Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1879-06-21

United States at elections, without the
consent of the local and state govern
ments, has recently received considera-
BILE attention and apprehension.
Under any circumstances, in my opinion,
it is unsafe and antagonistic to the prin-
ciples that should govern our republican
institutions. At the last October cleo
tions, United States troops were station
ed in Philadelphia for the avowed
purpose oil enforcing the election laws.
This was done without the consent or
even the knowledge Of the civil authori-
ties of either the city or the state, and
without any expressed desire on the
part OF the citizens, and, as far as can
be ascertained. without existing neces-
sity.''
The Democratic party stands to-day |
where Governor Geary, a staunch re-
publican. stood tEsra. Nor are we
without other a3d equally as high re-
publican authority to sustain the position
talls;selR by our party. Hon. Carl. Schurz
low distinguished member OF the
present Cabinet, in his place on this
iioor made this memorable protest
against the scandalous and uncoustitu-
tional use OF Federal soldiery in Louis
lana:
s.Unlted States so diers, with fixed
bayonets, decided the case against them.
and took them out of the legislative hall
by force. cannot, therefore,
escape from the deliberate conviction, a
conviction conscientiously formed, that
the deed done on the 4th of January, IN
the state house OF Louisiana. by the
military forces of the United States,
constitutes gross and manifest viola
ton of the Constitution and laws of this
Republic. 1t this can be done
In Louisiana. and if such things be sus-
tained by Congress. how long will it be
before it can be done in Massachusetts
and Ohio.
He who in place like ours fails to
stop, or even iustifies blow at the fun
damental laws OF the land. makes him.
self the accomplice OF those who strike
at the lite OF the Republic and at the
liberties of the people,"
i The present aple Secretary of State,
Mr.. Evarts, in his great speech on the
same subject in New York, was even
more emphatic than his colleague in the
Cabinet, and his words could we'll be
adopted now to formulate the creed OF
the Democratic party. He used the
following language:
"When men vote, and when their
chosen officers meet, and when without
violence and without demonstration of
! insurrection they undertake to conduct
| the affairs OF their pc; itical government,
= no soldiers can interfere.
c There are two very distinct firm lines
F. of Limitation, which observed will pro.
+ tect the machinery of the Government
q for the people to-day; that is, that the
D sole intervention of the Federal power
= within state authority shall be to sup.
2 press violence, and that their Office aitel
that shall not assume to 60 further un
Y less when invited by the supreme
: authority of the state.
8 What use IS it to give the purse anC
e the sword to the House OF Commons i
! the King or the President by military
!. power can determine what shall be th'
y constitution of the House of Common!
e OF the House of Congress? And that ii
l. what they fought for in England
g And for this reason the people
o of the United States are justified IN as
o suming that the supreme civil powe
h shall dominate over the military, an
8 that no merging OF them or int erterenc
g with them shall be permitted"
e Now, Mr. President, shall we be de
IS nounced simply because we plant our
e selves, not only where the fathers OF tn
j. Republic stood, but where the gres
e lights of the republican party have de
7. clared the only true constitutional pos
s. ton can be found. Now, cir, ventur
l. to assert that underlying the whole al
gument on the other side are tw
le assumptions: first, that the war has S
If developed the independent existence {
!. the Federal Government as distinguishe
le from the states as to give 1t create
S, power, larger influence, and more dlret
he interest in congressional elections tha
l. it possessed before; second, that th
Il administration, as the representative {
f. that party which elected it and in contrt
,e of the Federal machinery, is bound
S. use that power and influence in the pre-
ot lection OF these interests. In other word
e. that the privileges and prerogatives ,
e. the states are to be obliterated, not
ID force. but by the subtler though not le:
S. destructive influences of two great n,
OF tional parties using the powers of tt
Mt Federal Government as weapons {
OF warfare.
n Now, do not propose to make an
y, constitutional argument on this subjec
he 1t is sufficient for me to say that [ hol
u the form and character OF our COVER
Sc ment to have been unaltered by the la
ITS war, and that the mutual relations
IL, the general government and the sever,
,e, states OF the Union remain precisely
or they were when the union was forme
m l hold that the recent constitution
ne amendments have wrought no change
,st these relations and in these views
ch am sustained by the language OF Il
be supreme court OF the United States in Il
ty case of The Collector vs.. Day report,
cy in eleventh volume Wallace. In th
ny case, Justice Nelson, in delivering ii
or opinion of the court, used the tOllowir
re language:
ho The general government and t
er states although both exist within tt
st, same territorial limits. are separate al
| distinct sovereignties, acting separate
nd and independently OF each other with
their respective spheres.''
he In the same decree the ensuing wor
ch are used:
|u- "Such being the separate and inc
al pendent condition of the states in o
ed complex system, as recognized by t
oy constitution, and the existence of whi
Ter is so Indispensable that without the
ed the general government itself wou
ars disappear from the family of nation
es- &C."
n? | maintain. therefore, that the cons
var tuition has not been changed in its
!ch sen lal features by the late amendmen
la. and that it is therefore now what it W
on- before the war. 80 that when the count
lat demanded the preservation Of the uni
I'VE by restoration OF the states it mea
an such a union and such states as the ct
ow stitution recognized. Can any advoc;
or OF Il strong government, which is
he another term tor Capitalization, supp(
ON for one instant that the founders OF G
ld- republic contemplated or would ha
to countenanced the exercise of su
MT powers by the federal government
ais are claimed for it by the legislation
If are seeking to repeal Does any Sci
en- tor here believe that this ls safe,
ON wholesome condition of public affair
the Putting aside all extreme theories
tor state rights, does not every Sena
is f? recognize the fact that one of the G
, in ments of our political safety has be
ion the manner in which local state intere
be- have acted and reacted within
d | states upon national politics, so tt
ted until just before the war we never h:
for had great national parties which diviC
Al L IL.