The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-07-11

eminent and the paramount sle
! glance due 10 it from every citizen Q
: the United States. Several of th
! States thus reconstructed have thu
changed their Constitutions, aud il
every Instance save n they hav'
struck out the paramount authorit.
of the Union and the paramount allie
, glance Of the citizen TO the Nationa
Government. The latest example j
that ofEeorgin, that has just vctet
Tor a Convention to revise her Con
stitution on which she was readmit
ted to representation ia Congress
and her distinguished Senator. Mr.
Hill, is credited by the public pres
with declaring that among the prime
motives Of changing the Constitution
of Georgia is to strike from its page
The assertion that the late war was
rebellion, and further TO erase AM
annul that majestic ~utterance con-
tanned 10 the thirty-third section o.
the Declaration of Fundamenta
Principles which expresses more
true patriotism than was ever before
proclaimed on the soil of Georgia
1t is in.these memorable words: "Tht
State Of Georgia shall forever remain
a member of the American Union
the people therefore are q part OF the
American nation; every citizen
thereof owes paramount allegiance
to the Constitution of the United
States and no law or ordinance OIL
this State in co~ntrsvention or sub
version thereof shall eve have any
binding force"
THE SOUTHERN HoPE.
Mr.. Hill warmly urged that this
patriotic provision should be struck
from the organic law of Georgia, and
be concluded his speech by assuring
his hearers that the full power Of the
South is just dawning, and that the
day is not far distant when it will
control the Government of the Union.
In view Of these significant facts,
and still more significant tendencies,
ia the Southern part of u country,
ask men of all parties here assem-
bled to-day Oh the soil Of Connect
cut, if they think it wise to provide
now by the acquisition of Mexican
territory for the creation of addition
a. States holding these views of the
National Government-as inevitably
they would hold them, by q of
proximity of location, and by the
character and creed OF the men who
would naturally inhabit and control
them. In the States north Of a GER
tain line a countless majority of the
people believe their paramount allie
glance to be due to the Government
Of the United States, so that a con-
fict between a Northern State and
the United States is practically i'm
possible. In a majority of the States
south of the same line the great
mass Of those who term them
selves the governing class believe
in an allegiance to their respec-
tive local Government superior to
that which they owe Government of
the Union. Ii is the same neresy
that hurried tens Of thousands Of
brave and honorable men into q on
iict with the Government in 1851,
and now sixteen years have elapsed
with their ,.frightful record Of war
and blood, of cruelty, and of carnage,
the tragedy ends in u important
aspect just where it began with the
men who precipitated the conflict in
solid power from Maryland to Mexico,
resolute in purpose, and holding with
~tenacity the creed that underlaid the
rebellion, a creed that is utterly ir-
reconcilable with a lasting devotion
to the States. / do not have the
slightest doubt that these views are
honestly held by those who avow
them they are proclaimed by able
men with the force and skill, not in
deed of logic, but of sophistry which
deceives the unwary and sometimes
entraps even the watchful.
There can be no doubt, | think,
that an overwhelming majority Of
the people of the country, especially
of the North, are hostile to further
annexation of Southern territory.
That was plainly shown when Mr..
Stewards proposed purchase Of the
Island of st. Thomas was peremptori-
ly rejected, and still later, when
Gen. Grants very earnest advocacy of
the San Domingo scheme utterly
failed to secur support, even at a
time when his Administration was
peculiarly powerful and Influential in
shaping measures and directing poll
tics. For a period Of sixty years
from the adoption of the Federal
Constitution annexation of territory
in the South was a favorite policy
with our Government. In 1903 we
purchased Louisiana, in 1919 We
purchased Florida in lS45 we an
nexed Texas in 1913 we took q vast
area from Mexico and in 1858 we
paid a large price for a mail contract
from the same country. All pur-
chases were made by Southern Pres
iGcnts, except the small one Of 1858.
and that by a President devoted to
Southern interests.
THE SOUTHERN POLICY.
Tie aggregate area of these add
lions to our domain is at least two
and a quarter millions of square miles,
nearly three times as great as the
whole Of the territory fought for by
our Revolutionary ancestors, and COW
cred by the treaty of peace in 1888. l
90 not mean to imply that the whole
benefit of these acquisitions Went to
the Southern section of the country,
or to its peculiar political interests.
Fate and fortitude rescued a large
proportion of the Louisiana purchase
TO Northern interests, as some pros
porous and powerful States in the
west strikingly testify to-day. The
magnificent empire of California and
the neighboring territories were also
rescued after M of the most memoir.
able struggles in Dur civil and parliam-