Lexington weekly intelligencer., 1880-09-25

extricate ourselves from positions of
peril. He teaches the false and mis-
chievous doctrine that government peli-
cies and not honest toll and frugal care !;
that the schemes OF the BRAIN. not the
sweat of the brow, give competence to
men. Much has been said about the
absurdlty OF fiat money. How much
more absurd are Mr.. Sherman's teach
ings OF fiat prosperity. In this direction
Mr. Sherman outstrips Dennis kearney.
ON THE SUBJECT OF NATIONALISM.
Gov. Seymour said:
The points most conspicuous in the
speeches and journals of the republican
party are, first, that it is nation. and
next, this election is a contest between
the northern and southern states, in
which victory will be great gain to
the former party. We charge that the
denunciation OF the south is used to
mask their designs to get jurisdiction
over all the union, and mainly over the
interest OF the people of the north, as
they are the most important and varied !;
that the term nation is selected because
it is a word OF obscure and indefinite
meaning, and If it is substituted tor the
legal word and proper title OF govern
ment, it will enable them to make
changes in its character hurtfnl to the
rights OF the people and disastrous to
the prosperity OF their business and in
dustrial pursuits. The mischief they
will create will not be for the remote
future, but it is pressing upon US now,
and will be felt with full force from this
time on, unless it is averted by the re-
suits of the pending elections. 1t is
marked and conspicuous fact in the po-
litical discussions of the past four years.
that the republican leaders have sought
to bring into use the words nation and
| nationallsm when speaking of our cOun-
try. These have heretofore been used
| without any special significance as
terms generally applied to different
divisions OF the human race into COM
munities governed by some forms of
law. and by this sense we have used
them to avoid the repetition of the term
union, United States, or general gov
ernment. but they have now been made
the shibboleth OF the republican party.
and OF all who have schemes for which
they wish to gain public support at the
seat of government. While the men
| who use these terms never define them.
THEIR VERY OBSCURITY
serves the purpose of covering their
ultimate objects, and at the same time
allowing all who have political theories
inconsistent with our constitution to
feel that they favor their views in their
primary sense. The word nation means
those of common origin, and applies
most apply to the smaller divisions Of
tribes, or OF those of common lineage.
In this more correct significance it is
certainly not applicable to our country.
whose population ls made up OF mixed
races from all quarters of the world.
In its more common use it signifies po-
litical divisions, ranging from the lowest
to the most elevated political organiza-
ton. When, therefore, it Is said we are
nation, the term gives no idea OF the
character of our government, but it
leaves every one TO infer what he pleases
as to its significance. Obscure and un-
meaning as it is, 1t was adopted with
the solemnity of a congressional resolu-
ton as term which told the power of
our general government. In 1876 a
resolution was offered, in which we de-
clared, among other things, that the
people of the United States constitute
one nation. All the republican men,
bers voted for this, as If it threw some
light upon -
THE CHARACTER OF OUR UNION.
So far is 1t from doing this that it
which was clearly stated In our consti-
tuition. There is something in the Uni
ted States, the union, the general gov
ernment, which is in conflict with the
purposes OF MIR Garfield and his friends.
They do not tell us distinctly what they
aim at, but we find that all those who
seek for more jurisdiction use the term
nation for nationality whenever they
have occasion to speak of the Jurisdic-
ton at Washington. We always find
that the men who use the word, and
| many, like Senator Blaine. who love to
call it sovereign nation, are in favor
| of different construction of the consti-
tion than has heretofore prevailed. Mr..
| Garfield openly states this when he
says that the views held by Hamilton
are growing in strength. and he reioices
| that our government is gravltating to
more power. We find too, that they
favor the plans of the same Distinguish
ed statesman of gaining jurisdiction by
constructions put upon the words of the
constitution. As they do not like at
this moment to develop all their plans,
which would excite alarm, particularly
at the north,
| TO MASK THEIR PURPOSES
and to divert attention by exciting
passion and prejudices they use the
words as tar as they can in connection
with sectional controversies, so that it
may be felt that they only have in view
the strength of the union. 1t is this
idea which gives their phrases meas
ure of favor with the republican party.
They also take great pains IN their dis
cussions to carry the idea that national
ity means something favorable to the
north. We charge that the purposes OF
the republican leaders are In conflict
/ with the constitution; that they endan-
ger the peace, the order, and the safety
of the union. They draw to the nation
al capital hordes of men who have sell
fish aud corrupt objects, who tempt Of
fciaIs to violate duty from motives of
ambition and greed tor gold. They i'm
pair the interests and prosperity OF dif-
terent sections of our union by laws
framed by men ignorant of the subject
upon which they act. and by Legislation
not only in conflict with the letter of the
constitution, but with its spirit and the
gains of all political institutions, both
local and general. have already
briefly sketched the history and features
of the constitution. / have set forth in
the language of Mr.. Schurz the evils
which now prevail about the capital ,
growing out of the various and compli-
Gated subjects which are Improperly
carried there for legislation. l have
stated that the republican leaders seek
to increase this evil state of things by
WIDENING THE JURISDICTION STILL
| MORE.
So that the increase of our population,
the growth of all business interest SC
far from giving to US the greatest Sc
curity, will only create more complica.
tion, more disorder, more difficulties
We charge that those who seek covertly
to bring about those results are anima.