The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-12-24

means exhaust AL the rights of the people and
States, and the residuum of those rights still
remains inherent In the States or the people.
The Tenth amendment to the constitution OF
the United States declares that:
1.-THE powers not delegated to the United
states by the constitution, nor prohibited BY
it to the States, are reserved TO the States
respectively, or to the people
The constitution of the United states does
not provide for local seif-government. and has
nothing TO do with it. This is one of the rights
reserved to the States in severalty; not TO the
States collectively as nation. or whole peo-
pie a right, therefore, which IS inherent In
the people of each State, SO that estate rights"
and s.iocal self government" which latter Is
also State government, are, from their very
natures, SO strongly and Intimately united
that they can not be separated without immi-
citizen. So perfectly are they blended that
we can not attack one without, at the same
time, assaulting the other. Whenever any
power unlawfully trenches upon the rights OF
the State, 1t necessarily threatens the stability
and normal action of local self-government,
impalrs its proper functions, weakens Its in
fiuence, and tends to destroy its general
efficacy. No matter what lis ostensible mo-
tiveS and reasons may be, for the states are
necessarily the natural and best guardians OF
the rights of their own citizens. and the proper
directors of their own poIity, and may always
be trusted, inasmuch as the people who make
and execute their own laws Will not
The error of the Times consists not In assert
Ing the sovereignty of the people of all the
States collectiveiy-that is, of the whole ma
sovereignty to the people OF the individual
States; thus stultifyfng that amendment to
the consultation which declares tnas an dignss
stitution, nor prohibited by 1t to the States,
are reserved to the States respectively, or the
people.
Local seIf-government to q certain extent,
as manifested in townships and counties, is by
no me ans exclusively peculiar to the English
speaking race, although that race IN America
has developed its possibilities for the welfare
of society to greater extent than any other
tho tr1a Gfrnh or 81 mi Ia n
divisions for local government were known
on the continent at least 200 years before the
time of Alfred, who introduced them into
England. Their characteristics, however,
were more N arked in the interest of local
government than in the interest OF local self
government, Even Russia, the most despotic
government of Europe, has her COM
munes, her cantons and volosts,
townships s and counties. At one time the I EN-,
pire wasdivided into a great number of prfn-
CAPABILITIES, at the head OF each of which stood
prince elected by the people. and subject to a
constant control of the National Assembly.
Then these communes, cantons and volosts
in all local affairs. All this has been changed;
czardorn, which is only another name for GEN.
tralization, hreathed upon these germs Of po-
either died or shriveled into powerless, fnsig-
nlficance, and now Nihilism, through secret
conspiracies, murder, arson, and assassfna-
ton, is seeking 10 'anarchize" that empire,
hoping that from the ashes of great political
confiagration may arise the Phoenix of the
lost freedom of the people, France paid In
oceans OF her richest blood for the unjust en-
croachnents of central authority, and Spain
still sleeps In that torpor which, in part is the
result of the same melign influence. England
has no such local self-government as America
enjoys. She has her subdivisions of territory for
local government, but everything there is
controlled and administered by the central
power. the nominal head OF which Is the
queen. Nearly all nations have their minor
subdivisions of territory for local govern
ment, but not for local selfgovernmeEt, as
America has; not for government exclusively
nv The peOnlo. hut local government mainly
administered, dictated to, controlled and infiu-
enced by the central authority through agents
and officers appointed by that authority, and
whose terms of office is the pleasure of the ap
pointing power; and herein lies the distinc-
ton between America and other govern
ments. Our local self government is peculiar
to the American people, and its popularity
and great excellence consist in its being adj
ministered by the people and regulated and
protected by the States, and so not easily SUBJ
jected to any interference by the nation
Federal Government The State is the shield
of the weaker organizations or corporations
for the purposes OF local Self-gOvernment.
Local seif-government can live and thrive
under state authority ana protection, for the
State is always in sympathy and unison with,
and directly interested in the healthy
when subjected to any other influence and
authority. 1t matters not whether that au-
thority be president, an emperor or a king,
and the greater that authority the greater the
danger. The wolf, undoubtedly, can give
greater protection to the lamb than the dam
and the eagle more efectually protect the
young doves than their mother still, both
lamb and young doves, would hardly desire
such protectors. And SO reason and instinct
should teach the American people not to ex-
change the natural protection which they
have In State rights Tor the more powerful
protection of the Federal Government, for all
history tells the same tale of the aggressive
ness of power when lodged IN the hands of
one, or few persons, and chronicles the same
mournful requiem of liberty lost In the in
terest of Capitalization,
We see no evidence of ICON fusion in the
mind" of Senator Gordon, as to the meaning
of estate rights" and "local self govern
ment," and the dependence of the latter upon
the former, and he need not remain
silent under tine apprehension that the
American people, North or South,
are yet indoctrlnated with the ideas
or the Times or that school of politicians. On
the contrary, let him.and every other senator
and representative, from whatever section of
our common country, who has the sagacity to
comprehend the necessities of the hour. and a
tongue to express them, speak as becomes a
patriot and a statesman. We confidently be-
Iieve that when the true nature of the ques-
ton of local self-government and its indissol-
uble connection with, and dependence upon,
State rights, is calmly and logically set before
the American people, disrobed of the gar
ments of partisan color. they will overwhelm-
ingly decide that these States shall neither
be severed by the guilloJ1ne of secession, nor
gebbled up by the ogre of Capitalization.
: Cannelton, Ind, Dec. II. G. Ri. NJ.