Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-01-29
STATE RIGHTS.

some such guard is established.
STATE RIGHTS.
The message of Gov. Hall, of Delaware,
recently issued, is a most commendable doc
ument, worthy of very general circulation,
for it deals with subjects that are destined
to engross large share of the public atten-
ton in the future. One passage Of it will
bear publication here's
desire to emphasize the Importance and ne
cessity Of the State relying upon its own gov
ernmental resources and appliances to main
tain tranquility and the supremacy of law
within it's own borders. The habit Of calling
upon the authorities of the general government
for troops by the States, to suppress disorderly
and turbulent demonstrations therein, would
undoubtedly beget strong feeling of depend
ence upon the federal government, and di-
minish. in corresponding degree, the spirit of
such a relationship subsisting between the
State and federal governments, the latter
would gradually absorb many of the attributes
OF sovereignty expressly reserved to the former,
and thereby impair the efficiency of those great
checks interposed by the constitution against
the centralizing tendencies of political power
in the hands of the general government. We
should beware of power when it approaches us
in the guise of protector, for the object of its
protection now may soon be the victim of its
oppression.
This embodies in essence the doctrine of
State rights. 1t is doctrine that has not
been popular of late years, but nevertheless
it is a doctrine that must claim the attention
of the public for some time to come. We
apprehend that it will form not inessential
part of the campaign of 1880, and for that
reason it must be met, and met squarely.
Ever since the war began the rights of
the States have been subordinated to the will
of the central power at Washington. The
States have surrendered nothing, but the
federal government has assumed much. The
party in power seems to have labored to
obliterate all functions that by the constitu-
ton belonged to the States, and to create at
Washington strong central government
against which nothing should prevail. The
Congress of the United States has assumed
to dictate to the several States just how far
they should 60, without consulting the legis-
latures of those States. The result has
been but natural. Whenever the people
of any State or of any section of
State have been in trouble-if mobs have
threatened destruction or judicial proceed
ings have appeared to be adverse-appeals
have been made to the United States govern
ment for protection.
Under the constitution of the United
States each State is allowed to maintain a
militia sufficient to perform all police duty
that might, under ordinary circumstances. be
required. To that militia is committed the
duty of preserving order. But what have we
seen? LESS than two years ago the cities of
Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Phila-
delphia applied to the general government
for troops to suppress mobs that could have
bean suppressed in fraction of a
day by the regularly and le-
gally constituted police of those cities.
AS consequence these cities suffered Sc
verely-allowed the mobs to run wild until
the arrival of federal troops, and as re-
suit the authority of the States was de-
meaned, and the mob taught that only the
federal authority was potent to restrain dis
order. The fact is that if the people and
the authorities had not been taught that the
center of power lay with the government at
Washington, the mobs would have been dis
persed as promptly as is drunken crowd on
the streets of st. Paul.
There is grave Misrepresentation as to
the nature of our government, which, the
sooner dispslled the better. The central
government was formed only as an appeal
court of last resort. The States were
given all the powers necessary for their
own internal governmental the regulation
of all disputed matters and for the suppress
sion of all internal disturbances. The CEN
trail government was formed only to provide
for the common safety. AS matter of con
venience in legal disputes the supreme court
of the United States was formed as a court
of last resort. But the general government
was given no powers except those conferred
upon it by the States. It's only purpose was
to carry out the will of the people towards
foreign governments-to declare war against
foreign powers and to levy taxes for that
purpose whenever the States should so de-
eide.
The attempt of the dominant party in
our national affairs to make the central gov
eminent supreme, and the governments of
the States mere utilities is subversive of the
principles upon which the government was
founded. The fact remains that the general
government is the creature of the States ::
that all its powers are derived from the
States. The sooner, therefore, the people
learn to look to their local government for
protection the sooner we will achieve the
purpose of the establishment of a govern
ment of the people, for the people and by
the people.
The T0,Ule- Wallace Af'uir
To the Editor of the Globe.
Your exposure of the Tall-Wallace affair has
caused some excitement among interested par
ties here. Wallace WAS at ono time oro,n;,o,4