Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-09-18

ing to the highest authority, tho rights
of the States are as indestructible, if our
system OF Government be preserved, as
are the rights OF the Federal Govern.
ment; that the one is Just as sacred as
the other and that he who assails the
plain rights of the States is just as much
an enemy of our system of free institu.
tions as he who assails the Just powers
of the Federal Government. Indeed,
so sensitive upon this subject were our
foretathers that within less than two
years after the organization OF the Fed.
eral Government ten articles of amend.
ment to the Constitution were adopted,
every one of which was intended to
limit the powers of the possible preten.
sions of that Government, and the ninth
and tenth articles of which expressly
declare:
"Article x. The enumeration in the
Constitution of certain rights shall not
be construed to deny or disparage 9th.
ers retained by the people"
"Article Y. The powers not delegat.
ed to the United States by the Constitu.
tion, nor prohibited by it TO the States,
are reserved to the States respectively,
or to the people.
Now why were our forefathers so ical.
Gus upon this subject, and so careful to
preserve the rights OF che States and Of
the people, Ii was. among other
things, because of all the countries in
the world, America. for the preservation
of the liberties and prosperity Of the
people, needs local self government.
NI.,,1I g., a
its career OF usurpation until, practical.
ly speaking all the powers OF Govern.
ment should be absorbed by it, what
would be the necessary result? Then
the laws that would govern the people
of Ohio in regard TO their domestic con.
Germs would be made, not by their own
chosen representatives in their own
midst, but by Congress in which the
State of Rhode Island has as much
weight in the Senate as the State of
ONO; by Congress in which the six
New England States would have six
times rs much power, in the Senate, in
framing n law relating TO the domestic
affairs of our State As Ohio herself would
have. Let no one, my friends, imagine
that such a state of thinus can never
N'ilt ~ pass ia Sfrli hp ilpA bflAfNf
that it will come to pass but the rea.
son of my belief is my faith in the pow.
er of the principles of Democracy to
prevent it. Were it not for Democratic
opposition. it might come TO pass. The
forms of State Governments might re.
main. Your legislatures might sit from
year to year, passing laws and levying
taxes, but their legislation would be
met and controlled at almost every step
by the legislation Of the Congress Of the
United States.
The forms of the Roman Republic
continued TO exist for centuries after
every particle Of Roman liberty had
been destroyed. And so the forms OF
our State Governments might continue
10 exist after every substantial exercise
Of local selfgoytrument had been over.
thrown. Now, mark it, my friends, the
doctrine OF State rights or, in other
words, local self government. for which
the Democracy contend, is wholly diff
ferent from the doctrines of notification
or secession. The Democracy of the
North never believed in either of those
doctrines; they never believed in the
right OF notification or secession. And
until the breaking out OF the civil wal
believe it may be truly affirmed that n
large majority OF the people Of the
Southern States were also opposed to
those doctrines. 1t is true that when
the war broke out almost every South.
ern man took sides with his section.
That was the natural consequence OF
such a strife, which overwhelmed for the
time almost every dictate of sober rea.
son. But, whatever may have been the
opinions of the Southern people before
the war, no candid man can deny. no
honest man will deny, that the South.
ern people have abandoned the doctrines
of notification and secession now and
forever. They have accepted the result
of the war as determining that no State
has right TO nullify the valid laws Of
Congress and no State has n right to
secede from the Union. It is therefore
the baldest hypocrisy or the most de-
plorable ignorance to pretend that
there is any danger Of the revival of the
doctrine of secession. One great cause
that endangered the Union-slavery-
has ceased to exist To re.establish it ia
n manifest impossibility. No man.
s'NiN VI aEbhhiF Nbak ~ N1AlA
be re-established. The Southern people
would be among the first and the most
earnest to oppose such measure. Their
political power is largely increased by
the emancipation of the negro. and they
are fast coming to the conclusion that
their material prosperity is likewise inn
proved by the emancipation. 1t is not,
therefore. fear of secession or of the
re.establishment of slavery that prompts
the Radical leaders to degrade and lie
base the States. The cause lies far
deeper than that. II grows out of the
long and never.ending effort of consoli-
dated capital, seeking special privileges
by means of legislation privileges that
the mass of people do not enjoy. The
holder of Government bonds desires a
strong National Government in the be-
lief that such Government would give
greater security and value to his bonds
The mammoth railroad corporation,
running through many States, feels
restive under what il considers the