The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1880-03-12
THE UNION OF THE STATES.

TIE UNION OF TIE STATES.
The following resolution Was offered last
Monday In the State senate by Senator Kidd,
and we reproduce II for the benefit Of people
at home and abroad:
ons WasPss II Vii fss z es "A ths :oe n Do
future !iins the perpetuity Of the Union may be
lmapesriled By, internal qonmotion and
Whsreas nc eeyyidently ey growing tendency M In
ID tho Federal government has awakened se-
rlous alarm for tho continuation OF the power
q the Ntstes 70 maintain their local govern
Whereas u is ascessary 70 the cont in1ssd
aoetrinss of pe,petna unon and continued
"a II Resolped bv NE Senate of the State ~ Lon-
iaiand. The House Of REORGANIZATION aoneurin0
ss TINT w ao moss sarnss'ty aa \,
that they shall propose at this session Of Con
gress tho followinH, ~ an amendment to the
T6e. union Of the states shall be pcrpetuel.
All overt acts to destroy the same shall be tree
son a9ainst the Federal government, and shall
bound dariea ehall forever remain inviolate, pro-
vided that new States may BE- formed with the
consent of the States whose territory shall DO
m"ss assens s eniofos her II own sss local % laws
t2r theig individn.l government; by and
through their own self i-oh9aen or elected repre-.
fered with by tho Federal government or by
any power whatsoever.
The fear expressed by somc that we are
drifting into strong government, which
will be merely prelude to despotisln. H..
we think, somewhat premature, though the
alarming encroachments upon tho rights of
the States by tho Federal judiciary, and the
extraordi nary and unwarranted assumption
Of the right to Interfere With the Internal
and local affairs of the State In tho late de-.
cisions Of the United States Supreme Court.
should arouse every lover Of free institu-
tions and Of the government, as bequeathed
to us by the fathers, To q sense Of the grow
Ing danger. Americans will know how TO
deal with strong government, whenever
such 4 monstrosity rears its ugly head in
this country, which was founded by refugees
from tho tyranny Of the old world. and
which, God willing. shall remain the great
shelter land for the oppressed Of ell despot-
isms and monarchies forever. The Gzar Of
Russia trembles III his Winter Palace. and
fears each day the avenging Nemesis Of NJ
hilism: but hls lot ID enviable indeed. to his
who shall dare To attempt to hold imperial
sway over more than forty millions Of Ameri-
can freemen.
The man does not breathe who could hold
In subjection people who have been nursed,
AZ have ours, In the lap Of liberty, and tho
man on horseback" or .the man Of destiny"
will never be anything more that scare
crow In this country until the people shall
have become utterly debased and degraded
unworthy Ok their glorious Past and careless
cf the Future.
II IL we'll, however. for Louisiana and for
the South to place themselves on record a.
both the acts which lead to
and those which tend to oentraliza-
tion. We earnestly desire the pcrpetuity of
the Union and View with dlsquietude the
rapid encroachments which are being made
by the Federal authority upon tho autonomy
of the States. Every such encroachment IL q
deadly blow at the integrity Of the Union
and menace to constitutional government.
There can be no Union without the States
which created It and compose 1t, and the people
Of all the States will resent the attempt on
the part 0! tho United States Supreme Court
to destroy the Independence and autonomy
Of States and reduce them to humillating and
dependence upon the central gov
ernment, As Justice Field aptly and forcibly
rays Ia his dissenting opinion on the Coles
case.
Mr.. b, ]. Sage, In his able and brilliant ar
gument In the case Of New Hampshire vs..
Louisiana, says:
prene one. have the highest and most sacred Or
m governmental duties. which iB to defend
soyereigns ana sovereign rights and powers.
[t Ia through them that our self. governing sov.
sreign societies speak and effectuate their judi
,ial will. Courts instinctively say: We must
preserve them and their rights. especially their
plenary rights OF government: for this Is de-
lending the peoples blessings Of liberty-the
sreat laim end end Of the constitution we I'D
% mister"
With Mr.. Sage We, too, say, God save the
and their Union"