The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-08-17
4 conquered Nation.

"A Conquered Natlon' ~
Mr. Racks dislike of the word I" nation !"
:. a,,n,,ed 10 what sed 70 be q coniederaey"
~ independeu, States, or, rather, the decsara'
tion attributed to him In connection with tne
word, has moved a number, OF our contem.
noraries to express their ideas as to the ms
ture of the Government Of the United states
Ten years ago, before any reconstruction
measures we're passed, we expressed The de-
cided opinion that our form OF government
was consolidated despotism, and we have
had no occasion to change cur opinion. Ioe
right of secession has been buried OUT o.
SIGHT never to be resurrccted. The war put
an end to all pretence that the states nave
any rights which the General HoVefhueh'
is bound to respect. 1t IS oitteF IRONY IL
northern paper which sustained the recon-
s.rpc,;on measures to pretend that there IS
anr limit to the powers Of the Federal GOV
ernment For instance, what can the New
York Tribune be thinking about when 1t
gives utterance to such words as the follow
ing:
"Nobody can be more sensitive than we
are to the slightest invasion of the reserved
rights Of the States. Nor have we marked
the tendency to consolidation in the General
Government without regret. This tendency,
inevitable perhaps under the circumstances,
is the bittecest fruit of the rebellion. In the
unavoidable work of self.preservation the
General Government went to the extreme
limits Of it's constitutional authority, even II
it did not sometimes transcend them; ana
one reason why we have been so anxious tor
the abatement OF old grudges and the suosi-
dence of rebellious prejudice and passion mas
been because we would not give the WASH
ington authorities the least pretext FOR an
extreme exercise Of power. IL appears 10
us that those who are continually crying ou.
for State rights and State independence are
doing their best to extnguish these rights
and that independence forever. we snouio
like 70 have an honest and economical gov.
erument of the whole ration, but we nave
no particular desire for strong one, thougu
it should be strong enough TO maintain ofuel
at home and respect abroad"
"sensi,iyc"! Faugb! The Tribune COM
rpended the Federal Government lor opeh'
paipsble. gross violations OF the CONSTITUTION
in emancipatiug the negroes. Mind, now,
we are not expressing regret at their eman'
cipation. We are glad they are tree. we
are only saying that Government when
can steal from its people billions Of dollars
of WORTH Of property upon the preteAs lhat
the "life of the nation is IN peril" can 90
ANYTHING: that Government which can by
force change what purports to be the organic
law of the republic can do anything; that II
Congress bad the right to compel the SOUTH
crn States to ratily the 18Th, 14th, and 10Th
articles of amendment to the Federal Consti'
tuition it has the right to compel all the
States to ra,ify new one providing that the
President shall appoint all the members OF
Congress. How can Government when
derives its powers from written consttu-
ton have more power in time of war than IN
time Of peace! And conceding that 1t has,
oh. sapient Tribune, what is TO prevent the
President or Congress from getting into
war at any time?
But consolidation "is the bitterest fruit OF
the rebellion"! Yes, just as the lamb mud
died the stream above the wolf. Let us tell
the storT, and We should say that consollda-
ton is the bitterest fruit Of the unconstltu-
tional and unjust war waged upon the south"
eru people. When a Government assumes
that "the unavoidable work of self.preser.
ya,ion" justfes the President and Congress
in violating their sworn oathS to support the
Constitution there is nothing so sacred in
TIE rights of the people or OF the States as
that it will not be desecrated by the fanatics
who substitute their ideas of what ought to
De for the Constitutions definition Of what
Is. When greut paper such as the Tribune
is canuot afford 10 tell the whole truth-will
not care 10 Tell the whole truth-but in Ell.
phemistIc phrase calls gross violations OF the
Constitution "going to the extreme limits OF
constitutional authority "-as if the Consti-
tuition contained any provision authorizing
the President in time Of war 10 commit the
most flagrant outrages upon the States-We
Gay, when such is the case, it is utter FOLLY
to Effect TO believe that there is even a SEM
b.auce of States rights left. -----.~.-.-.---..-
Take the case of the right of state 10
have its own Legislature, and OF that Leglsia-
tule to Judge of the election and quai'hca-
ton of its members: Does not the expert
encc of Louisiana show that these two rights
!, longer exist! A military ruler took thcse
rights from Louisiana last winter. A mll'
tary ruler can take them from any State ut
auy time. There is no other justification
needed than "the unavoidable work of self
preservation -; and that plea cau just IS
well be based upon suggested fear thai
traitors might be by the Legislature elected
TO the United States Senate as upon the fear
that traitors would take "the life of the
nation" otherwise. The fact that com.
promise was afterwards effected between the
true Legislature and the usurpers in Louisi.
ana does not.alter the case IN the least. One
word from Congress would have continued
the usurpers in power. and that one WORD
Congress will be sure to speak whenever q
majority Of Its members shall choose to over
turn any State government. The State!
seem now to be in possession of certain
rights, but these are held by snfferarce. l
is for Congress to say when they shall be don'
away with altogether. The States have al
against the Federal Government the same
sort OF rights that slave had as against
his master in ante bellum Ststes-that Is to
say, just such rights and so many as the mas
Ter chose to accord to him.
We are not complaining Of these facts. We
are only stating them as facts. Virginia has
as many rights as New York. Her rights are
held nv the same tenure as New York holds