Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1883-05-02

race? Shall we not IgnL up ouI pau"
way OF progress as people with more
iustice, more benevolence, more OF the
higher attributes that ,stir within our
hearts and dignity our manhood
Strong fortresses, chains of mountains,
rugged frontiers and deep seas do not
of themselves protect country. 1t is
the living wall of brave hearts and will
ing arms that constitute its sure apd
cheap defence. The strongest fortress
in the known world is the Rock of
Gibraltar, and for nearly two centuries
it has been held by the mailed band OF
an alien and a stranger, a menace and
an abiding reproach to the kingdom and
people who surround il, because
Drawer and bolder hand than its natura !
owners has taken aud withheld il from
them, An essential integer OF our
country, a seminal principle OF the
American Government, germ oil our
greatness as a people Is the indepen-
dent, fearless, individual man, founder
and head OF the family, whose social
and political influence enlarge' Itself
from the family into the state. For
the family is the birthplace and nurery
of the freside viriues-homebred and
bread at home-honor, truthfuluess and
courage, self-denial and modesty'
charity and honesty. These are the
qualities which enlarge their influence
from home to neighborhood until they
nerm cate the community and pervade
the State, and public sentiment at last
becomes imbued with the spirits oil
personal worth and integrity IN the
ultimate settlement of the gravest
affairs of nations. These are the quail
tiles upon which men must rely Tor
safety and good order, and under the
form of government we have adopted
the need for their cultivation and as
cendancv seems greater even than else
where. They must be represented
somewhere in our Government; there
fore. whether you call it local sell
Government or home rule, L am deeply
impressed with the necessity Tor lis
restoration in full force in the broad
Union, equally for the strength aud
safety Of the Union, as well as OF these
nillars of State OF which that Union IS
composed and upon whose integrity II
depends. And this is one of the most
important duties Of the political party
TO whom we are attached. a proper
regulation of two opposing forces-cen-
trilugal aud cenlripetal-mantains true
equilibrium, and tor the last twenty
wears the latter force has been over
exercised and the former weakened by
dlsuse. The Capitalization OF power
and action is All Obvious result OF the
invention os steam and telegraphy.-
The safety OF our popular Institutions
demands the decentralization and dis
.ribution of power and its exercise ior
local self.government by those whose
daily lives and interests are to be
affected by it. Home rule, or local
self-government, Is a right and neces-
sity Of American citizens and The IN
tent and meaning Of the written Con-
stitution OF the Union. The strength
of the State rests upon the number OF
upright, independent, selt-rellant and
self-respecting individuals it contains
and. under our democratic theories OF
Government, all action not essential Tor
the preservation Of social order and the
nrotection of individual and public
RIGHTS are unwise aud unwarranted.-
All the tendencies Of legislation which
ignoring Individual responsibility, SUP
stitute governmental control in matters
social aud personal, tends TO weaken
the mowers of the individual, aud, en-
feebling them by disuse, lessen their
AGENCY IN good government. In this
mischieyous substitution of govern
mental power 10 matters social and
personal lies the objection to sumptuary
laws. interference with conscience IN
social and religious affairs, invasion oi
the domain Of private opinion and per-
sonal liberty, which seeks to impose
penalties for anticipated acts aud
offence. yet uncommitled. This spirit
of unwise and unjust interference by
Government is the objection to laws
which. usder the name OF taxation,
favor certain classes and occupations al
the cost of others, and abridge that
Freedom of commercial intercourse
which an enlightened and enlarged
sense of sci f-interest should CONTROL
Il is. in fact, the principle Of socialism
land communism-paternal oversight
by the Government substituted Tor III
diyidual endeavor guided by intelligent
self-interest and restrained by indiVl-
dual conscience. 1t is to promote
healthy sentiment and habit OF self
reliant manhood that the Democratic
party throughout the United States in'
sists upon the lulles. degree OF indivld'
ual liberty of conscience and action con-
sistent with public safety and the rights
of others, and for that reason we depre'
cate all unnecessary interference with
the right OF local self-gOvernment ant
all class legislation by the General
Government which assumes guardian
ship aud protection over the business
of nriyate citizens and control Oyel
matters Of domestic and local interest
We must carefully and jealousy insist
that the true germ and real basis OF the
greatness of our country should not bC
obscured and overlooked, and public
control allowed over matters properly
belouging to private jurisdiction. We