The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-02-05
Mr.. Hunters Pacific" Letter.

1t is not simply bis advocacy of the South
ern Pacific railroad that we are pleased with
in Mr.. HUNTERS letter TO Mr.. LAMAR, but
the general drift and tone Of the same. lie
cuts loose from old notions. and Identifies
himself with the new ideas Of the post-bcl-
lum period. He sees that whilst his original
theory as to the nature of the Federal
Constitution was the true one, yet It
would be insensae folly in him to ad-
here to that theory now that it has been
totally repudiated by the whole North, Dem
ocrats and Republicans. If Mr.. TUCKER is
right in alhering to his antc-belum notion
that the Federal Constitution is only COM
pact between independent sovercgntes, and
that this Is not a nation, and Mr.. HUNTER
wrong ia learning the lessons OF the war,
then Mr. TUCKER, and Mr.. HUNTER, and all
OF us, are in duty round TO claim the right OF
secession. Why should we bascly surrender
the highest, aud best and celrest OF our rights
as we understood these before the war, and
not surrender those which are minorI Why
should we surrender our right TO hold up
the Constitution as shield between us and
Federal interference with our civil rights,
and yet use it as breakwater TO prevent the
s. fructifyipg streams of Federal appropria-
lions" from OVERLOOKING our borders? When
the Federal Government tells lis who shall
ride in our finest cars and steamboats,; when ii
appoints men to supervise our elections; when
it sends armies to South Carolina to enforce
kukluX laws, and to Louisiana to keep in
Office the appontees of usurping Fede.
raj Judge, and neither Mr. TUCKER
nor any other southern man proposes
TO take up arms against such an exer.
else of powers under the Federal Con-
stitutiop, we think 1t about time for Vir-
unia to send to Congress men who will not
vote against finishing the James River canal
nor building the Southern Pacific road be-
cause they can fnd neither mentioned IN the
Constitution, The moment General LEE
surrendered we knew that free govern
ment was at an end in this country. In 1860
we said that the form of our Government had
been changed to that of a consolidated nation.
al government instead Of what it was before
the war. Our people cannot too soon make
up their minds to accept this as fact. We
shall most assuredly be compelled to gecog.
nize it wheseyer any legislation for the Pc
culiar benefit Of the North is needed, and
whenever the larger section chooses to use
Sepressiye measures as against the South ;
and it would be ipexcusable folly in US TO re.
fuse to avail ourselves also of all the benefits
that flow from such theory Of the nature OF
our Government.
But we set out to give few OF Mr.. Hun
rER's significant sentences. Hear him:
"You are, perhaps, aware that viii lie in
the Congress of the United States opposed
fhe adoption of this as Federal measure
upon constitutional grounds. was OF those
who believed that the progress as well IS the
harmony OF the country required the adop-
ton of the old State-rights doctrines by the
Federal Government, upon which predl'
Gated nv objection TO this as Feuerai inea.
sure. still retain these general views out
in many respects they have been mouineo
yfurthel experience and the resuits OF ths
war. ~.
But while repeat my growing convictions
os this truth with the increase OF experience
and reflection feel bound TO acknowledge
that we have sometimes taterposed obec'
rions derived from those doctrines as bar
Tier to Federal action unnecessarily ana u