The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1881-03-16

strong government to-day is an ab-
surdity. If it means anything il
means a military despotism, with its
Iron hand upon the throat Of the
States, and its heel upon the liber,
ties Of the people. The late civil
war, if il has shown one thing more
clearly than another, has denonstrat-
ed that the strength Of the Union
does not depend upon the strength Of
the general government as political
and military organization, but on its
capacity TO command the affections Of
the people and to insure enough Of
their voluntary strength for its
maintenance. Take this away and
indeed it is a rope of sand. This has
been its strength in the past, it
should be its power in the future.
And this strength and this power is
the result Of that frame Of govern.
ment which the circumstances Of the
times and the wisdom of our progen-
itors committed posterity.
II was government well defined
in its powers, limited TO the exercise
Of these powers, with the necessary
tlexibility for including the whole
continent on the same reciprocal
terms which belonged to the original
States constituting the General Gov
ernment, and making provisions for
new States. The history Of the gov.
eminent, has shown that it is strong
enough to take care of itself against
all internal dissentions and division.
This is the greatRepublic embodied
in the Constitution of the United
States. Properly understood every
State Constitution is a part Of that
Constitution. Whatever gives I'M
due power and influence to the gen.
eral government detracts just so
much from what is due and just to
the States, US any unlawful assump.
ton of power by the States would af-
feet the true and legitimate power Of
the general government.
OBEDIENCE TO THE CONSTITUTION.
1t is therefore of the highest mecca
sity to the people that the Constitu-
ton, SO seen in its whole integrity as
providing for these two great classes
Of powers, should be preserved.
There is no immediate danger, l
trust, that military chieftain or
armed power of any kind can at once,
by an arbitrary movement, concen-
trate these powers and wipe the
States out Of existence, or materially
affect their functions, or that it is
possible to dismember the States and
dissolve the sisterhood Of republics.
What cannot be done at once by, vio-
lence or coup de main, history teaches
US may be done by pernicious and
gradual encroachment.
1t is in this last aspect of princi-
piles and measures that all the par
ties known to the history Of the
country have had their origin and
their continuance. In our politics
there has been continual blending
of principles and measures, involv.
ing more or less consideration of
questions, the effect Of which, decid
ed one way, would be to increase the
powers of the general government,
and of 80 weakening the rights and
liberties Of the people; and decided
another way, would simply leave the
people to seek their own interests
and pursue their own enterprises on
the broad platform of political equal
ity and general law. It's, therefore,
not matter Of surprise that the in
telligent majority Of which I have
spoken should be composed Of the
best elements of those other parties,
who have felt themselves compelled
to stand by the Constitution as it is,
by the States as integral parts of
that Constitution, and by the liber-
ties of the people, which can only
survive as these others survive.
NECESSITY OF RAILROADS.
Nations as known to US are only
prosperous in the large accumulations
of individual wealth. Railroads are
the great civilizing agencies of this
age of the world. AS nation we
have more than any other nation,
and as State we would be greatly
benefited by more Of them. They
develop all the industrial pursuits Of
the people, open up unbroken forests,
excavate the mountains for their
minerals, build immense establish
ments, aud keep the world busy. AS
a result our manufacturing system,
in proportion 10 our population, is
the largest and most tlourishing in
the world; our agricultural interests
cover a larger area Of successful cul
tivation than any otherspaco belong
ing to one people on the globe.
Along with these we have a cores
ponding increase of that population
whose sole or main capital is their
daily labor. No other people Of the
world have the amount Of population,
with the same amount ofintelligence
and skill, and work of brain and
hand so devoted 10 all the pursuits Of
life. Thanks to our free government,
and our system of common schools.
n 10 fnr II: a wnlfora rs all these neo.