Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-01-10
p STATE RIGHTS.

EDS. RECORD UNION: Your paper has
heretofore been one of the ablest and most
strenuous advocates of the fundamental
principle of the so-called Republican party
of the day-that our people constitute ma
ton; that the Government at Washington is
the supreme ruler in the land and that the
doctrine of State rights is a myth. Judge
then of my establishment at reading in your
leading editorial on Saturday last, comment
ing on the dissenting opinion Of Judge Field,
in the case of the Central Pacific Railroad
VS.. Gallatin, that "the position taken by
him upon the question of Congressional in
vasion of State sovereignty is one which
would beyond doubt have ranged the trainers
of the United States Constitution upon his
side, and it includes a revelation of dangers
and perplexities which sober men will do
we'll to heed, and which it behooves every
earnest politician to study seriously, because
of the certainty of the approaching import
ance of this and similar questions, in both
State and national affairs. The argument of
Judge Field in regard to the peculiar rela-
lions existing between the Central Pacific
the State, and Congress, ought indeed to be
mastered thoroughly by all who desire to
keep themselves informed concerning the ma
ture of the movements by which the original
character of the Union between the States is
being changed, and centralized government
is being gradually erected upon the wrecks of
State sovereignty, already little more than an
empty name"
| am glad that something has occurred to
bring the distinctive difference between the
present Republican and Democratic parties
so prominently before the people, and that
you recognize SO promptly where the danger
to our free institutions lies.
I yUaq horn y. four ,-aorc ftar he G,,t
Inauguration of Washington, and grew up
amongst those who had participated in the
formation of our Federal Government and
l know well, both by oral teaching and from
the publications during the early days Of the
Government, its true character, and the his.
tory and principles of the two parties to
which the adoption of the Federal Constit,-
ton gave rise.
In the convention which framed that Con-
stitution every possible effort was made to
constitute us q nation with a strong CEN
traiZec government. The words ''nation 4"
and " national occurred frequently through
out the draft of that instrument, but they
were in every instance stricken out, the idea
of constituting us nation not meeting the
appreciation of the members of the Conven-
ton. After the adoption of the Constitu-
ton, and the lnaugurationsef the Government
uoder it, those who had failed in their efforts
to have our Government made strong and
consolidated one by the provisions Of the
Constitution, with few honorable excep-
tions, endeavoreA to accomplish their object
by construction, bnt The Republicans, to de-
feat the object of Che Federalists secured the
adoption of the tenth article of the amend
ments to the Constitution. That article con-
taiDs the fundamental principle of the old Re-
publican-the now Democratic party of the
country. 1t reads: 1.-The powers ne. dele.
gated to the United States by the Coustitu-
ton. nor prohibited by it to the States. are
reserved to the States respectively, or to the
people" The great mass of our people seem
to think that the difference between the par
ties is merely one of measures but measures
cannot be strictly party questions unless they
involve the fundamental difference between
the parties, which is, a struggle for on the
one hand, and opposition to on the other, the
Capitalization of power in a strong CONSOLE
dated government at Washington.
From my earliest DAYS, the old Republican
and its successor, the Democratic party, have
adhered to the Constitution and opposed all
to invade the rights of the States
and until the commencement of our civil
war, being generally in power, had been able
to defeat the designs of the Federalists but
since the accession of the falsely called Re
publican party in 1860, and its continuance
in power, the policy of the Federalists has
prevailed, and to such an extent that you
now see and all good and true Democrats
have always believed, that the State rights
doctrine is one which the best friends of
republican government ought to subscribe to,
for it is founded upon principles, the neglect
or abandonment of which must destroy the
frmest supports of popular liberty, and pre-
pare the way for the advent of centralized
despotism. Respectfully,
JAMES l.. ENGLISH.