The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-06-07
IrTTEas FROM THE PEOPLE.
r.r,roCRAT is responsible for none OF
i sSnss expressed In the cofnmunl catl Sas;
N Essssa head: but no eommuni CATIONS Will
w. III except from responsible partie6l
y Y, 4. SHERMAN ON STATE SOY
EREIGNTY.

mi i few days ago Ia the columns OF the
n..suts, lii which be attempts to instruct the |
'.,,,sns of the South In the science Of govern
ss.nt According to this military authority. |
80 ,oomplishes nearly everything that liz
80 ttthis sublunary world. II overthrows |
srHtutions and sets up new forms OF gov
sarsnt. It converts union Of States into
sntcn without any intervention On the part
! thS people. Il establishes the right Of
~xsBIon, as In the war Of the revolution, and
~uenizes IL as imperishable. It overthrows
4 II The war of the Confederacy and regards
ia dead letter. According TO the same
IleraI's ideas, the party that beats bis an
S.pnist Id fight, Ii always right. and ne
~ ID defeated Is always wrong. Inc man
w asserts that twice two make Six, and
socks down his antagonist who maintains
iIst two and two make four, carries the day,
s.dtvo and two shall make six forever after
.rds. Il matters not whether the question
| |. me 81 arithemetlc or OF constitutional law,
= Who deals the heaviest blows and kills his
snn1ent. establishes the truth Of his conclu-
36ns. however absurd.
THIS Ia the doctrine OF brute force--the
] ,.rtrine that might makes right--a doctrine
Eint promulgated In the Dark Ages, but which
IA been brought into prominence among
nllitary leaders and political aspirants since
ia late war, and In consequence Of II. II
- distinctly reannounced by Gen. Grant
Y the conclusion Of hostllities, when he was
snt BY President johnson On mission into
IA Southern States to ascertain ii
INV were In fit condition to be restored to
ia Union. Gen. Grant reported at head
uusrters that "they were" said that 'eyery-
thIng was quiet at the South, and the people
,here were willing to submit State rights,
/ .cession, etc, to the arbitrament Of the
Eblphest tribunal to which men can resort on
|mrth-that OF arms!"
ltIsalso the doctrine OF Gen. Sherman's
litter. lie says:
soyereignty belonging to State like Loufsi-
~. Mississippi Or South Carolina, greater
nan that OF Che nation, should be revived In
III national debates, after 1t had been settled
/ 81 the great tribunal Of war.
TIE doctrine of free and Independent States,
y they were declared to be at the beginning,
md as they have been ever since, was not
6esttlsd by the war, unless this doctrine Of
i butte force Ia to prevail. Men die, but prin-
dples are imperlshabIe. A State once sover-
/ IN, always remains SO until 1t ceases to be a
/ Nate, Sovereignty Is the life of q State, and
/ hBwh0 attempts to compass that life 10 a
traitor. The States have been every whit aS
sovereign since the war as they We're before
/ \, and until they are consolidated into one
kreMt State or nation invested with
supfeme power over the other States ian ex-
ploit not yet eonsummated), remain 80.
There b no sovereignty Ia the constitution.
which ID merely q form Of government.
Eh.fs " no sovereignty In government ltsel1,
xgnty that exists I'll this country ID ID the
extes themselves, and outside Of them there
. isnone.
Again he says:
Louisiana cannot be sovereign az to the
Mississippi. but 10 Q coegual unit ~ the great
whole typified by our Union, and now COM
poslng the nation / believe the war set
tied this great question finally and forever
int Ne much as It did the question Of slavery
ind confess to sense Of surprise to observe
thlt our politicians want now to go back to
1Gtl Tor political issues, as though there had
tsen no civil war;
The war did not eettle the question Of sla'
4 yMy, but 1t was RENTED to the Southern
lktes. each Of which settled 1t In Its SOY
xsign capacity.
This letter writer is equally mistaken II
NJ facts In respect to what he calls thu
cyll war" There has been no civil war II
Hk country. II there has been, and the cit
hekB Of the South had fought under the Fed
Al flag, the war might have turned out very
differently from what 1t did, and greatly T.
No advantage and honor Of the South.
dyil war ID q war fought In the bosom OF on
ND the same community by Its mem berl
! eontending with each other. The late wal. II
lnls country was q war between States, pc
tween sovereign com munities, between the
Northern States and the Southern States
4 AnnNfxx .x..lA, lxrk Akrr, t,d
Houthern States contend1n9, not for the righ
atuccession, which, being an incident 9
esrelgnty, could not be put In Issue 50 Ions
they remained States, but contendtng fO
ne rights which sovereign States do ant
Mfht to possess.
Mr was o civil war or a war between "a
nAteS. The theory Of Gen. Sherman is, tina
~, with Its red right hand and bloody front
the legitimate arbiter OF political dlHer
@ca. The same view Is taken by our presen
saad President, who insists that the Gus
Mtroundlng the polls 10 the most etfectua
method OF demonstrating the freedom
American suffrage. We dissent IN toto iron
w Doctrine Of force IN free country and
civilized age.
This military com mentator on the constttu
1n proceeds further to enlighten us Us TO tn
WnerS Of the government He says:
The power OF the national government
must be co-extensive with its dominions, an
must have power, actual physical power, t
@n.ofoe It's own laws and DEGREES.
me national government, so,called, mas q
eominions under the Federal constitution
Ile right OF eminent domain resides In tn
aparate States, who are lords proprietors {
Me eoil, and IL the Federal government WeI
Y seize upon single acre OF 1t. without the
e0sent, 1t would soon learn where sovereig
pRer resides In this country, and That stat
N0F1rnCntxy fG ~