Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-05-12
nailp Hennebet Journal.
Augusta, Monday MOrn'g, May IL, 1879
From the New York Tribune.
Reyiving a PerniciOus Doctrine.

Reviving Pernicious Doctrine.
If there be any principle Undertaking
the schemes of legislation brought for
ward bv the democrats ut Wash
ington it is that the National Gov
eminent is an oppressive and aggres-
sive power. menacing the liberties of the
people, power which the peoples repre-
sentatiyes in Congress are IN duty bound
to hamper and cripple as much as posi-
BILE. The President, as the Chief Minis
ter Of that dangerous power, must not he
permitted to perform the functions of his
Office with only the restraints of existing
laws. but new statutes must be devised as
letters for his hands and pitfalls for his
feet. The National Army which in all its
glorious history of hundred years has
never manifested the slightest disposition
to interfere with popular rights, must be
treated as an alien and hostile force, and
watched with Jealous suspicion lest it
should seek to subvert civil government.
In short, the theory on which the demo
Gratis are proceeding is that there is some
thing in the structure and power of the
United States Government inimical to the
interests and privileges of the citizen.
The theory goes still further, and main
tains, in effect, that the will of the citizen
is chiefly expressed through, and his rights
are chiefly protected by, his State Govern
ment: that there must necessarily exist a
more or less active antagonism between
State and Federal power, and that the
welfare OF the people will be best sub
served by weakening the latter and
strengthening the former.
Now there is nothing new in all this.
1t is simply a revival of the old State Sow
ereignty doctrine under a very thin dis
guise of anxiety about popular rights.
That doctrine has never been relinquished
by Southern statesmen, and it is the South
ern statesmen who are now, as Of old,
shaping the course of the democratic par
ty. The hard knocks OF the war failed to
beat into them the idea that this is nation
and they are now persistently at work
trying to repeal all the legislation adopted
TO strengthen the National authority,
in order that they may once more
set up the doctrine that we are
only a eonfederaey Of Independent
States. The Southern democrat is a
true Bourbon. who learns nothing and for
gets nothing, and be still chcrishes the
theory of Calhoun with undated devotion.
As to the Northern democrat. he appears
to be about as much of donghflce rs in
the old slavery days, and is contented to
take his political gospel at the feet Of his
Southern leaders He may not have the
intelligence to see that his party is being
constantly committed to a re-asser.ion of
the vicious doctrine which brought about
the rebellion, but it is more probable that
he is utterly careless of principles or con-
sequences so long as there is held out to
him fair prospect of the enjoyment of the
spoils of Office by Il union with the Solid
South.
If Northern democratic politicians are
Indifferent to the revival of the dangerous
dogma that the State is superior to the ia
ton, the great body of loyal, patriotic cit
liens are not. They view with alarm this
new assertion of theories that were last de-
family set forth in Congress in the days of
Toombs, Floyd, Slidell and jeff Davis
When they see Southern States multiplying
the election laws. and Southern Congress-
men seeking to fetter the army and to
hamper the Chief Magistrate so that he
cannot obey the constitution, which re-
quires him to take care that the laws be
faithfully executed, it looks to them as
If there were danger of history repeating
itself Not with their consent will the
stage be set for repetition of the tragedy
of 1861. They will permit no confederate
system of government to be established at
Washington. They believe the United
States to be a nation, clothed with full
powers to enforce its laws, and they pro-
test against those powers being diminished
one iota. They hold that the nation is the
creation of the people, and the highest ex-
preston of their will, and the only SOW
ereignty within its borders and they will
seize every opportunity, whether it be at
township, State or national elections, to
rebuke the party that has the eflrontery to
faunt again in the face of the country the
political heresy which led us into bloody
war.
There is pretty wide variety among
the constitutions of the American States,
but there is nowhere a document which
can hn ,,nntl.h..l .........4 IL. I-.l:r -.