Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-09-07
THE NATIONAL IDEA.


The heresy of monarchism that seems of
late to have obtained complete domination
of the Republican party, Is one that will have
to be met squarely in thepending campaign.
The national dogma is one that is not ten
able in republic suoh as this, for 1t is re-
pugnaut to the great central principle that
controls the people of their right to govern
themselves. The Republican papers claim
that to admit that the several States have
separate and distinct powers aside from the
federal government, is to admit the right of
the STATES to secsde. This claim is 80 pre-
posterous and far-fetched, that it requires no
argument.
A review of the history of the United
States will convince any reasoning man that
this was intended to be confederation of
States, not nation in any sense of the
word. The federal government was estab-
lished for the purpose of protecting the in
terests of the several States just in the sense
that directory is formed by banking or
railroad association for the purpose of pro
tecting the interests of the stockholders.
The federal officials exc else administrative
powers only under the sanction and by the
consent of the several States, as the admin
istrative officers of corporation exercise
their powers under the direction and by the
authority of the stockholders. The consti-
tuition reserves to the States respectively
all powers they have not voluntarily surren-
dered to the central government, and these
constitute only such powers as are necessary
for the common defense.
When President Lincoln called for troops
to defend the integrity of the Union against
rebellion, he apportioned to each State its
proper quota. If this had been nation
he would have called for enlistments
from the country at large instead Of
from its recognized divisions, while in the
field these soldiers were known as the sol
disrs of the respective States, not as federal
soldiers, and they were as jealous of the rep
utation of their States as they were Of the
reputation of the federal government.
They were nowhere recognized as national
troops, but as troops Of the States. None
of them were enlisted as federal but as State
troops, and as each company or regiment or
battery was mustered into the service it was
credited to the States. The war was waged
for the maintenance of the union of the
States, not for the preservation Of the ma
ton.
The national idea is an after-thought. 1t
had its birth in the desire of some to form q
monarchy for purposes Of foreign intercourse,
an idea utterly remote from that entertained
by the trainers of the constitution. Alex
ander Hamilton was permeated by the mon
archical idea, and in the constitutional con-
vention attempted to have his ideas engraft-
ed on the organic law of the land. But he
was over ridden by the statesmen and pat
riots who thought they had the opportunity
of establishing government of the people,
for the people, and by the people. Time
has demonstrated that Hamilton was wrong,
while Jefferson, Washington, Hancock, and
others of their compatriots we're right. The
republic has stood for hundred years, and
despite the Vaccinations of the monarchists
will stand many hundreds of years to come.
The union must and shall be preserved, but
the nation and those who advocate it must
perish from the face of the earth.