Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1880-05-15

The citizens of each state shall be entitled
10 ali tie privileges and immunities Of cIti-
zens in the several sta.es.-Const. AT. l. Sec.
@
Twice in our history the dogma of
State-sovereignty has endangered ma
tionsl existea"e. First under articles Of
confederation at the close of the revolu-
ton. Then in the great rebellion of 81
-65. The first was followed, by con
stituting one nation of thirteen, or
daining that citizenship should be Ma
tional, and that all national functions
Of the several states should be admins
tered in the name Of the United States
Of North America. by one central rep
resentative government.
The great rebellion was not over
thrown until our boast of near a centr-
ry was made good, on our statute book
at least, that this land offered an asylum
to the oppressed Of al lands. that here
all men are equal before the law. with
out respect TO race, color, or previous
condition of servitude.' Twice in
death struggle, and to secure existence
as nation. we have Solemnly declared
citizenship national for all men. That
is that each citizen is a.citizen CT the
United States. and not merely Of that
State subdivision, in which his resid-
ence may be. as Maine or South Carroll
ia. Every foreigner, naturalized IS
made a citizen of the United States, and
not of any particular state, being anne
nable to law in the local subdivision of
a State where he may he guilty Of
crime. In foreign lands the citizen Is
recognized and protectedas citizen Of
the United States. His appeal for pro
lection il assailed while in a foreign land
is not made 10 the commonwealth of
which in local and subordinate sense
he is a citizen, but to the United States
through her officers Of state.
This protection has been 50 promptly
and fully extended TO all citizens with
out regard TO sex or condition of
life that in every par; ofthe world out
side they are as safe as in the mostorder-
ly communities at home. The Stars and
Stripes is the citizens talisman Of pro-
lection and homage, as ii is the en-
blem Of freedom in every country. Nor
is this the limit Of national authority
A citizen Of Spain or Great Britain may
go through, or stop In any state Of the
Union for business or pleasure. and the
power of the entire nation can be
brought to the protection Of his person
or property against the prejudice or pas
sions of any who seek his harm or offer
him violence.
But let one Of our own citizens Of op-
posing political views settle in very
many portions Of The south, and the Uni
ted States are powesless il seems. TO pro-
tect him and his, from utter destruc-
ton by men receiving the benefits Of
The same government.
The citizens "inalienable rights are
not maintained by the government
formed for this purpose. There the
government is for one party, and that
the party which sought the life Of the
nation in fratricidal war. There, eith
er no arrests are made. or no bills Of in
dictment found. or the jury fails to con-
vict those who have mobbed and killed
those who dared to hold different polit-
ical views, and advocate them.
handed murderers, and foul raw
ishers. destroyers Of the peaceand order
of society are elected to Office as the re-
ward of eminent (?) party zeal and SER
vice. Evidently something should be
done.to protect all citizens in the ezer-
else Of their rights in this southland.
There are many eminent in states
manship who believe that national
government may rightfully interfere to
secure the person and property Of The
citizen for whom no redress can be OBJ
obtained in the partisan state courts.
Ii not. doubtless there is abundant
ground in equity, on the immutable
principles of Justice, for the people to
ordain an exception, amending the last
part of Sec. 2, Art. 3. of the Constitu-
ton relating to the trial of crimes, to
enable the national government to car
nv out the just provisions of The Section
with which We open this article. The
exception should cover those crimes that
are against those elements of citizenship
that are national. Among these are
freedom of domicile, freedom of ballot.
and freedom of discussion. Each man
demands this for himself, why not for
his neighbor ? Ever since the whisky
rebellion of 1894. the national govern
nent has exercised a similar power 10
collect its revenue. Why not defend
tbe sacred rights of citizens Isnot tie
industry and life of law abiding cit
zen. one who thinks for himself and
has the courage to speak bis convictions,
ofin6nitely more value to the nation
than the revenue ON whisky and to-
bacoo ?