The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1879-10-10
STATES RIGHTS.

The Democratic convention last week declared
itself in favor of ''local self government, and
the delegates present with a thoughtless unanim-
ity and hurrah voted for the resolution There is
| literally nothing In this declaration save rs a
| ''catch penny for some demagogue of politi-
clan, who, knowing that there is disposition
| on the part of many, to blame the ruling party
for all ills, whether public or private, thinks
such declaration will have tendency to make
some believe that their private rights are being
trampled under foot, or their domes tic concerns
within the States are being usurped by the gen.
ersl government. Local self government is guar
snteed the people by the constitution of the
United States, and no party has been more ZEAL
GUS in its support than has the Republican party.
1t was part Of their platform in lSGO and has
been rigidly adhered to ever since. 1t is prin-
ciple that runs through every fibre of the National
existence One that is Of just as much impor-
lance for the perpetuity Of the general govern
ment as for the maintsnance Of the rights secur
ed to the States or to the people. 1t had its ex-
istence and origin under Saxon rule in England
when the hundreds, !" ''county" and ''town"
division of government was organized and is
maintained in England to this day. We have
our town, county, city, State and national divis-
ions, and God willing, intend to retain them.
We said that this declaration was passed with
'thOughtless unanimity." Our reason for this
assertion is that this self same declaration was
embodied in the Virginia resolutions of '9s upon
which the right of secession was founded by CAL
hOun and SO zealously advocated by the Demo-
cratic party that the discussion finally terminated
in open rebellion. On just such declarations OF
principles did the South base the right of State
to decide upon the cOnstutitiOnality of acts of
Congress and even go further and say that if they
were constitutional but obnoxious the State
might refuse to obey or permit the execution Of
the acts complained Of. While the Republicans
have favored 'local self government" they have
always claimed that the Supreme Court of the
United States was the proper tribunal to decide
all questions of infringement the rights secur-
cd by the constitution whether by the States or
by the United States. There is but one right
secured to the States which the people of the
United States by q vote of .three-fourths of the
States may not take away whether the people of
a particular State object or not and that is the
right to two Senators in Congress. We do know
that the Republican party has never attempted to
take away any Of the rights Of q State except by
a Constitutional Amendment and has never
pasSeU any law which IL was NOT WllltnS 70 sub
nit to adjudication by the tribunal constituted
for that purpose. So where is the scare for II
vival of this question by the Democracy. There
can be none but from the fact that from similar
sprung secession. We US Republicans
have reason to fear its revival. Leading South
ern statesmen have recently declared their ten
scious adherence to the doctrines for which they
fought. Jefferson Davis in his letter declining
to be a candidate for the U. s. Senate does SO on
the ground that there is no probability that his
disabilities would be removed and then goes on
to say that estates Rights" are Of just rs much
importance as ever. We know what estates
Rights" mean in the minds of Southern Demo-
Gratis and as they control that party in Congress
have We not cause to fear revival of this issue.
And it is a revival by the Democracy Of our own
county, the mass of when we believe on refec-
ton would have voted against the resolution
when they perceived that other almost
hidden heresy which further on in the resolution
spoke Of the rights reserved by the States. The
con stitution was not adopted by the States, but
by direct vote of the :people and they retained
certain powers to the States, and the language of
the constitution warrants no other Interpretation.
Next week we shall review some other important
features in this platform that the people may see
where the leadership Of John Il. GoOdin will
fho,