Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-02-10
THE STATE RIGHTS OF THE NEW NE
BELLZ0N.

terrible evils 10 come upon MS COUNTY W
Southern Slavery, and by many wise
measures of diplomacy and administration
Justly won the historic award Of exalted
patriotism and craftsmanship. But the ex-
cess 10 which he pushed the theory OF
State Rights has been a prolific source OF
woes to his country, Of which he little
dreamed, and from which he would have
recoiled with horror, could he have fore
seen the dangerous uses to which it was
to be applied by many OF those who came
after him. No thoughtful and conscien-
tious student of American history will
now deny that the famous Virginia reso-
buttons of '9S were the seeds from which
sprang the Calhoun heresy Of South Caro-
lima Notification. While the strong inter-
ests and passions Of slavery supplied the
propelling force. the unqualified doctrine
Of State Rights furnished the propositions
on which the Southern States planted
themselves when they claimed to have
Withdrawn from the Union and to have
set up an independent Confederacy.
The lessons Of q terrible experience
have proved that Alexander Hamilton and
other conspicuous trainers of the Consti-
tuition of the United States were wiser than
Jefferson. in making the central power OF
the Union supreme over the authority OF
the States in matters fundamental to its
purposes and Its very existence. This
primal statement Of the objects Of the
Union and its Constitution can have but
one Interpretation
1.-THE people of the United States. in Or
der to form more perfect Union. estab-
lish justice, insure domestic tranquility,
provide for the common defense, promote
the general welfare, and secure the bles-
sings of Liberty TO ourselves and our pos
terity, do ordain and establish this const-
tuition, for the United States Of America. y
1t was not the authority of the States
which thus broadly and firmly laid the
foundation Of the Union, but the people in
their original capacity as freemen. Thus
the authority of the Union is first and par
amount in respect to all things touching
the principles of its life and its preserva-
ton. 1t was against this that the Southern
Democracy declared war and assumed to
set up an Independent government.
Beaten by arms after war of four years
against the just and legal authority OF the
Union. the same class of men aided by
their old supporters Of the North now re-
new the struggle in the arena of politics
with the avowed purpose of repossessing
the control of the Federal Government.
What is the special pretext on which
the Confederate Democracy renew the
war of State Rights against the authority
of the Union? 1t is claimed with surpris-
ing audacity that the National Govern
ment has no right TO exert its authority
for the protection of the millions of men
once bondmen, now free by the sacred
pledges and guarantees OF the Republic
pledges that the Nation cannot repudiate
without exposing itself to the contempt
and shame of the civilized world. 1t is
pertinaciously sought to make State Rights
the covert of countless murders. Of wide
spread anarchy, of crimes which nothing
but semi-barbarism or wanton lawlessness
ever tolerate. State Rights are to be raised
as the breastwork behind which the civil
and political rights Of four and half mil.
lions of people are to be ruthlessly
trampled in the dust. Precisely thus was
State rights used as an entrenchment be-
hind which Southern States wheeled out
of the Union and organized Confederate
armies.
Against this monstrous perversion OF
the authority of the States thoughtful and
patriotic citizens put the fundamental
statement OF the purposes of the Union
contained in the following express pro-
vision of the Constitution.
"IAe United States shall guarantee 10
every State in this Union a Republican
form of Government This terse and ex-
pressive language means something, or it
means nothing. It's present just applica-
ton to some of the Southern States no in
telligent person, not insane or traitor at
heart, can deny. The six Cotton States
the most blatant for rebellion, and whose
moral and political resistance to the laws
and pledges of the Union most frequently
manifest themselves-have an area of
49O, 900 square miles-as large as the ter
ritory OF England, France and Germany
vast empire in extent. Half of the pop
ulati0n was recently in abject slavery,
with the ignorance, the weakness, the vices
which slavery so abundantly produced and
Costered. OF the other half Of the popula-
ton large proportion is ignorant, lazy
dsmorslized by slavery. and still more by
years of civil war and the years OF disor
der which have succeeded the close OF the
rebellion. Among this white population
thers are many persons of conservative
views, owners of cal estate. DESTROYS Of
peace and obedien sothe laws. But these