The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-07-31
THE NATIONAL AUTHORITY.
rFrom the cincinnati Eoquirer.l ]

From the Cincinnati Enquirer.l
The Republicans of Congress, the Re
publican in the White House, the Re
publican newspapers throughout the
country, have been exalting the ma
tional authority in the recent political
discussions. The veto messages were
sent to Congress ostensibly in defense
of the national authority. The speeches
of the Republicans in the House and
Senate were full of tributes to the ma
tional authority. Day after day the
Republican press teens with articles
lifting up the national authority, and,
by the same token, belittling the au-
thority of the States. A large portion
of the Republican party is anxious to
make this the sole political issue In the
elections of 1879. It is charged that
the Democratic party is determined to
destroy the authority of the nation
when it asks for a destruction of the
test oath for jurors, for the Punishment
of the army from the polls, and when it
would forbid the use of the Federal
purse at the ballot-hoxes. 1t is the
Theory OF one party in this country that
because it is determined forever in this
country that State has no right to se-
eede from the Union a State has no
rights at all. The war negatived for
ever the right of State to leave the
Union. Does it therefore follow that q
State has no rights whatever? The
right of secession was only asserted by
few States Must all of the States
lose all of their rights because it is set
tied in blood that these few States rad
| not this right? Because it Is fixed that
this Union of States is perpetual, is it
| fixed that there are no States-as the
1 constitution knows States in the
Union?
Let us analyze this national author
| ity for which the Republicans so uni
versally and vehemently plead. Do
they really ask for the authority of the
nation or for the authority Of the Re
publican partyY The Federal Govern
ment is divided into three coordinate
branches. These three are independ-
ent, distinct, separate, and together
they compose the national authority. =
The balancing is so delicate that SUI
/ preme power rests nowhere; for the
/ Executive may be impeached and re.
moved from Office, the Justices of the
Supreme Court may also be impeached
and removed, laws may be passed II
spite of the refusal of the signature o.
the Executive; and, on the other hand
the laws of Congress may be declared
null and void by the Supreme Court
1t is, however, these three departments
or branches of Government that con
stitute the national authority" Is j
for these, for this national authority,
that the Republicans shout? Not q
all. Upon the leading questions nov
at issue between the two parties, be
tween two branches Of the Government
the Supreme Court has already decides
against ths Republican party. .Iha
party does not plead for q nationa
authority that includes the Suprem
Court; and here is one of the thre
great branches of that authority that j
ignored, ruled out, when these men hu1
rah for the nation with big IN" D.
they shout for the Legislative branch o
the national authority? Not at al
They howl against it. This great &C
ordinate branch of the national author
ity they specially curse and despise. ]
, / is clothed by the constitution wit
larger powers than either of the othe
branches of the Government, but it ha
no place in the national authority to
which our Republican friends mo-
cheer. We find, in short, upon examiI
alton, that the only part OF the nations
authority of which the Republica
,, orators and organs are really in favor
that part of which they happen to hay
,, control. It'll notthe national author1t,
. but Republican authority, party an
, partisan authority. which. they are am
ious to maintain. It is not constitt
! tional authority of the Federal Cover
: ment. but the unconstitutional author
, ity of Republican Executive to whic
! they are devoted. The executiv
department of the Governmer
: was designed by the constitutio
; to be the most modest {
it's three great branches. 1t was il
tended to be in fact as in name th
: executive department. The Executiy
!. was to execute the laws, not to make {
interpret them. We hare recently hear
!, the strange doctrine that the Exect1tiy
!. is part of the Legislative power of tt
J country; we have recently seen the Ex
! cutive ignore or defy the department
q the judiciary; and we now 1enoia
n great party snounng nlgnt ana Gay : :
! man m the White House IN accord accord. va {,
national authority, and his party go
!, before the country on this issue. Drlvt
y from power in the national lsgislatur
', | the Republlcan party WOulQ make u