Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1890-07-05

have performed their duty and ex
ercisctl the general power of regrl
laring The question, the contin
gency upon which congressiona
action depends will not have oc
Cured. in case a State shall have
neglected 10 en:irt laws for thu
election Of congressman by Us owl
.Epeople, or shall have enacted laws
8 lii hostility to the general govern
melit, either to deprive It's people
OF representation in Congress OF
sEto prevent that right from being
exercised in IL reasonable manner
mAl at proprrtines, then Congress
is permitted to intervene and ia
establish regulations which will
secure Representations to the pco
j pie of such State.
"What was givenSto. Congress us
1.-THE law making power Of govern
s|mentsln This case WAS Il defensive
mower against State hostility or
negligence by which popular rep
Representation would faiIsantl the
Unnecessary power ;of..tbes federal
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES lie iinpairedsor
,Elaysll wed want q
l-FarioIL in tie House, ~ s.Ss.
.sTiiisyiew OF The, constitutions
mot mere matter of opinion bpg0t-
zen by the. necessities OF debate
nor n ruvel View introduced To
suppor5 ~ iorrgone conclusion
dictated by party interest or pas
! sion. 1t is Il view supported by
the most decisive proofs drawn
from The history ofuur country az.
| the time of HE making of tile COLI
srituliun and the organization OF
the government of the United
States.
.sLn most of the States opposi.
tion was made to the ratification
of the constitution because it was
alleged Thar this particular pro-
viSion WAS liable to perverted and
I,,laugernllS construction, extending
national power . intel ference with
S;die rltrfions. In other words,
those opponents unprecedented the
Very abuse OF construction which
Is embodied An,llIlustrated by this
bill. hut The friends Of the consti
,ution met them in debate and
gave TO this provision Tue COLL
olluction above STAGED, vlndlcit-
l"g this construction by subslaI
tlal and satisfactory reasoning
which convinced our fathers aud
ought 10 convince us.
"Withuut considering the QueS-
tolls upuu the CONSTRUCTION of this
provision OF he constitution which
nave been heretofore debated in
Congress aud considered by com.
nenlaIors upon constitutional law
relating to he manner and extent
10 Which Congress may actin Case
ul Stale default or hostile action,
We ale prepared to say that his
hill is plainly unconstitutional be
cause The States have not failed to
pass laws for the repres ntaticn Of
lhclrpe1ple IN CoEslcss, nor made
INNS liUslle 10 such representation
1andss-to iIie governments uf The
United States IN COLLECTION tli6Te
with. On ihe contrary, lLelr leg
I>lation upon this subject Dy he
Stae, has been apparently cnac
edln coed faith TO this govern
menL aud to the people.
'.In view of the great danger to
the rights and liberties OF the peo
Pic, aud to the principle Of local
self government involved in his
bill, We respectfully appeal TO
American lleemen, without regard
To party, to enter timely protest, Oy
way OF public meeting or other
WISE, against this consolidation OF
government. the destruction Of
popular rights aud the very foun-
daJlan OF American liberty, Tor we
Indulge in no mere rhetorical
flourish wien we sula'nniy affirm
un our Ioy4l:y ;ls cllIzeus and on
our honor as Representatives hat
this VICIOUS alnl unpaIriu'lc meas
ure is ii MOST serious Nenace 10 the
verylle ut The republic.
"ILc Issue i: Slilll.a political
party elect liseli and keep III pow
er by pstu agents " lio are 10 con
troll the political elections III all
the Statess'
The signatures so far are as fol.
lows: VIM. s. Holman, q. II
Bnckalcw, VIM. NJ. Springer, VIM.
McAdou, Amos j. Cummings, w.
Il. Wilcox, James Kerr, Sau'I Fowl
er, Vim. Parrett, j. Chapman, BENZ
Snlvely, g. a. Mcclellan, j. b.
Brown, j. ". Covert, AN. Martin,
Z. II. MauSlr, ID. Is. Brunner, j.
Ii. W ilIlanls. Vim. Mulchlpr, klch
AID FAUX, Lew Malsll; Joseph Ii,
O'Nell OIL Massachusetts, Joha &,
Andicw, CHARLES Ii. Turner OIL New
York, Wm. S'ahlneckrr, john
larsncy, j. A. Gelssenhalner: Il
z. Flower, Vim. D. Bynum. Elijah
I v. BrUokahlre.