The Morning herald., 1877-03-07
WILMINGTON. March 2. 1877:
THE DUTIES OE THE HOUR.

A cheerful Submission to authority, no
matter how doubtful Its title may be, as
one can well give. Z 5cquiescence should
be coupled with firm determination to
wage d war OF political determination,
upon party capable of producing men
who would treat an election as farce,
and who would accept title no more
sacred, than that of q bandits, to the plum
der taken by his strong hand in the
Abruzz. The incroachment of the FEEDER
al power within the past sixteen years,
has been so all peryading, that it has Low
practically usurped almost every function
of the varions states, which make up the
Federal Republic. How narrow an es-
cape we have had from Casarism is not
hard TO tell-were it not for Babcock' $
Indictment, Belknap's Impeachment, and
the leprosy of nepotism, and dishonesty,
which covered the administration Of Grant
he would be now President, or Dictator.
If he and his surroundings, were reputed
honest, aud that the moral sense Of the en-
tire disinterested community had not been
offended, there was no power in the Re-
publican party to have beaten him, within
the organization, and if nominated he
would have clutched a sufficient number
of Electoral votes i'll his grasp to count him
in. We escaped that danger, and may be
thankful that less able usurper takes his
place.
Special attention should be given at
once to the local organizations of the part,
in every part of the land The municipal
institutions Of the world are the only cita-
dels of freedom. II was the citizens of the
Burghs, and Chartered Towns, who little
by little, bought with their wealth, or
wrung with their mail hands, the liber-
ties, rights, and political prevailings,
which the creed Of the Republican party
in this country, aver to be inconsistent
with the full exercise of Federal power.
We have reached period in our political
history, exactly parallel, to those which
may be found in other countries; when
the central power aims at subordinating
every chartered right Of State, City, or
other political divisions to the Imperial
march of ruler-to certain goal.
And long as we can sustain the State in
the assertions of her autonomous rights,
and maintain her dignity, we can bravely
battle in the cause Of right and freedom.
Look how insidious, are the advances Of
Federal usurpalion. First, all seeming in
reference, Were matters Of necessity, then
they were demanded to assure the rights
Of the humble negro, next in the interest
offair plaJ at elections in cities of over
1000 inhabitants. Gradually Federal
Marshals, show themselves kind of Amer
ican Pretorian, and interfere with cleo
tions, and in SO doing arrogate police pow
ers, which are plainly forbidden by the
Constitution OF the United States. A Gu
rious instance Of how impartial!y Federal
Marshals are distributed, may be seen in
Attorney General Taft's report. Marshall
Dunn appointed l35 in Wilmington, while
Marshal Kerns thought 2S0 would be all
sufficient for Philadelphia, and these were
confined to the Democratic wards. By
the true intent Of the Constitution the
Federal marshal is a trespasser at the poll:
in any State: but has tie color Of law
take that away by creating two seperatt
polling places, for Federal and State off
GERS, and you place him without the pale
of the law, if he attempts to interfere at tn,
latter. This law, as regards Delaware
need only apply to Wilmington.
A vast deal depends upon manly, an,
overpowering support to the judiciary g
this State in May next, when confic. Q
jurisdiction, is almost certain to arise be
tween the Federal and State Courts:-if
be held tina. the State ha. no power to Pre-