The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1875-02-18
STATE SOVEREIGNTY.

ell time, the disorders in several OF the South
efn states would presenta pulling question. Ill
attempting to determine how far National all
thor.Cy could be exercised to restore eriler and
protect life. Were we to contine our reflections
20 the theory rs maintained during the exis-
tence OF slavery, it would require no elaborate
augmentation to arrive at conclusion. The
Sovereignty OF the States in regulating their
own institutions and adjusting their domestic
| affairs, Independent Of national interference,
| was q doctrine SO interviewer with the accepted
usage Of the South that any denial OF it was re-
garded as direct assault upon the Constita-
ton ITSELF In fact, State Sovereignty, as for
merly understood, grew out Of the Institution
of chattel slavery; was, indeed. part OF that
Institution. the bulwark that defended 1t, ana
the ark of its safety. BIT for this, slavery
wonld have been swept away before the en-
lighteneu sentiment of all advanced civilization,
condemned, as it, was, by the conscience ana
convictions. OF the civilized world, without an
appeal to arms. The impulse of the nation as
we'll as of universal chrstendom antagonzed
it, and, submitted to the determination OF the
popular voice, it would have ben branded as
the remaining yestige Of cruel barbarism in
conflict with the proclaimed PRINCIPLES of free
dom that constitute the basis OF our political
fabric. Even those of us who defended it, can
now see, if orr minds are open to the infli!en-
ces of the logic of events, that the late civil
conflict was but the moral forces Of human ma
ture working through physical agencies, for
the destruction of the Institution OF slavery, and
the emancipation of the minds and souls OF orr
fellow beings from the thraldonl OF a more than
! cmmerean darkness. In the onward flow OF this
tide OF enlightened civilization, was borne down
the State Sovereignty that protected ii, and the
laws and constitutions to which it was anchored.
This necegsitated revolution, complete AMI
thorough in our ideas of government.aad carried
with it the humiliation of the barriers behind
which slavery had entrenched itself-appeal-
ing to sentiment higher than statutes and
more ennobling than parchment scrolls, for
justification.
! In accepting this result AMI conforming
their organic and statutory laws to it, the
Southern States clearly abandoned the doctrine
of State Sovereignty as heretofore maintained,
and gave in their adhesion to the paramount
>NOsN-
mining the relations of the States to central
power. and the rights Of citizens WHO constitute
the States.
We are aware that the doctrine here enuncia-
ted is in conflict with the traditional notions OF
the people of the South, and especially OF Vir-
ginia But we assume it as logical sequence,
that if the national government has the power
| ~; II hos fba nd Il
its duty, to prescribe his rights and protect him
in their exercise, the enactments OF any State
to the contrary Notwithstanding. This may,
and probably will be, called the essence OF
consolidation. Be that as it may, we assume it
to be an irresistible conclusion that if the CEN
trail government is justified in the act Of email
cpating the late slaves and declaring them Cit
, liens of the United States. it is in duty bound
to protect them in the rights pertaining to that
, citizenship. 1t is not in cohsonancc with the
legitimate theory Of the revolution that has
been effected in this respect, that the States
should exercise any power i'll the abfidgmcnt
, or modification of the rights lii question The
| acceptance of the Amendments to the Consti-
tuition recognizing the abolition OF the instltu-
} ton of slavery, and giving the negro citizen
: r,;i,..,
, eighty of the State over the whole subject.and
in fact blotted cut the very theory OF State
: Sovereignty, as it had been Interpreted in the
, Southern States.
. II then, American citizenship means any
tliing-is something more than sounding brass
and tinking cym5al-it means that the rights
pertaining to it shall be preserved, protected
| and enforced by the national government on
all occasions and at every precinct within the.
jurisdiction Of the United States, and under all
circumstances. No State has a right to pro-
test these rights, directly or iilairectly-ao par
ty has a right to practically deny these rights
no coordination OF league of men, whether by
naturalization or violence, has a right to inter-
f.re with their lawful exercise.
And in applyin, this Interpretation Of the re-
suits of the war is to be found one OF the stron
est reasons to justify the administration in its
course with several of the Southern States.
In Louisiana, Alabama and Arkansas, there has
been manifested determination to practically
nullify the citizenship Of the negro, as exerci-
sed in the ri 5lt of suffrage, unless he consents
to vote as the opponents of the governm ,nt de-
SIRE He cannot use his freedom in casting his
ballot, unmolested. This perversion of the
law and abridgment OF individual right, the
State governments are either unwilling or una
BILE to prevent. Frall and violence arc COM
mon agents employed to reach popular result:
the will of the people is thus defeated, and
government becomes a usurpation.
| The Republican form OF government COZ
teniplated by the CONSTITUTIONS government OF
the people for the people, perpetuated and
maintained through fair and uaenbarrassed
expression of tho popular will at tha ballot
box--does not exist il either OF the States
named, and it Is al utter disregard of the truth
of current history to assert tSlat it does. The
State Sovereignty Tint claims to inausurate
legislative and executive mac,linery,in defilnce
OF the popular will, is nothing more nor less
than usurpauion-a perverSion of organic sane
tons, and in conflict With the accepted theory
Of our political institutions.
We maintain, therefore, that it is tile daty
OF the national government, through the legisla-
tive and executive departments, to demand the
full practical recognition Of every right of cti-
zen; ip. The States have no rights inconsis-
tent with this demand. The rights of a citizen
| of the United States stand upon higher ground