The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1879-10-31

THE SECTIONAL ISSUE.
The question of national unity which
Was supposed to have been settled by the
civil war is still . burning issue" To-
day, Is nineteen years ago, the country
Is debating whether We sfe = nation hav'
ing . supreme government or . mere
confederacy or league Of States each
Of which may exercise anre-
stricted sovereignty rs TO the acquisition
Of citizenship and the elective franchise
Is it pertains to the election of \ Congress
and the National Executive. The claim
il set up that the States alone have citi.
zens; that the electors are those of the
States and not of the United States, and
hence that Presidential electors and
Members Of Congress can only be elected
by and under authority of the several
States. In brief, the pretense is advanc-
ed that the integrants are greater than
the integer. To-day this monstrous as
is being holly contested in the
State of Ohio. 1t will, in large degree,
enter into the impending political can
vass of New York and other States, and
form the chief issue in the national cam
paign of 1880.
We are among those who deprecate all
sectional issues. They are distractions
in the way of the nations progress, and
retard its growth in wealth and power.
Our system of government, as we regard
it, approaches Is near to perfection as
human wisdom can bring it. Under it
the States maintain their distinctiveness
a. do the ocean pillows, but they are no
more independent of the nation than are
the crested waves independent Of the sea.
They are welded together under a COM
mon Constitntion-an instrument not
ordained by the States, but by the peo'
pie thereof acting in concert to establish
q more perfect Union for national pur-
poses. That Constitution speaks for itself
in no uncertain or ambiguous terms. 1t
declares itself to be the supreme law OF
the land, anything in any State Consti-
tuition to the contrary Notwithstanding.
More than this; it plainly sets forth that
our country is not mere confederation
of States, but a perfect Union-a nation
having one common organic law, one
common government and one common
flag to symbolic its power. The Union
succeeded the old Confederation, and the
Constitution declares that all debts con-
tracted and engagements entered into by
the United States shall be as valid under
this Constitution as under the Confederd
ton. 1t does not say as valid under this
compact, or this league, or this confeder
alton, as under the former Confederation,
but as valid under this Constitution.
Whatever sophists or demagogues may
say to the contrary, the Constitution es
tablishes direct relations between the
Government and individuals in whatso'
ever State they reside. The Government
may punish individuals in any and every
State for treason and all other crimes in
the code, when committed against the
United States. 1t possesses power to tax
Individuals, North or South, in any mode
and to any extent. Furthermore, ii
possesses the power to demand and en-
force military service from individuals
all over the land. What closer relation:
can exist between individuals and any
Government other than our own? On
the other hand, the Government estab
lished by authority of the Constitution
owes high and solemn duty to every citi'
zen of the country, whether native OF
naturalized. 1t is bound to protect him
in his most important rights and interests
1t alone can make war or peace for his
protection, and no other Government IN
this country possesses power to exercise
like privileges. 1t maintains an army
and navy for his defense aud security,
and it alone can exercise this power
Beneath its flag the citizen goes abroad,
and carries all over the world national
character impaired by the Government
of the Union. and which no mere State
Government can or does impart. In all
that relates to war, to peace, to com
merce, the citizens cannot and does not
know any other Government than that
prescribed by the national Constitution
What does these thing teach? Simply
that for certain purposes the people OF
the United States are one people, and
have one common Government divided
into executive. legislative and Judicial
departments-a Government transcend
ing in its constitutional powers that Of
the States. The end and purpose of the
Constitution was to make the people one
people in making war, concluding peace
regulating commerce, and laying duty
of imposts.
That the States have certain well
defined rights all must admit. Such
rights, however, are in harmony with the
powers granted to the National Govern
ment. Except under false construction