The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-07-17
A STAND FOR STATE RIGHTS.

Some Words OF Wisdom That Boston Heard on
the Fourth.
On the Fourth of July young Boston
speaker already we'll known through his
serious and independent study of our
history, Mr.. Henry Cabot Lodge, spoke
some certain truths to the listening ear
Of Boston, such as Boston had not lis
tened to for many day past. Nothing
could be more accurate or more fearless
than Mr.. Lodges presentation of the true
origin and meaning and importance Of
the much misrepresented doctrine of
State Rights, nothing more outspoken
and manly than his denunciation of the
mischief done by the war to the popular
appreciation of the part played by the
doctrine of State Rights in the develop.
ment of our liberties. This extract en-
bodies the essential points of Mr.. Lodges
argument: ..'
"FeHeign critics have sometimes found
fault with our excessive reverence for the
Constitution. We do we'll to venerate
that which has made us a nation. But
let us beware of mere lip service and
take care that in practice we submit to
and observe it. We are too ready to in
fringe both the letter and the spirit of
the Constitution in the excitement of
party contests. Nothing can be more
fatal, for within it's sacred limits lies the
we'll being of cur political system.
Within those limits, too, lies the de-
feated principle in the great conflict be-
tween nationality and separation. In
the late decisive struggle the rights of
States were sorely wounded. 1t could
nothave been otherwise when their most
Jealous advocates used them as thesWord
and shield of slavery and dashed them
against the strong rock of national exist
ence. The injury then suffered by the
rights of States is the gravest result Of the
war, simply from its effects upon our
minds and habits of thought. We have
been insensibly led to regard a violation
of State rights with Indifference, if not
with approval. The principle of States
rights is as vital and essential as the ma.
tiOnal principle ITSELF II the former,
carried to extremes, means anarchy, the
latter, carried to like extremes, means
Capitalization and despotism. So long
as we have the strong barrier ofthe States
we are safe from usurpation and plebis-
cites. Here in the North, States rights
have naturally become words of evil sig.
ni6canCe and are even used to repel po-
litiCal opponents. This is not only bad
in itself, but IL involves an amount Of
historical hypocricy which is intoterable.
The most meagre outline of our history
sufices to show Enthusiastically that the
separstist principle has existed every
where and has at some time bust forth
everywhere into dangerous activity. II
| this teaches nothing else, it should at
least enforce the wholesome doctrines Of
consistency and charity.
"That separatism should have existed
everywhere was not only natural but in-
evitable. The government OF each State
was old, familiar and beloved when the
Union was formed. The State represent.
ed the past. With its existence were en-.
twined all the memories and traditions
which carried men back to the tolls and
sufferings of their hardy ancestors who
had made homes in the wilderness that
their children might be free and receive
a continent for their Inheritance. The
hearts of men were bound up in their
States. The Federal Government at first
appealed only to their reason or their in
terest. To their States they turned as
the objects of their first allegiance. This
sentiment knew neither North nor
South, East nor West. Nothing IS more
false than to associate the doctrine of
States rights with any particular part of
the country, or exclusively with those
States which last invoked its aid. Moth
ing is palmer than that the States and
the party in power have always been
strongly national, while the minority,
call it by what party name you will, has
as steadily gravitated toward States
rights. There has never been moment
of peculiar stress and bitterness when
the truth of this has not been brought
home with sharp distinctness."