Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-05-24
Qailp Aennebet Journal.
Augusta, Saturday Morn'g, May "a, 1879.
"Technically a Nation"

Senator Eaton declares that this Is
Technically a nation" Not a nation
with original and vital national powers {;
not government with inherent integral
life and vigor; not an organic nation as
distinguishedfrom mere confederate states
but only technically nation.
This vivid, transparent. self-explaining
phrase sums up the democratic position.
1t defines and describes the real issue oil
the great struggle at Washington and
throughout the country. 1t takes us al
once to the heart of the tremendous con-
troversy in which the republic is engaged.
1t strips off the Incidental and superficial
questions with which Others seek to be-
cloud and obscure the real nature of the
battle before us, and opens to our eyes and
minds the true meaning and the crucial
test of the great conflict. The republicans
affirm and maintain that this Republic is a
nation: that it is endowed with the essen
tial and vital power of nation; that it
has the structural unity and organic life
of nation. In opposition to this view,
Mr.. Eaton proclaims that it is only tech
nically nation
And so the issue is made up and the
battle joined. Senator Eaton deserves
the credit of presenting the question in
clear and unmistakable form. lie is sim
cere and straightforward in his utterances
.,..1 l.. 4 4 l..
positive convictions and positive way of
stating them. If he was speaking only
for himself his declarations might deserve
less attention. But he is simply little
more frank and honest than others IN as
serting what is essentially the position of
the whole democratic party. The entire
policy Of the party in its warfare upon the
federal election laws and its demand that
all questions of election shall be RENTED
to the States is based upon the same theo-
ry which Senator Eaton so plainly avows
He says what his party thinks, and formu-
lates the principle of what it does.
Mr.. Eaton's speech leaves no possible
doubt of his meaning. He contends that
ours is mere ''confederacy of States -
that they have come together in a Union
for purposes of convenience that this
Union, however. possesses no real power
apart from the States of which it is COM
posed; that whatever authority it NAV ex-
ercise is derived from the States; and that
the States may determine for themselves
what this authority is. He makes the
States supreme and the nation their mere
enthusiastically nation" but in
reality secondary to the States He insists
that the word national" is not found in
the constitution, and from the absence of
the particular word he assumes the alb
sence of the broad idea of nationality,
though it is defined in the very declaration
of the object of the constitution.
We repeat that in all this Senator Eaton
has brought out in clear. bold outline the
real issue which underlies the whole strnc-
gle-the issue over which the war was
fought-the issue whether this is nation
or not--the issue of State supremacy
against national unity and authority lie
and his party stand for the old heresy of
State rights. They defend the same princ-
pie which was used to justify notification
and secession. On that principle they de-
clare that there is no such thing as nation
al elections, and no power in the nation to
protect them. The people of this country
supposed that the question was settled by the
costly and bloody arbitrament of war But
with revived democracy here we are again
face to face with it.. Let Senator Eaton's
words be everywhere remembered, this
is technically nation. ''-Albany Journal