, 1874-11-21

Thore aro thoae even among uopub1icnns who
overlook the important consequences TINT may,
aud surely will, result from tho possession of
tho several bran ,hes Of the Government BY the
Democratic party. Excluding from view alto
gether nil thought or suspicion Of renewal Of
tho struggle to dissolve tho Union. aud aBsum~
ing TINT the people at the South arc now az de-
voted to the Union as any othera of their coun-
trsmeu, there arc other peri1s equally as alarm
ing and moro easily made cevtaint;cs, and Which
arc ali involved in tho restoration OF the Demo-
cratic party to power. We hayo already pointed
out the reyival Of the old fundamental issuc,
whether tho United States constitute nation,
endowed with all tho attributes Of nntional soy~
e1eignty, OF whether 1t is 3 nero confederation
Of sovereign 8tates, the Gcueral qovarumont
acting as tho mere agent and creature OF Its
principals. the several States. On that question
the Democratic party ia now rs undivided as It
was before tho War. and inslsta with az great to-
nacity us ever upon its old theoriba OF "state
Kighta." That doctrine cannot be abandoned
ny tho Democratic party without q aislaudmant
OF the party itself.
Now. let III ask what is the Democratic party
to do whom it obtains control of the Executive,
Legislative, nnd judicial branches Of the Govern
mont? It will enter Office upon the fundamental
principle that this is confederaoy; that tho
General Government ia the agent Of tho "soy-
eroign states," aud that this doctrine, though
ignored In tho administration OF tba Government
by the hepublicaas, Ia now and has always been
the true doctrine; aud, to maize any change IN
tho administration Of affairs, ths principle must
bo applied to all questions presented to them tor
action At the very beginning Of their admins-
tration they will ho met with aaries Of matters
demanding legislative action which have hecn
rejoctcd by the nepublieanB. Among these are: :
The rafunding Of tho war-tax imposed OH cotton.
which, with interest, now amounta to 4t00, ,000,-
900. Tho payment to all persona living within
the Confederate States Of MI loBaes aud damages
Hpstainel by them during tie War. TAisincladea
grain Of all kiuda, and fences; for
fre-wooat cotton destroyed aud carried OF !;
for buildings occupied aud buildings destroyed
or injured; for damages resulting from aii taeue
and osbor acts, whereby thoze peoplo hayo Huf-
fered In person or property. It Ia not possible
to estimate tue amount of those claims. The
War was actively prosecuted Ia Virginia during
four yoars, and from that Stnte alono tAeze will
bo claims enough to amount with interest to
two huudred millions OF dollars. III tho Cotton
ssates tho loasea weso Creator, al1d Louisiana.
Alabama, Georgia, md MisaisHlppl can furniBl1
authenticated claims for 1yo 10 ton hundred
millions OF dollars. Then como tho clnims Of
Ill ths railroad aud other transportation CON-
patllea, aud the ownors OF stea.nboata, seoklug
! compensation for their damagea. Thcss peoplo,
all bong otizens Of thoir respective states, ard
owing, according to the Democratic doctrine,
thoir " frat allegiance to thoir "aoyureigu
atataa," cannot bo held responsible tor auy acts
committed by authority Of tlair statea auy In
yaa!on orocoupaton OF their PROMISES or any CAP
tuxs or uso Of sheIs property by the General Cor.