New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-08-13
ARE WE A NATIONf

IL has usually been supposed that we are.
Newspapers have been christened upon the
strength of that superstition, and banks and
hotels. Then there is the flag-if it be not the
proud banner of q nation, what is it the en-
sign Oft If the Stars and Stripes are not en-
blems of a nation, what means the constellation
and what the gridirOni Do the ambassadors
Extraordinary and Ministers PlenipOtentiary
abroad represent a nation, and il not, what
do they representa- When we cheerfully speak
of ourselves as Americans, do we merely mean
that we are "stayng" upon the Continent of
America Mr.. Beck, the sturdy Kentucky
Congressman, recently said eyes, gentlemen,
there il that contemplate word national
sword which no good Democrat uses when he
"can find any other and, when forced to Use
" it, utters in disgust. This is no nation. We
care free and independent States" TO tho
opinion of Mr.. Beck we oppose the opinion
of one Alexander Hamilton: eff num-
" her of political societies enter into larger
"political society, the laws which the latter
"may enact, pursuant to the powers intrusted
"tO it by the Constitution, must necessarily
abe supreme over these societies, and the in
dividuals of whom they are composed 1t
"woud otherwise be mere treaty, depend
cent upon the good faith of parties, and not a
government which is only another word
I" for political power and supremacy" The
battle of the Rebellion was fought, blood was
shed, money made ducks and brakes of, just to
get these truths established and when a gen
tlcman tells you that Kentucky or Massachu-
sets. mauger its relation TO the General Gov
eminent, is free and Independent State, he
makes misstatenlcnt which if pushed to its
legitimate conclusion, will degenerate into
muddle and eventually into another "muss."
Every well-informed boy knows that there are
several things which, under the Constitution,
States are not "frcc" to do, and that
as to various matters. Judicial or com
mercial they are not independent" Adj
hitting a contract, if by its terms it be per-
petual, are the contractors free to break 1t
If Kentucky or Massachusetts are not COM
pOnent parts of nation, then each is indi-
yidually natiOn-a state of things in which
the word would very probably become more
contemplate" than it now is in the opinion
of Mr.. Beck. Moreover tho word nation"
implies both individuality and community, the
aggregation of separate States and peoples
under a common sovereignty, and Is therefore
precisely tho word whch we need.
Nobody can he more sensitive than we are
To the slightest invasion of the reserved rights
of the States. Nor have we marked the tend
ency to consolidation in the General Govern
ment without regret. This tendency, inevta-
BILE perhaps under the circumstances, is the
bittcrest fruit of the Rebellion. In the una
vodabc work of sclf-preservation the General
Government went To the extreme limits of its
constitutional authority, even if it did not
sometimes transcend them; and one reason
why we have been so anxious for the abate
ment of old grudges and the subsistence OF
rebellious prejudice and passion has been be-
cause we would not give the Washington au
thorities the least pretext for an extreme cx-
ercise of power. 1t appears to us that those
who are continually crying out for State Rights
and State Independence are doing their best
to extinguish these Rights and that lndepend-
ence forever. We should like to have an hon
est and economical government of the whole
nation, but we have no particular desire for
strong one, though it should he strong enough
to maintain order at home and respect abroad.
Another rebellion might give us three or four
nations-a chance which ought not to be agree
able to Mr.. Beck, who finds even one so I'M
paatablc.