The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-09-02
PRESIDENTIAL TICKET.
State Sovereignty.

we PUBLISH Oh our urSI page dill cAHauo-
tive speech from Hon. James A. Garfield,
on the subject of State'sovereignty, to which
we call the attention of our readers. 1t is
appropriate to offer this mastery presen-
tation of the Interpretation of our form OF
government from Republican standpoint,
in view OF the comments and excitement oc-
casoned by the sentiments recently enun-
ciated in this place by Gen. Wade Hamp
ton. 1t will be remembered by the impair
tial and Intelligent reader. that at no time
or in any particular have we charged either
Gen. Hampton or the Democratic party
with a purpose TO re-enact the tragedy OF
secession, or encourage conspiracy against
the government. We have simply given
substantially the language he used and
the principle it presented. and drawn
what we consider legitimate deductions
from them. We have no thought that any
one in this community or State, nor that
Gen. Hampton himself contemplates the
period when the sad scenes of 1861 will
east their gloomy and bloody shadows over
the country, and internecine war send its
devastating currents over our fair. land. =
We say, we do not believe it is in their
minds to precipitate such catastrophe. But
we cannot ignore the automatic truth that
like causes produce like results. The the
DRY of State sovereignty, so consistently and
aggressively maintained by the Democratic
party, yielded its fruits in 1861, when
State by State shot madly out of the con-
stellation that formed the Union, and pre-
sented Il broken national organism, the sep
arate parts crystalizing into hostile armies,
with the life of the nation as the stake.
We well remember the mastery appeals
of the late Col. John B. Baldwin in behalf
of national authority and the sanctity of
the Union, in the Court House OF this place
in 1860. in reply to the insiduous doctrine
enunciated by w, J.. Yancey on the same
day in the house now occupied by j. Bum
gardner & Sons. Nor do we less remember
the earnest response which was given to
Col. Baldwin's Union loving sentiments,
and the glowing language and impressive
figures in which he depicted the conse-
quences of the State sovereignty theory
maintained by Mr.. Yancey. 1t was speech
that would have done credit to Daniel Web
ster himself-an eulogium upon the Union
that touched the national pride and thrilled
through his packed audience like an cleo
trio current. Powerful us was his appeals
and penetrating and impressive as were his
arguments, they only served as a tempo
rarv chack RI tho flood that had madIv cot
in. 1t is true, the effect of his wonderful
powers of oratory were manifested at the
ballot-bSX in the following November, for
Mr.. Breckenridge, whose cause Mr.. Yancey
represented, received only about 300 votes
In Augusta county, while the combined vote
Of Mr.. Bell and Mr.. Douglas-both main
tanning substantially the same ideas-was
about 9, 500 or 1900. But the Union senti-
ment in the county and State, was Il mere
bagatelle to the State sovereignty and seces-
sion sentiment which prevailed in the South
ern States, and the result was the election of
Abraham Lincoln by the Northern States,
as the representative of the National the
DRY which was then at issue with that of
State sovereignty. Jno. Minor Bolts and
A. II. Ii. Stuart, the Coeur de Lion and
Saladin of the intellectual giants of Vir-
ginia. both ranged their great minds
on the side which Col. Baldwin had elo-
quently championed, and contemplated with
sad hearts the realization OF their oft-re-
peated fears of the results of the. doctrine
of State sovereignty.
Wcrefer to this period to. more pointedly
illustrate the thought we have to present
to-day, and bring to the minds of our read
ers more wildly the interests involved in
the present conflict.
We do not apprehend, rs we have stated,
shat any one wishes to consummate a dis
ruption OF the Union, or encourage the IA
tai fallacy Of practical secession, nor do we
fear that the present generation will witness
AN organized demonstration purposely for
such results. While resting in this secu-
Gty, we cannot be unmindful of the growth
Of popular sentiment when set in any one
direction, nor should we be careless in the
study of the causes which produce results.
If the theory of State soyereignty-the
structlon of government to the superfcial-in
which we once believed brought forth its
bloody fruits in 1861, why may it not be
productive of similar consequences at some
future period in our country's history? If
the seed is planted and cultivated it will GER
tainly grow and mature and there is no 9TH
err crop for it to yield but warning factions
and discovered States.
Gov. Hampton, Judge Allen, DR.. Moffett.
and all the respectable Democratic speak
ers we have heard during the canvass, di-
rected their anathemas against what they
called the centralizing doctrine of the Re-
publican party, and proclaimed against the
Impressions which had been inflicted upon
the South as 4 result thereof. This central
izing idea which is maintained by the Re-
publicans is simgly the recognition of ma
tional supremacy and sovereignty, and the
power of the government to make uniform
laws to be- applied alike to all the States and
he citizens of the States. The Con-
stitution asserts that this national preroea,
tive exists, and it is in resisting or circmn-
venting the laws made in pursuance OF the
Constitution that the alleged expressions
occur. If the citizens of all the States
would practically accept the laws in their
spirit and intent, and live up to them, there
would be no cause of complaint. 1t is the
old spirit and education of State sovereign
ty which crop out and are arrayed against
the supreme law of the land and its man.
dates.
Under the old State Rights theory the
State chartered its own banks and issued its |
own currency. The idea of a national bank |
was regarded as in conflict with the Consti-
tuition and subversiye of the rights of the |
States. Little petty shaving shops were |
established in almost every town and ham,
let whose issues were at discount outside
of State limits, and business man passino