Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-05-23
STATE RIGHTS DOCTRINES.
A Curse Which Nearly Lost Us Independ-
ence and thu IInfon

ton surpassed any of his previous eff
forts and was in every sense worthy
the Iuan and the occasion. ELOQUENT
and inspiring in spirit it was profound
and accurate in reasoning and set forth
the true philosophy of the revolution
and the subsequent establishment of
an American Nation. 1t was fortunate
that in New York City, where the
centenary of the constitution was be-
ing celebrated simply for local remin-
iscences and as festive occasion, the
orator of the day rose above such mar
row notions and enforced attention to
the great doctrine of the nationality of
the American people as the appropri-
ate theme for April 80, 1889. 1t was
this unity of the American people
which had been splendidly expressed
In the Declaration of Independence but
was left nevertheless as 'sglittering
generality" and not used until fourteen
years later as the principle on which
to found National Government The
period intervening was one of sore dis
tress and of Affections multiplied and
increased because the people did not
accept and live up to the doctrines of the
Declaration of Independence from the
beginning
The Declaration of Independence as
serted the sovereignty and unity of
the people, but, unfortunately, the
governmental agencies through which
alone they could act vigorously and
effectively as one were not provided.
Patriotic sentiment and the voluntary
cooperation of the colonies were re-
lied on to carry the country through
the revolution. There was no Ma
tional Government, no National Treas
ury, no National army. no President,
no Supreme Court The Congress
was, in fact, only a committee and
without power to tax, conscript, COM
pei obedience or enforce discipline
The war was carried on by voluntary
State contributions. And most of the
States shirked their duty. The Con-
gress had no actual power to raise
either men or money. In throwing
off allegiance to Great Britain the pa
trlots declared themselves zone peo-
pie, but for the reason that they did
not act as such and establish Ma
tlonal authority with power to COM
mand and direct the war was prolonged |
far beyond any real necessity and the |
people were subjected to needless
trials and privations. With only a |
loose league of jealous States it took |
Washington seven years to fight to a
successful end war which he might |
easily have brought to a triumphant |
conclusion in two years or three at most
ii he had been furnished the support
of a responsible National Government
which could have conscripted fighting
men and authoritatively borrowed
money and levied taxes
If Immediately after the Declaration
of independence National Govern
mont had been erected with Presi-
dent at its head. witAspower to pro-
cure revenues by taxation, to draft SOL
dlers, raise and support armies, bor-
row money, issue bonds, and act di-
rectly on the people in commanding
what trials and sufferings
and delays would have been averted!
Such Government, having ample
security to pledge, could have pro- |
cured from Europe all the money, can {
mons, muskets, ammunition and other 4;
war supplies it needed. If there had ,
zen National Government pledged /
70 the repayment of loans and with the {
of the United States as Sc
'urity, France, Spain and Holland
would have supplied ample means to v
'aise and equip at the beginning an f
lrmy three times as large as Washing f
on ever had under his command and t
o keep it in the field. Any number t
# privateers could have been had to d
'rey on British commerce. With am Q
lie supplies of men and money and t
'ower to enforce CONSUMPTION and dis d
lpllne and punish desertion Gall of t
Which National Government could n
asily have provided) the British e
roops would have been quickly D
ressed back into their ships or be- i:
legged and surrender forced in one
bird of the time it took to fight the
evolution through. For the lack of
UGH authority and because the indis-
ensable governmental agency through :
hitch the patriots could act as zone II
eOple' with vigOr and effect was not =
rovlded on account of Estate rights" !
pposition the disheartening struggle d
ragged on with the great cause in
onstant jeopardy of collapse, and
the flag half fainting in the breeze" c,
The narrow. provincial prejudice in "
|vor OF State sovereignty, fostered by ,,
tile local politicians. cost the people D
early. During the revolution it sub ai
cted them to wholly needless blood u
led, poverty and suffering. After
lie war, instead of proceeding at that CT
tie day to provide National consti- to
tion. the miserable, impotent arti- pr
es of confederation were adopted, al
Id, as Mr.. Depew says: THE result co
as not Government but a ghost" lie
Id ''by this scheme the American
sople were ignored and the Declara- tr
On OF Independence was reversed" sil
wen years of misgovernment, con- sp
ntlon, poverty and distress followed in
e end of the war; For the lack of a tn
ahonal Government the people suf- ly
red In peace. only in a somewhat wi
IS degree than they had suffered in in
e war from the same cause. At last