Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-04-18

INC IuTIneT pEOOI WHICH III furnishes
that the Southern politicians who went
out of the National capital in 1861 to
take command of the rebellion are again
in command at the National capital.
The declaration Of the Southern party
organ called The States, that "we, the
Confederates, have captured the Capt.
toll" is simply statement of fact,
as the action of this Congress already
proves. Deeming the frank statements
of the truth by that organ of Southern
opinion impolitic, some of the Confed-
crates have taken the trouble to deny
that that sheet correctly represents
Southern opinion, and to say that its
editor is not = Southern man, but is n
carpet-bagger from Ohio. Whether
this be so or not is of no consequence.
1t is a Southern publication 1t is sup
ported by the Southern people. 1t fur
which brings to it that support. In
other words, it supplies demand of
the people among whom, and for whom
it is issued, just as every other public
journal does, and it is only by supply
ing that demand that it exists. What
ever the editor be, a carpet bagger from
the North, or swash- -bucklcr born and
bred among the barbarians of the South,
is wholly irrelevant question. The
question of relevancy is: Does his pa
per represent the average political sem
timent of the people from whom it de-
rives supportP If it did not they would
not support it. If there were not a de-
mand among the Southern people for
such party organs there would not be
so large a supply.
"Thank God! we have captured the
Capitol, and now we will proceed to
tear your amendments from the Con-
stitution and trample them in the mire.' ~
The first clause of this Southern deliv-
erance is simply statement of fact.
The Bourbon party now in command OF
the Capitol is more than two-thirds
Southern in both Houses The South
orn part is the ruling part. 1t domi-
mates the party caucus. 1t dictates the
party policy. 1t gives form and direc-
ton to the party programme. The
Southern party chiefs who led the re-
bellion are again at the political front
as leaders of the party in possession of
both branches of the National Legisla-
ture. Southern political ideas are again
the guiding force and Southern politi-
cal purposes again the purposes of
which that party is the organized in
strumentality Bourbonism in its most
antique character and Objectionable
meaning is again at the front. The old
dogma of ultra-C -Calhounism expressed
| in the words Estate sovereignty" has
been asserted and reasserted in one or
| hat fprt,n nf xunrlc hxr
federate party chief that has spoken in
the House this session. The supremacy
of. State authority and the subordina.
tion of National power are two ideas
underlying every opinion to which any
Confederate orator has given voice.
Not one Northern Bourbon has ex-
pressed the slightest dissent TO such re.
dictionary opinions. On the contrary,
every one that has spoken has dropped
easily and naturally into the old ruts
and submissively parroted the paleo,
zoic ideas of the Southern fossils from
the old red sandstone age of our polit
ical geology. So exactly true is the
boastful assertion of the Confederate
silurians: 1--WE have captured the Cap
itol."
The second clause of the Southern
assertion is simply a declaration OF
what the men who have captured the
Capitoi are now actually proceeding to
| do. The provisions of law relating to
National elections are portions of laws
passed to convey into execution certain
plain provisions of the National Con-
stitution embodied not only in the war
amendments, but also in the original
text. Their repeal is demanded for
the reason that they are contrary to
the old Calhoun doctrine of State SOW
ereignty. They are despotic usurpa-
tions, it is said, by the Federal Govern
ment (mark the fact that no Confed-
crate politician ever employs the words
National Government or National Con-
stitution). Every assumption of legis-
lative power by Congress which implies
the contrary of the pretended suprem-
acy of the several parts over the COM
bined whole is denounced by these
Bourbon fossils as an usurpation and
as another step toward centralized
despotism. Though they apply only
TO the election of Congressman, theiI
provisions of the National election law
are characterized as unconstitutional
assumptions of power to interfere with
the Z" sovereign right" of the States to
regulate and control their own actions,
and State sovereignty demands their
repeal. There is some color of plaus.
ibility in the objection that in framing
these provisions of law Congress did
not make a clear distinction between
National elections and State elections
The law is made operative only when
National representatives are TO be
elected, but as the practice now is
to elect representatives at the same
time as the election of State of
ficers, under the same election of.
ficers, and even upon tine same ballots
delivered in the same b%llOt-boXes,
there is an appearance of interference
with the local electors which the Con
stitution does not warrant, and the
principle of local self-government for
bids. To Obviate this, it has been pro.
posed to amend the National law so as
to require that National Represents
tives shall be voted for upon separate
ballot, to be delivered at each polling,
place, in a separate ballot-bOX, and tC
place this ballot-boX and all pertaining
to the election of Representative under
the exclusive control and supervision
of the National election officer, but for
bid him TO interfere in any manner witt
the conduct of the local election, which
might properly be held in an adjoining
room. But this suggestion docs no
please the State sovereignty brigadier'
at all. There point is that there art
no National elections; that an election
of Congressman is State election thu
same as the election of State Legisla
tors; that National Legislators are STATE
| I oo;oIotOrs and that tho Gtata I onr;sla