Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-12-15
SUNDAY. DECEMBER IS, 1889.
The Chief JUSTICES Address-Agan.

The Chief JUSTICES Address-Agan.
Surely there can be nobody who does not
desire 10 know the opinions of the Chief
Justice Of the Supreme Court of the United
States, or. as Mr.. CHASE always phraSed 1t,
"the Chief Justice of the United States
upon the living questions of the day. 10
rs in the South some of these are burning
questions When the balls Of Congress re-
sound with denunciatiOns Of the southern
people, and the CHASDLrIs and SHER@ANs
threaten TO overthrow the rights of the
States and govern one third OF the coun-
try from Washington. and when our
State election-laws are possibly about
g. DO repealed, not by tho Legislature
Of Virginia but by the Congress OF the
United States, it is time for everybody
TO look TO the Supreme Court. SO also
when a sovereign State is cited 10 appear
before that august tribunal and cited II
violation OF the eleventh article OF amend
ucnts t. the Federal Constitution, the peo-
ple of that State-let us say at once, the
pcople of Virginia-caunot but feel deep
Interest IN all the uttorances of the prcsi-
ding officer Of that tribunal touching the
relative powers of the Federal and State
governments. What is the significance OF
That amendment III the judgment OF that
highest judicial officer IN the world
The extracts which We gave yesterday
from tic Chief Justices Grafton Of We'd
ncsdav last furnish indubltable evidence
that he has thoroughly studied all the
questions involved in the dual form Of
Government which our fathers boQueathod
g. rs. and has reached wcll-dehncd con-
cnsions. If these conclusions are sound
ones. so much the more highly must we
respect the intellect q q man who. though
his environment has all lis life been such
that it was natural for him t. fall IN with
tho cen,raliziug teachings of tho fode-
raliste. has nevertheless seen his way clear
g. the adoption Of the doctrines OF Mr.
JEFFEBs0S.
We shall give few more extracts iIoi"
TIE Chief Justice Grafton:
"DoubIc.~ in many instances the Con-
Ffitution has been subjected 10 strains
which have tested its elasticity without
lrcakinl il. texture, but the Nafchiulhes5
of PARTY has aided 10 keep the balance
true. absolute Inlract9n has been GcpIc-
Gated or denied and law-ipVlng ALL law
abiding people has welcomed the recount
which restored the rigid outline and even
tenor of Its way
ihrium that tie largest liberty consiolchJ
with the greatest progress has hteh louhu:
And this is So true between the States an"
the Federal Government Us between the
individual and the State.
But while the play If the two forces Is
natural one the eravitauou ls 10 the cen
d human u
The Chief Justice VIII not admit that
"the texture" Of the Constitution has
been broken. He says that the true doctrine
a. between the Federal Government dtnc
State governments is the " largest liberty
consistent with the greatest progress
Yet he owns or rather aiirms that the
"rravitatlon is 10 tho centre" True as
yreachiug. And II is time that tins ten
dencv were stoppcdand the States restored
20 the condition in which the trainers OF
the Constitution left them-of course. with
Che exception that no State now has the
right 10 secede from the Union.
What General WAsHEGToN wished, says
the orator, was solidarity without cell
tralization in destruction of local recula-
ton The father of his country realized
"the vital importance of the preservation
of local self-government through the
States" Admirably stated. And II this
was WAsHrSaToN's wish, he being Hamll-
tonian Federalst, what might not be said
as TO the wishes of JEFFEEsoN and HENRY
We quote once more:
"And from an apparent invasion OF the
carefullv-cOnstructed scheme 10 secure
liar N "a
has obtained wider scope and renewed
power and from an apparent INDUSTRIAL
overthrow has come an unexampled INDUS
trial development. Out OF the eater came
forth meat. and out OF the strong came
forth sweetness. -,
The waste Of war is always rapidly re-
placed, and in its effect on institutions
time may repair its injuries without weak
ening its benefits.
as il possible to conceive Of q moro
searching test of the wisdom and lasting
quality OF our form of government than
that applied by the civil war; Is IL posi-
tle to conceive of more convincing uc-
monstration than the reconciliation Whlch
has followed the conclusion OF the struggle
and the complete reinstatement OF the
system in harmonious operation over the
entire national domain? No conquered
provinces perpetuated personal anlmoSi-
lies and by the fact OF their exist
ence, through despotic rule over, part,
changed the government over all. On
the contrary, the States, vital parts
of the system, and in whose ann
hilation the system perishes, resumed the
relations temporarily suspended, and the
continuance of local self-govcrnment on
its accustomed course prevented the old
connection from carrying with II the bit
terness of enforced change. 1t was the
triumph of the machinery that its practl;;
cal working so speedily assumed It's normal
movement substantially uninjured by the
CONFUSION that had shaken 1t.
And as the wheels within the wheels
revolve, the aspiration finds response N
every heart: Come from the four winds,
O breath. and breathe upon these slain
that they may ive"--liye with their re-
united brethren, one in the hand OF God!
tApplause.l"
Popular government has obtained a
wider scope" "No conquered provinces"
"The States vital parts of the system"
II they perish the system of government
perishes. All these are hopeful as well as
careful outgivings.