National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-08-28
STATE AND NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY

Secretary MCCRARY knows, in common with
all the Republican leaders, that the claim that
"a State has right to secede is nowhere made,
and has been abandoned by those who once
entertained t.-LOuisuiHe C0urier-JOunal.
The above sickly whine comes from the
Courier Journal for the reason that the
Secretary of War, being determined to keep
State Rights out of the army, requires the
applicants for appointment to second lieu
tenances to answer the following questions
before the examining board
First-Have you ever been engaged in any
rebellion against the Government OF the United
States, or given any aid, comfort, encourage.
ment or support to persons who were 80 en-
gagged?
Second-Explain fully tho nature of the OBJ
legation you will assume upon taking the oath
required by law ON entering the service of the
United States as an officer of the army.
Third-Do you believe in tho right of State
to secede from the Union, and thereby absolye
its citizens from the allegiance to the United
States, from all obligations to obey the laws of
the UnionP
Fourth-If you become an officer of the
army will you hold your allegiance to the
United States as paramount to any obligation
to any State authority in case of conflict be.
tween the two?
Fifth-In the event that the State In which
you claim citizenship shall at any time at.
tempt to assert right to withdraw from the
Union, will you regard it as your duty to
adhere to the United States and obey the
orders of the President as your commander-in-
chief, or would you consider 1t right to with
draw from the army and 20 with your State
The Government and the people would
be glad to be assured from some one who
can be trusted that the doctrine of State
Rights no longer means more than an empty
assertion-a mere vaporing Of irresponsi-
bility, as the COurier-JOurHal intimates. But
the Government and the people have been
taught quite different lesson in the past.
State Rights was the parent of secession.
Without the assertion of that dogma there
would have been no seCession-no war-no
bloodshed, except as has always been the
practice in the South, little blood-letting
on private account. The late Conlederates
now pretend to have abandoned tho child
secession, but cling to the mother for future
use as circumstances may require, While
the mother lives there is no assurance
against more secession and those in charge
of the army, who have not forgotten how
mNny SOlcllH OatIS VI lOgdlly W tho bulOu
and the Constitution were broken by the
elimination of State Rights in secession,
feel in duty bound so far as is possible to
guard the National defense from future re-
currence of periured treason This accounts
for the caution used by the Secretary OF
War in securing to the army as far as is
possible only loyal men to serve as its
officers and Of which the Comier-Journa
complains in bitter grief.
Nobody knows better than the Courier.
Journal that eighteen years of bitter and
bloody experience has taught this Govern
mcnt and this people that the South cannot
be trusted beyond that point where com
pulsion rules the action Of that people
They pretended to surrender at the close o
: the war, but that surrender was made will
mental reservations that have proved, ant
will continue to prove more disastrous tC
the unity and peace Of the Nation than
prosecution of the war until peace was &c.
cured without these reservations woult
have been, though it had lasted for years
The conduct of the South since the close o
{ the war has been such rs to forfeit all con