The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-10-21

forget hia laundering articles IN support ofI
General JAcKsoN.s reclamation aIsl ing
force biz Even Mr. RrrcHrs. who ssis-
tanned the JACKSON Administra alton, found
in these documents more than he could
stand up to. He adrpitly confessed TO Q
difference with tho proclamation on some
:. tlocsrinal points, These he referred 70
generally, and never entered upon debate
about them.
The especial Interest in these matters,
personal and political, Is that they were conr
temporaneous with the first real issue be-
tween the opposing principles Of our sys-
tenn Of government with coniederated States,
and central government representing
them all. The Central Government, with
JACKSON at the head Of the Executive, found
that II the extreme idea Of State independ-
ence, and the States right to Judge OF In
fractions OF the Constitution by the Fede-
raj Government, and the further right
to select its remedy for such in1ract'on
were acknowledged, the Federal Gov
eminent would be unable to enforce
the laws Of the United States. Multi
tcation, as then applied by South caro-
lima, INSTRUCTED the collection OF the revenue,
the means Of supporting the Central GOV
eminent. General JACKsoN's proclamation
and the force bill asserted the power OF the
General Government over the subject, and
provided the means of enforcing it. The
period was critical, but not long so. CAL
HouN, whose influence and whose theories
brought on the issue, combined with WEB
sTER and CLAY in 'S2 in adopting a "com-
promise tariff" under which South Caro-
lima repealed her laws for resisting the Gov
ernment, and peace followed.
We say this was the first case OF real is
sue upon the question OF the right OF each
State to decide for itself and suspend the
laws of the United States by resistance. 1t
was not decided. There was no collision.
Both Fedora! Government and State avoid
ed that collision by their mutual policy.
We need hardly say, what all people at the
time knew, that had Congress not ayerted
the conflict GOLD HICKORY" would have
enforced the revenue laws. South Carolina
would have been compelled to submit.
There was no probability that any State
would have united with her; because no
other State favored notification" In
deed, while in the South generally the theo-
ry OF State rights-that there were such
rights, and that it was unconstitutional for
the Federal Government to infract them
was asserted, there was no definite plan by
which such iniraction could be decided
upon and could be resented and repealed
BY the States. That was the great trouble.
A world OF discussion was provoked upon
theory, while there was an utter absence OF
practical means or defined constitutional
force to give body and life to theory.
So, while State rights were not entirely
ignored by the issue brought upon the
country then, we may say that they gained
nothing, and people were rather amazed by
the perils to public peace and liberty that
were displayed by the brief disagreement
! between a State and the Federal Govern
ment. 1t satisfied the nation that the Cen
| trail Government must be supported in the
matter Of enforcing the laws OF the United
States, and it at the same time opened the
way to Capitalization so clearly that many
were filed with apprehensons they had
never dreamed Of. General JACKSON, who
was man OF great mental force and strong
will, would have enforced the laws, come
! what might; but General JACKSON was not
man to have committed or approved
| op6 r.
head Administration of GRANT has commit
ted. Not he. He had respect for the Con-
stitution. That would have been the mea-
sure Of his authority, not his will. Were he
alive now, he would lead the Democratic
opposition to the gross outrages and cor
ruptions of the party in power.
But all this is but the exhibition Of the
steady progress towards Capitalization.
Each epoch sets forward the march of central
authority. Possibly it does so in part from
necessity. Yet it clearly shows that not
only have the central powers been increased,
but the people have been gradually led to
look upon their growth with familiarity and
acquiescence. 49,.
To return TO the life of Mr. BLAIR, he
continued to be editor Of the Administra-
ton organ tbe Globe during the admins
trations OF JACKSON and VAN buren,. When
POLK became President he made some con-
cession to more ardent State-rights' men,
and prevailed on DIR. RITCHIE to edit the
Government organ. At the same time Mr.
POLK offered Mr.. BLAIR a foreign mission,
which he declined. He retired to his very
pleasant farm, Silver Spring, near Washing
ton, where he lived through his days until
death.
Mr.. BLAIR was. opposed to slavery,
although he firmly defended the right of
property in slaves. He opposed the extern
sion Of slave territory, and was associated
with VAN buren, in establishing the Free
Soil party as a national party. They little
dreamed at the time that they were sowing
the seed of the furious Black Republican
party which precipitated the civil strife in
this land.
The evening Of Mr.. BLAIR's life was
passed in great anxiety and distress with
regard to the condition Of the United States.
He reprobated as much as any man that
lives the public measures Of the Radical
party. We know well how he yearned for
his native State-Virginia. He came to
Richmond in 1864 by permission Of the
Observation-Disclosures and Confederate-and