Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1882-06-17
THE ADDRESS OF DR.. LAWS.

THE ADDRESS OF DR.. LAWS.
EDITOR REPUBLICAN.-In q recer
issue OF the Kansas City Times, fin
the following in regard 10 the addres
OF DIR. Laws, before the editorial cor
vention at st. Joseph:
SIN this connection, however, it ca
be said that DR.. Laws. even though
has been called to his attention, ha
no regrets for having been Iorgettul {
the occasion and the character of tn
convention before which he spoke, an
maintains that he is prouder OF his ad
dress than of being president of the firs
educational institution of The state, an
would her have delivered 1t than b
president of the state university
Having delivered the address an
brought himself and the stat
into unenviabe notoriety, it wouldn't b
bad thing, on the contrary. rather tn
proper capcr, to give DR.. Laws the op
portunity to cousule himself with hi
address in private or unofficial lite."
have noticed several paragraphs O
a similar import In various other paper
Of the state, and l regard them as q
unjust and misleading that 1 feel iusti
fed In asking for space in your pape
tor few rsplarks concerning them.
The writer of the above has certainl,
never read the address alluded to-.
he has, he has not comprehended IL
None OF these critics have specified il
what particular it IS Objectionable, ex
cept as hereafter noticed. These paper
have not published the address, tina
their readers might Judge of The justnes
OF their criticism. but by wholesale con
demnation create y false impression a
to Its nature, and idexcusably misrepre
sent the doctor.
AS to the nature of the address:
have read it carefully and critically, q!
it appeared in yours OF the 10th ult.
and can find nothing IN it to offend th,
most radical republican. There ar,
some propositions about which thcr
may be ~ difference of opinion, but Ger
tainly nethlng is offensive. There i
nothing in it Than can crate upon an,
feeling the most ultra republican MAJ
entertain. except that OF malignant per
sonal hatred.
1t is purely philosophical and nonpar
tisan. 1t is indeed tho ab!est politica
paper that has appeared since the day.
OF Jefferson and Madison. While util
izing the teachings OF the years of ex
perience. since their day, it has los
nothing in ability and comprehensive
ness. l use the word political not ir
ITS narrow partisan sense, as applied t.
parties. but in Its purest and broadesl
sense, as it affects tile science and gen
ius OF civil government. The premis
| ed philosophical truths are the cOnclu
sions OF the highest reason. verified BY
the experience OF age. and the facts are
drawn from undlsputed and universally
accepted history.
Inc conclusions are as irresistible
and convincing as mathematical demon.
strations, and. in regard to The issue.
that distracted and divided our country.
men In the past, are such as should re
jolce every Patriotic heart.
1t has been charged that 1t defends
the doct,ine OF secession. Let q lew
quotations from it answer the charge
Speaking OF the result of the war, II
says: 1.-The danger manitestIy averted
was that oi disintegratiun by secession
The danger now Is, and will continue
S"'AA SouPcooo, tuoS Va
which is chaos-eIther Is destruction
These two extremes ale our Scylla aud
Charybdis." Here then, is one conclu.
sion, that secession is destrurtion-that
1t is our Scylla. Again: s.These states
frelghted with the diverse and precious
treasures OF christian. civilization,
though moving each in its assigned Or
bit, are united in a sacred and indissol-
uble union, which promises untold
blessings 10 unnuinbered generations. u
And again: "The second remark called
for cocerning secession is, that 1t is now
no longer an open question. 1t has
been settled. 1t is no longer
subject for debate or controversy. 1t
has no advocates among politicians or
publicists or Journalists. All parties
are agreed that the bloody seal placed
upon its tomb shall never be broken"
Who is it that claims more! Who is
it that is not satisfied with this conclu-
Sion This is all that it was ever claim
ed should be decided by the war con-
cerning the relation of the state, to the
federal government. During the VIII ole
war no federal congress ever claimed
more, Not Il single republican pl It..
:orm ever enunciated any further prin-
ciple in that regard. 1t is true that re-.
publican pract,ces have gone further,
but the leaders, however much they
have desired to do SO, have never dared
to Promuigate, as a party principle, y
doctrine that subverted the rights of the
States to any greater degree.
The address is Il critical examination
OF our system OF government and the
stages oil Its development. 1t was i'm
possible to do this without noting the
effect OF the civil war; 1t shows that up
10 That event the question OF secession
was an open one, with strong advO.
Gates on sides. Ii it had claimed that
the states had such right it would then
have lost Its dignity, and become parti.
san and worthy OF condemnation, and it
would have been equally so had 1t claim.
ed that there Was no such right. But he
only proves it to have been an open
with NO recognized arblter,
and he proves this by indisputable facts
bound together by inexorable logic. To
decide the question an appeal to arms
was had. and it was decided finally and
forever.
Did it ever occur to you that if the
question oi succession was not an open
one in ante bcllum days, that the war
settled no governmental principle ?
That 1t was then light oil bind, sec.
tionai hate ?
Oh blind-bIind are they who will not
see that the very thing OF which they
complain Is very necessity OF the per-
iect accomplishment of the chief desire
"l their hearts. namely, Il perfect aud
lndissoluble union. Not that we can
change past facts. but because OF that
lact the consnmmalion desired became
possible, yea. actually is.
The address Uf DIR. Laws Is first in i'm
portance. in that it gives such promi-
hence to the iact and so concusiyely
proves it, that the question was an open
Dne, but is now so no longer.
1t ought TO lei aice the hearts OF all
American citizens to see 1t so conclu
sively shown that the six millions ot
southern people who attempted scces.
'lon were not traitors, and that the
great number OF their present fellow
citizens who sympathized with the south
IL the late war are not CT imnAls.
II should be source OF qualification |
% the soldiers VITO fought tor the Union |
o Know that in succeeding in their great
it has not become necessary |
% susveit one of the essential and lead.
ny principles OF our repubi can form of
government, and that The War in which
hey fought SO successfully did not re.
'ult III the Spectacle OF six millions of
raltors belag held in torciLle subiec-
~ h..I..