The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-12-04
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" 1IERMAN.

Senator IAmafS recently RuuIe5soN
larqe audience "a Winona, Mississipplt
IN oodrsa oBwhich he spoke at some
le,, ln vindication Of the Democratic
"a sd Of the South, against charges
b John Sherman, We make,
having extracts from his speech ;;
1n noM fellow citizens, | have to
- h anslhihg upon subject which, If
Nv bvsf In its character than that
vi,iob Hage discussed, is more difficult
.tolfa bperfect unreserve. A pub
licS q whose position makes him
Che REPRESENTATIVE of the national inter-
ests, and whose duty it is to respect and
Vyindicate the character of the whole peo-
Ole whom he represents, has lately taken
the field as an open, and, l believe, an
vowed. candidate for the Presidency
His immense patronage and his neressa-
~ influence with the great money cor
poratione Of the country are all 30 many
forces operating to give success to bis
aspirations. IndeCorous, in my opinion,
az is this attitude of Cabinet ottfcer
holdineeuch immense patronage; COM
pronllng to the administration, OF
which he forms so conspicuousja part
as id ibis open disregard of the patriotic
profsBaions as to civil service reform
made by the President-I would not
feel called on to follow him in his popu-
lar canvasses, but for one fact He has
lately made, published, and extensively
circulated two speeches Zone delivered
at Portland, Me-, the other at Steuben'
vile, Obio), which are bitter and malig'
nant Misrepresentation of the whole
South; Misrepresentation uttered not
in the heat and passion of honest excite
ment, but cold, calculating, venomoua
words, meant to stimulate honest and
ignorant people to the exercise of Sec
tional hatred. Before read you what
he says, especially about the South, lei
me call your attention to his charges
against the national Democracy:
"If l felt at liberty to choose the
theme most important to you and tt
the whole people of the United States,
would present the recent revival by the
Democratic party of the Southern doc
trine Of State rights. THIS doctrine hat
been the evil genius of American poll
tics. 1t was born of hostility to the
Union. 1t was the bulwark of Ameri
can slavery. 1t poisoned and estranget
large section of the country. Under
the name of secession it led to the late
rebellion, and aimed to destroy the
Union by an open. armed conflict with
tie National Government Every life
that was sacrificed and the treasure thai
was wasted in that war were the bitter
fruits of this doctrine.
"Now it takes the form of notification
mot notification by State officers at
when General Jackson throttled it, but
notification by members Of Congress
the sworn agents and officers of the
General Government. These officers
would surrender essential powers of the
National Government, nulllfy it's law
cripple it in executing its conceded pow.
ers, and make it a Confederate instead
of National Government"
Here is a direct and positive state
ment that the Democratic party has re-
ViVed and committed itselfto the South
ern doctrine of State rights mot using
the phrase to convey that meaning
which is acceptable to the minds of al
IA people Of all the States, both North
and South, but using it to convey that
meaning which is repugnant to the
Northern haart, and which the people
of the North regard as subversive of ma
tional security and the integrity of the
Union. He expressly says; The South
ern doctrine Of State rights" involving
accession" and Qualification"
Now what was that Southern doc
trine of State rights" involving secession
and notification, of which Mr.. Sherman
speaks? The gentleman knows well
what the doctrine is, and he knew equal.
ly we'll that neither the Democratic par.
ty nor any member of Congress nou
maintains it, or asserts it, or follows it,
He knows that the doctrine OF which he
spoke was q claim that every State of the
United States had reserved in it's own
hands the right to judge of the Constitu'
tionality of an act of Congress, and to
pronounce it null and void within its owl
limits.
Now, Mr.. Sherman knows, and knows
well, that every Southern State hat
yielded up that doctrine yielded it uE
in good faith and forever; aye, more, has
written its renunCiation in its organic
law. He knows that nowhere in this
great Union is there one State which sets
up any claim of right to determine the
limits Of Federal authority, or Claimf
any power over the Federal Govern
ment or any department Of that Govern
ment. What, then, does the Secretary
mean by this reckless assertion? ? And
what is the impression which he in his
high and responsible position intends to
producer He knows what ideas and
feelings are associated with the ante
bellum Southern doctrine of State rights
in the mind of the people before whom
he made that charge that is to say, Sc
cession and slavery, rebellion, nullIfica-
ton and dismemberment Of the Union.
Such are the Impressions made upon
their minds, and such are the impress
sions which he knew would inevitably
be produced when he made this charge
against great national party which at
the last election gave to its candidate for
the Presidency an overwhelming major.
ity of the popular vote of the United
States. Ia it true that this great party
has done this thing2 Not only is it not
true, but Secretary Sherman ought to
know it to be not true. Fellow. citizens,
do not believe that in all the annals Of
party war are to be found assertions
more reckless of consequences, more
destitute of foundation, more cunningly
framed for the production of erroneous
impressions on the popular mind than