The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-04-09
AoItital.
STATES RIGHTS.

We profess to be governed by Consti-
tuition of limited powers; since the war
several amendments have been incorpora-
ted into this Constitution; the war abol-
ished slavery and caused the new amend
meuts, and settled the long mooted ques-
ton of the right of secession. With these
exceptions the Government of the United
States is the same as before the war. And
we here assert that Rights of the States
are by the Constitution as it exists to day,
all in full force, and if States Rights be
obliterated from the present Constitution,
we have no Government. There has al
ways existed 10 the United States two
classes of men, with widely different views
of the nature of our Government. Alex
ander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson
were the opponents OF these respective
views. Hamilton having been raised in
one of the West India Islands subject to
Great Britain, was great admirer OF the
British form of Government He was IN
favor of eleeting the President for life, as
also the Senators, forming a sort of aris-
tocracy here in the republic Thos. JEFF
ferson was in favor of the people ruling,
electing the President every four years,
aud of electiug the Senators. Alexander
Hamilton was for strong eentralIzed
government Thomas Jefferson was for
the rights of the States, and for restricting
the Federal Government In other words
Hamilton was for making paternal gov
ernlnent, aud Jefferson was for one Of the
people.
Hamilton's idea was, that If the Presi
dent and the Senators and the various Of
fieers were honest and high minded mcu,
that then the government would succeed
the best and the people would be happier.
Jefferson's idea was, to educate the PEG
pie, make them intelligent a0d virtuous,
and then you would have good officers and
a prosperous country. One was Tor be-
ginning at the top and coming dowo, the
other was for beginning st the bottom aud
building up. And from that time I'll the
present the same opinions prevail.
The Democratic party is aad always has
been States rights party; the various
parties that have arrayed themselves ia
opposition to il have all been tinctured
with the opionions Of Alexander Hamiltoa
and for strong National Government.
The Democratic party, faithful to the su-
premaey Of the Constitution, eonstrues
that grand charter upon its express words,
Art. 10, amendments adopted in 1871:
The powers not delegated to the United
States By the Constitution nor prohibited
by il to the States, are reserved 10 the
States respectively or to the people, The
Democratic party accepts the amendments
rs 6nal settlement Of the controversies
that engendered Civil War, but it afirms
its faith 10 the entire Constitution.
The JeffeFsonian doctrine of States
Rights triamphed and the country pros
peIed until 1860; the party then on side
issues divided, (althongh both wings,
Douglas and Breekenridge's, were faith
full to this cardinal prineiple) In that
year the Republican party, starting on
sectional issue, elected its President on
account Of the division of the Democratic
party, although at that time, if the party
had been united it would have elected its
President, because Mr.. Lincoln received
but one million eight hundred and sixty
six thousand three hundred and fifty-two
votes, whereas Douglas aud Breckenridge
together received Two millions two hun-
dred aud twenty-five thousands six hun
dred aud seyenty-one votes, In other
words, the two Democratic candidates re
eeived three hundred aud sixty six thou
sand three hundred and nineteen votes
more than Mr.. Lincoln.
TT, n.r,o,ratso ,,,-t.- fen. SRn 40 fha
present time has kept up its organization,
constantly fighting for its principles; it
has been defeated and cheated, il has been
out Of power for twenty years, it has had
to contend against enormous sums levied
on over hundred thousand ofheeholders,
but it still lives and still increases aud it
still afirms the great doctrine Of States
Rights. 1t eauneiated this principle in
its platform at ST. Louis in 1876, and the
Republican party proclaimed the opposite;
that is, that the United States is a Nation,
in its platform of 1876. The contending
forces went to battle on this important IS
sue, and despite power, money aud patron
age Tildcn received four million two hun
bred and eighty-four thousand seven hun
bred aud ffty-seven votes and Hayes only
four million, thirty-three thousand nine
hundred and fifty votes. Thus Tilden aud
States Rights received two hundred and
fifty thousand eight hundred and seven
votes more than did Hayes and his prin.
eiple of centralized Nation.
But 10 1880 the Democratic party is in
tact again and marshals its millions for the
contest, not at all dismayed. In its plat
form it boldly re-asserts the doctrine Of
States Rights and opposition to centrali-
cation, and the Republican party still
elings to its favorite dogma of Soyer-
eign Nation and inserts it in its platform.
When the contest is over we find that
majority of the voters of these United
States were true to the Democratic faith,
and Hancock received more votes than
Garfield, nearly four millions and half
of Democrats voting for States Rights in
1880. Not dead yet We say. The doc
trine of Local Self Government, States
Rights, is very dear to intelligent men; it
viii always be so. Hence the Democratic
party will always be power in the land.
Strike out States Rights wherever It
appears in the Constitution of the United
States, and it is a senseless thing; the
Rights Of the States appear in Art. !, Sec.
2 six times, in Sec. 3 FIVE times, in Sec. 4
twice, See. s three times, Sec. 9twice, and
Sec. 10 FIVE times; in Art. 2, Sec ! twice,
See. 2 once; Art. 3, See. 2 five times, Sec.
3 three times, Sec. once; Art. 5, 6 and
proclaim the doctrine.
The amendments to the Constitution
from LIST to 11th all limit the power of the
Federal Government, and amendments
IL, Il, 10 and IA all mention States
Rights You cannot abrogate States
Rights and have the Constitution as il
was framed by the Fathers and as it reads
to-day. the doctrine is woven, all through
the charter, aud it is a dear principle to
a lover of the Constitutional Union.
. Without the constitution the Union is not
worth farthing. With the Constitution
eurs is a grand country, Federal Union,
sovereign nation of Sovereign States.
Pure Democraeics have risen and fallen
Utopian systems Of Government have been