The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-10-21
the SUM Of MEAnNEss.
WI D Means the Doctrine Of State
Sovereignty, as Advocated by
the Democracy.
IL REFUSES a Man Protection at His Own
Fireside, and Tells Him to Go
Away from Home If He
Wants to be Pro-
tected.
Extract from Col. Robert G. 1ngersou's Rockfort
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s--.I. .#L ..... SISSSA~J #. .-'4. % ts-.
The great difference to-day between the
Democratic and Republican party is, that the
Democratic party believes this is a simple con-
federation. The Democratic party believes in
what we call State sovereignty, and the Repub-
Lean party proclaims this country to be q ma
ton, one and indivisible. There is the differ
ence. The South believes this is a mere con-
f~ederacy, and they are honest they are willing
to fight for it they are willing to fight for it
now they are willing to commit frauds for it
they are willing to use the shotgun to uphold
it; they are willing to use tissue ballots to sub
s~santiate it, and they BELIEVED it. Now the ques-
ton with us is whether We will put a party in
power knowing, as we do know, that the princi-
pal part OF hat party absolutely believe in the
doctrine Of State sovereignty. They believe in
the sacredness Of q State line. In old times, in
the year of grace 1866, If a man wished the army
of the United States to pursue q fugitive slave,
then the army could cross a State line. When
over 1t has been necessary to deprive some hui
man being OF a right, then we had q right to
cross State lines, but whenever we wished to
strike the shackles Of slavery from a human
being we had no right to CROSS a State line. In
other words, when you want to do a mean
thing you can step over the line, butt your OBJ
ject Is 0 good one you shall not do It. This
doctrine Of State sovereignty is the meanest
doctrine that ever was lodged in the American
mind. 1t is political poison, and if this coun-
try is destroyed that doctrine will have done as
much toward it as any other one thing. I be-
ueve the Union one, absolutely. The Demo-
orat tells me that when I am away from home
the Government will protect me, but when I
am at home, when I am sitting around the
family fireside OF the nation, then the Govern
~nnt nom oNt r1po+ooA Sn,o :. ~ -~...A 49, = v
want protection. Now I denounce that doc
Urine. For instance, We are at war
with another country, and the American
nation comes to me and says "We
want you" I say, II won't CO." They draft
me, put some names in o wheel, and a man
and my name is on it, and he says: "Come.'
80 I 90, and I fight for the flag. When the
war is over I go back to my State. Now let us
admit that the war has been unpopular, and
that when got to the State the people of that
i stats wis wfe ee m to Gt5 ozaIdg, upon my rights, and I
fend me you made me defend you" What
ought the Government to do? I only owe that
Government my allegiance that owes me its
protection. Protection is the other side Of the
bargain; that is what it must be. And. if a
Government ought to protect even the man
that it drafts, what ought it to do for the vol
unteer-the man who holds his wife for q mo-
ment III q tremulous embrace, and kisses his
children, vets their cheeks with his tears,
shoulders his musket, goes to the field, and
says: "Here I am to uphold my flag {" A
nation that will not protect such a protector is
disgrace to mankind, and it's flag a dirty rag
that contaminates the Dir in which it waves.
I believe In a Government with an arm long
enough to reach the collar Of any rascal beneath
its flag. Iwant it with an arm long enough and
sword sharp enough to strike down tyranny
wherever it may raise it's snaky head. I want a
ASNr %lnk n, l1.- L. RELL ..
humblest citizen Iwant o nation thatwill pro-
tect a freedman, standing in the sun by his little
cabin, just as quick as it would protect Wander
bilt in a palace Of marble and gold. I believe
in a Government that can cross a State line on
an errand of mercy. I. believe in a Govern
ment that can cross q State line when it wishes
to do justice. I do not believe that the sword
turns to air at a State line. I want a Govern
ment that will protect me-. I am here to-day
do I stand here because the flag of Illinois
is above me? I want no flag of Illinois, and
il I were to see it l should not know 1T am
here to-day under the folds of the flag of nv
country, for which more blessed blood has been
shed than for any other flag that waves in this
: world. have as much right to speak here as
If I had been born here. That is the country
in which I believe that is the nation which
commando my respect, that protects al. This
sway with We have got to stamp it out. Let
me tell you its history. The first time it ever
appeared was when they wished to keep the
slave trade alive until 1908. The first resort to
this doctrine was for tho protection of piracy
and murder, and the next time they appealed
to 1t was to keep the inter-slaye trade
alYo so that o man in Virginia could
sell the very worln:, that nursed him
to the rice fields OF tho South. It was done SO
they could raise mankind as a crop. It was a
crop they could thresh the year round. The
next time they appealed to the doctrine was in
favor of the Fugitive Slave law, 50 that every
white man in the North was to become a hound
to bay upon the track of the fugitive slave.
Under that law the North agreed to catch
women and give them back to the bloodhounds
of the South. Under that infamy men and
women we're held, and were kidnapped under
the shadow Of the dome OF the national Capitol.
II the Democratic party had remained in power
it would be so now. The South said "Be
friends with us, all we want is to steal labor
be friends with us, all we want of you is to
have you catch our slaves be friends with us,
all we want Of you is to be in partnership in
the business of slavery, and we are to take all
the money and you are to have the disgrace
and dishonor for your share" The dividend
don't suit me.
The next time they appealed to the doctrine
Of State rights was that they might extend the
area Of human slavery it was that they might
9 desecrate the fair fields Of Kansas. The next
time they appealed to this infamous doctrine
x WIS AL SUCCESSFUL anu tTodSOu ~ uOH, VIGIL !
hear any man advocate this doctrine, I know
!. that he is not q friend Of my country, he is not
q friend of humanity. liberty, or of progress
There is another reason why I I'm opposed tc
4 the Democratic party. We have not only got
Il parties to trust-we have got sections of coun-
try to trust. They say "Are we never to b
friends with the South? Yes, when tn
I South admits that they were wrong. Whel
they get up to that point they vii
know that whoever is conquered by right is
after all, the victol; they will know that ever,
man that was whipped by freedom remains
conqueroy upon the field every man trample'
down by right rises like a god and when the
get great enough to understand this philosoph
& they will be glad that they didn't succeed the
well know that defeat was their only possibl
road to success. We, having saved them fror
the crime of slavery, have made it possible 70
them to 60 abreast with us with the great marc
Of human progress, and the time will come whe
the South win rejoice that we succeeded becaus
the right was victorious.
Now we not only have to choose between sec
tons and between parties, but also betwee
men. The Democratic party has nominate
Gen. Hancock for President, and Mr.. Englis
for Vice President. For several years past tt
Democratic party has been doing all in il
power, or pretending to do ali in its power,
destroy the army and the national banks, an
in order to show that it is sincere it nominate
q for President n Major General in that vel