The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-07-04

"f'-----'
The Fourth OF July.
in view Of the late session OF Congress
aud the attempt of the Democratic party
10 resurreCt the doctrine Of States rights
"A contradistinyulshed from the idea Of
nationality, and Of common, central and
irresponsible sovereign government, the
advent. once more Of the Fourth OF July,
the day Of our independence, may appro.
pratcly be taken as text for few re-
marks on the nature and value Of the in.
dependence won for as by the blood Of
our :orciathers.
II they had only succeeded in freeing
ms from The government OF Great Britain,
and il they had not in the year 1880 sue.
recded in framing for usa permanent form
Of National Government, and had simply
left us to the mercy OF system Of sover-
,iyn governments, each one invested with
a veto on the general government, we
would have presented to the world the
spectacle OF lot Of petty soVereignties,
such AS the Spanish American States, too
weak to repel foreign aggression and too
Jealous to sink their individualities for the
good of common whole.
our fathers did not leave us III this pre-
,Iicament. They had tried Confedera.
ton and found 1t inherently weak and
defective. What they wanted was Ma
tionality. They therefore formed Con.
stitution and solemnly ordained that it
should be the supreme law Of the land,
Anything in the constitution or laws Of
any State tothe contrary notwithstanding.
There were no IFS or butts about it. The
Government was made high and supreme
over all.
II our fathers had been satisfied with
league or confederation they had no need
to make a change. They had one after
the var Of independence. But they were
not sati,ied, and for the reason that they
wanted to be a Nation-a nation with
big n. Thcy telt that any other form Of
government was mere rope OF sand.
Hence they created-the people themselves
BY their votes created-a central and su.
preme national government, from whose
mandates there was permitted no appeal,
and from which there can be no appeal
except to armed revolution.
whole end and aim ofthe Constitution
was to make the people Of the Colonies
one people, instead OF several peoples as
they were under the Confederation. And
it did make them one-one in peace and
war, and one in all acts Of sovereignty.
No separate State could do a sovereign
act. AL sovereignty was taken away.
They could not declare war, make
peace, negotiate treaties, coin money,
levy duties, regulate commerce, or do
any other act that sovereign might do.
Hence the talk Of sovereign State san alb.
surdity. 1t became convenient expression
for notification in South Carolina, and af-
forwards for rthepro.slavery rebellion ofthe
South, and the Democratic party as the
ally and champion Of slavery became the
party Of State sovereignty and State re.
bellion, and has remained so to this day.
II this day celebrated nothing better
than this doctrine OF State Sovereignty 1t
would not be worth the powder that will
be exploded in its honor. 1t would be a
sham and adeIusion, and We would stand
before the world simply as a great over
grown aggregation of antaSonistic and
Iiscordant communities, ready to fall to
pieces over the first serious difference OF
opinion that might arise about any
law that Congress might pass. What
would such government be worth? Who
woNId respect its flag or rely upon It's
treaties? Who would be responsible for
its ObligationsP
The Republican party is the champion
M the National idea. 1t has boldly in
scibed on its banners that the American
people constitute Nation not a League.
1t defends the theoryo Of a strong Central
Government. It atIirms the language Of
the constitution as to the entire suprema-
ry OF the Federal Government, anything
in the constitution or laws OF any State to
the contrary notwithstanding. This was
its proud position during the late session
otCongrcss against the Democratic party,
Nsi, was during the war, and therefore it
sthe party that to-day gives to this glori-
oNs anniversary Of our independence all
the true meaning and value that it pos
SeSSes.