by the Stat
themselves; and therefore the Southern
people, az a whole aud individually, stan'
like the people of the North, entitled +
the benefit of that part of the Constitution
of the United States which private proper
ty should not be taken or used withou
just compensation. In any Democratic ad
ministration, the Southern States must Q
necessity furnish majority of the part
representation in both Houses of Congress:
it will in like manner he dominant in til
Cabinet, and in all the courts, as it alway
was before the rebellion. Nor is this al
1t is claimed that the Republican part,
while administering the National Govern
ment, unconstitutionally and arbitraril
passed certain acts by which State Gov
ernments were forced upon. those States
that these fraudulent State Government
have detracted debts to enormous amount
without the consent of the people; tina
these alleged usurpations were, in fat
usurpations by the General Government
and these debts were contracted by til
national government, and not by tt
States, and should be paid by the Gener;
Government. Each of these States, NOR
; over, during the war, contracted lars
debts for the protection of its people fro
the invasion by the United States, and pa,
, ment of these debts has been prohibited b
the Republicans, under their usurped a.
thority to dictate to sovereign State
/ the Republicans having deprived tt
States of the means with which to pr
these (rebel wary debts, the debts ther
Y selves become a proper charge upon tt
> United States, according to the Democra
ic theory of the rights Of the States.
e An these claims and demands are foun
ed upon the sole distinguishing princip
of the Democratic party, that the Stat
9 are sovereignties, and the General Cover
:. ment no more than their appointed ageu
acting under limited written powers del
: gated to it by the State. From the pa
ment of all these claims there is no escap
if the Democratic theory of the Cover
: ment is correct and their validity cam
be Justly disputed or denied, except up.
! the fundamental principle, held by o