Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-08-01


and State supremacy is dearer to the
hearts of the American people than all
that they defended, upheld and estab-
lished by yeats Of wal and immeasura-
bio sacrifices of blood and treasure.
State rights, State supremacy, nom
interference with the States these have
for long time been notions held by
certain class of professional politicians.
But the outbreak of the Civil War re-.
vealed the fact that these notions had
no hold upon the people. Tho instant
the torch of rebellion was lighted, the
millions of free citizens all over this
land leaped up to do battle for the Ma
tional idea. This is as true of the South
ern as of the Northern people; they
fought also for a Nationality, and not
for State. ''I went with my State"
was only the excuse of cowardly small
politicians; the people of the South
fought for Nationality and independ-
ence, and to the end cared for the South
as q unit, for it's institutions, its GUS
toms, its prejudices and its pride. 10
this day, the feeling that fingers is a
keen regret that "the South'' did not
achieve d separate National existence.
On the Northern side, the spirit was the
same except that there was an uncon-
querable hostility TO tho alienation OF
aht part of the National territory.
Men volunteered, and lent money, and
endured disease and wounds and cap
tivity, and faced death, not for frag-
ment called New York, or Ohio, or
Massachusetts,, but for "the Union for
ever" Do the blind politicians fancy
bof n
The centennial anniversaries have
intensified this National spirit. 1t is
marvellous that there are still politi-
clans who do not see the proof of this
fact in every celebration. Those who
gather at Stony Point, and remember
with pride the deeds of Anthony Wayne
and his heroes, scarcely know or care
whether the fort taken was in one State
or another, or whether the men who
captured it we're from either State or any
State. They were soldiers of the young
Nation, and won one of those victories
which gave that Nation being; that is
all men care for. From the beginning
! the people were cemented into one Ma
ton by conlft1Un cause, and the petit
Jogging of small local politicians was
but the froth on the crest of the mighty
wave of patriotic feeling.
So it is now, though Democrats are
so slow to believe it. The Nation is
mighty, and dear to the hearts of the
people, and trusted without stint, while
the States have become mere lines on a
map, and divisions for the convenience
of local administration. Not one man
in thousand forgets that the Nation is
known and feared and honored through
out the world, while some of the States
are merely despised, and others are un-
known. Local dishonesty and repudia-
ton, local folly or knavishness in legis-
lation respecting the greatest undertake
ings or investments, contrasted with the
fidelity and the power of the Nation,
have contributed not little to bring
the State idea into disrepute, ard make
the National idea welcome and dear TO
people of vast commercial and indus
ttiggl Eg bpFttsEgtS @sap @ap fssl HB9 knQy tn a
country are largely due TO the steady,
unwearied and unshaken direction OF q
compact and massive nationality.
In no other particular has State con.
troll become more remiss than in the
protection and regulation of the right
of suffrage. That the existence of ouI
free institutions, and all their value
depend upon the defense of that right
against force and fraud, men feel IN
stinctively. But they have seen, in one
State or another, almost every con
ceivable method of defeating the rigif
of suffrage resorted to, and shielded by
State law or administration. All sort
of wise or vexatious restrictions upol
: that right have been in turn adopted
nullifed and abandoned; in some States
a majority of all the citizens have beer
for long time deprived of the right b.
law; in other States the majority ha
been overpowered by mob violence, o
driven from the polls by terror; and il
this State and many others the will o
> the majority has been defeated b,
frauds of the most glaring sort, TO
which State law has inflicted no penalt
} on anybody. Even when States hav
tried most earnestly to protect thei
citizens in the exercise of their rights
as in Louisiana, the result has ofte
been the adoption of methods so arb
I trary and so liable to abuse that the
l have done more harm than good
1 Behind all other difficulties is the rad
t cal and fatal objection that the Stat
: always lacks the physical power to en-
1 force its laws against important resist
D ance.
e The little that the United States ha
4 done in this field has been we'll done
$ 1t has enfranchised million of voters
I 1t has prohibited any disfranchisemen
Y for race, color, or previous servitudC
q 1t has provided, in the election law!
s means by which the citizens of any Il
n cality can invoke for their protectio
n in the right of suffrage all the power {
=: the General Government. 1t is safe
J. predict that all changes in the futul
s will be in the direction, not of restri
= ton, but of enlargement of the Nations
: power for the protection of the right
u suffrage. The people, whatever Den
S ocratic politicians may think, are real
i disgusted with the changeable, confiic
:" ing and vexatious regulations of I'll
; States. They are citizens, rot of
Il State, but of the United States.
II their dearest rights they want IL
s steady, equal and powerful protectio
d which the National Government alo1
, can give. The chief defect of existin
IL laws is that they only scratch the su
} face. More will be done, before Il
2 wears have passed, to insure a Cover
IL ment of the United States by the peop
e of the United States, and not by legi
II lative tricks, rife-clubs, State board
r bands of repeaters, or bribed elector
g N. Y. Tribune.
LS Al 0rdar From Ganaral HarkimAr