National Republican., 1877-03-10
THE DUAL GOVERNuENTS.

lHSIC are TWO 'hlnlnB hutuoiity, oho VI
them must be authorized and the other un.
warranted, or both must lack the sanction
Of the people Aud he only power to in.
qure which is the lawful government, or
whether either of them is lawful,
,s the State affected by them.
When this authority has been consulted and
the decision has been made by the people
the final arbitGrs OF &c qucstlon-all other
States ard natirrs no bound by their con.
clusion. Nor docs 1t matter which of the
governments is sustained whether it be the
one rightrully existing, because originally
chosen at the polls, aud therefore the
de jue government, or whether 1t be
the one which. III fact was supported
by the minority nnly, and was there.
fore. in the first instance, without
TCrullr warrant. 1t must be conceded TO
themselves sflliCted by rival governments
1t is their privilege. without regard 10 the
legitimacy of the claims of either, to choose
betwt en- them, and determine for them.
selves which OF them, under all the cir
cumstsnces OF the situation, a. sri'!'nJ
uh6n The choice is to be made, is the one
best suited to their necessities and inter
ests, and therefore most entitled to their
recognition and respect. s, 1t Is thn. a dc
fdeto government, set up by people, and
commanding their obedience and support, is
The only government which foreign Stlte
or nation can recognize in their Intercourse
NTH that people, and the only government
known TO the law. And 1t matters not
that there is, within or without the terri.
toIial domain of that people, an Executive
or an organization claiming dc jurO au.
thority; for such Executive or organization
is without title to notice or consultation in
respect of the affairs of the people II claims
the right to govern, unless 1t is able to eS.
crt the powers which alone constitute 1t
government
This is the theory ard practice Of ma.
Jions under the universally recognized
principles of internGtiona! law, and has
been since the earliest intercourse bet wecn
civilz zed countries. And these principles
must control the relations between any
STATE of the Union md the several States,
ard between State and the United States,
in the absence of any power on the part of
The lutter to interfere for the protection Of
the personal rights involved in such con-
,roversies. Nor can it be said that there
is such power, or that the rights OF de Hr6
claimants in such cases are other than per-
sonsl rights; for the people OF each State
are absolutely free to control their own in.
tcrnal sffalrs, and when they have de.
,ermined what particular persons they
will recognize as their State officers their
interests are consolidated under the ad.
ministration of those officers, and any other
person or persons claiming the right
to act as such must of necessity repre-.
sent only personal Interests, and lay claim
only to the privileges and emolumonts Of
office. That amendment of the Cons,itu.
ton which provides that the Uuited States
shall guarantee to every State republican
form of government will not apply, If the
de facto governme ut is republican in form
and adequate to the preservation Of the
peace. government docs not cease to
be republican in form because others
than those exerting its functions assert
the right to administer it, unaccompa.
uied by requisite means to support their
| pretensions. Ther, is o recent case in
point Governor AMEs, Of Mississippi,
pressed by hostile Legislature with pro
ceedIngs of impeachment aud finding tlr1,
matters would terminate in his removal
al d disgrace, resigned his position and re
lirqushed his claims, protesting agaius,
the right of the body to do the act pro.
| posed While this act was voluntary on
his part in contemp lation OF law, it was
the iurlhest possible remove from volun.
tary act in point of fact; and there are
many who now regard him as the rightful
Governor of the State, notwithstanding his
resignation, because, they say, the pro.
ceedings for his impeachment were insti
u,,d by an illegal body calling itsel
the lie gislature Of the State, and
for the sole purpose OF accom-
p,ishing this result. So, when the
name of Mr.. LAMAR was called for the ad,
ministraton Of the oath of office as Sen
a,or, objection was made to his credentials
because they were not certified by the de
jure Governor. And yet there were but
two votes in the Senate TO sustain this
| view. Such is the general disregard show n
| Do lure rights. The world is full of wan.
dering de jure representatives of crowns
and kingdoms; while the nations of the
earth recognize the pretenders who fill their
| places.
Now, the existence Of government is
| matter OF M bic knowledGe. and when q