Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-12-02
Perils of the Future.

There are those even among Repub-
llcans who overlook the important con-
sequences that may, and surely will, ,
result from the possession of the seve.
raj 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 others
| OF their countrymen, there are other
parties equally y as alarming aud more
easily made certainties, and which are
all involved in the restoration Of the
Democratic putty to power We have
already pointed out the revival Of the
old fundamental issue, whether the
United States constitutes nation en-
dowed with all the attributes of natiol-
al sovereignty. or whether it is a mere
confederation of sovereign states, the
general governments acting as the mere
agent and creature Of its principles,
the several states. On that question
the Democratic party is now as undivi-
ded as it was before the war, and insis,s
with as great tenacity as ever upon
lis old theories of state rights"
That doctrine cannot be abandoned by
the Democratic party, without a dis
bandment of the party itself.
Now, let US ask, what is the Demo.
cratic party to do, when it obtains contr |
OF the executive, legislative and judlc-
ial branches of the government ? It
will enter Office upon the fundamental
principle that this is confederacv !;
that the general government is the
agent of the sovereign states" and
that this doctrine, though ignored in
the administration Of the government
by the Republicans, is now and has al.
ways been the true doctrine; and to
make any change in the administration
of affairs, this principle must be ap.
piled to all questions presented to them
for action. At the very beginning of
their administration they will be met
with a series of matters demanding leg
lslatlve action, which have been rejec-
ted by the Republicans Among these
are The retunding of the war tax
imposed on cotton, which, with inter
est, now amounts to Sl0U, 900, 900. +.
The payment to all persons living
within the Confederate States of all
losses and damages sustained by them
during the War This includes com
pensatlon for horses, mules, cattle,
grain Of all kinds, and fences for fire.
wood, cotton destroyed and carried of
Tor buildings occupied and buildings
destroyed or injured for damages re-
sulting 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 daring four years, and from
that state alone there will be claims
enough to amount with interest 10 two
hundred millions of dollars. La the
Cotton States me losses were greater,
Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia and Miss
Isslppl can furnish authenticated claims
for tive to ten hundred millions of dol
lars. Then come the Claims of all the
railroad aud other transportation COM
panles, and the owner Of steam boats,
seeking compensation for their DANA
ges. These people, all being citlzeus
OF their respective States, aud owing,
according to the Democratic doctrine,
their first allegiance to their .'sover.
eigc States, cannot be held responsible
for any acts committed by authority of
their States any invasion or occupa-
tion OF their premises, or any capture
or use OF their property by the Genvr.
al Government, was a Wanton tres pass
upon innocent persons who were in in
surrection by command of the lawful
sovereigns, the several States. Perso-
nally according to the Democratic doc
trlne, these men were never in REBEL
ion against the United States; they
were but obeying their sovereign, the
State Government. The general and
UNIVERSAL laws is, that, in time of war,
all persons residing within the territory
of the opposing authority are enemies.
and as such have no legal or equitable
claim for any compensation for any loss
or damage they may sustain, and this
includes aliens, as well as the native
or citizen inhabitants. This rule is as
absolute and as universal in cases of ci-
vii war, rebellion and usurpation, as in
cases of war with foreign countries.
According to the Democratic doctrine,
this law cannot be applied to the peop-
le of the South, because they could
not be in rebellion against the mere
agent OF the States when commanded
to bear arms by the States themselves;
and therefore the Southern people, as
whole and individually, stand like
the people of the North, entitled to
the benefit OF that part of the Consti-