Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-03-29
els Saul Among the Prophets ?

Is Saul Among the PropnelS
1t is refreshing to read States'-rights
speech made by Senator EDMUNDs. If we
were sure that he was in earnest. as sena-
tor from the little State of Vermont ought
to be in this matter, we should soon be
ready to agree with Mr.. MASSEY in the
opinion that the defeat of the BLAIR bill
was not the worst thing that could have
happened to this country inst now. 1t is
enough 10 take away ones breath to read
MIR. EDMUNps's declaration in the United
States Senate that she believed the safety
of the nation depended more largely on
the preservation of what were called rights
of the States than on any other one thing"
He ought to have used the word Union !"
instead Of the word nation" in that SEN
tence and that connection.
The New Englanders know that the
small States are by the Constitution guar
anteed their "equal suffrage III the Sem
ate" But they also know that that guar
anty NAV be stricken from that instru-
ment. The thirteenth, fourteenth, and
fifteenth amendments were forced into
the Constitution by methods which might
be resorted to to deprive the smaller States
of one of the two senators each of them
now has, OF to add to the number of sena-
tors the larger States now have. Mr.. Ed
MUSps had the little State of Vermont in
his mind when he made his States'-rights
declaration Of Thursday.
Whether he was i'll earnest or not, Mr..
EDMUNDss declaration as quoted above
81, hn bn ctr 9th Of 70
Union may be measured by the strength of
the several States. If it is TO be On "mdis-
soluble Union" the States composing it
must be indestructible States" Men
do not gather grapes of thorns." A Union
worth preserving cannot be made out of
States belittled. not to sag disgraced and
dishonored. The chain is no stronger than
the weakest link in it, and the Union can
not subserve the purposes for which it was
formed il the smallest State can be de-
priyed of its rights in any manner, or be
made to feel that it is not the equal of even
the Empire State.
What mean Mr.. EDNUNDs's outgivings
l. he looking forward to the consideration
of measure which the Senate may soon
have before it. which measure will, if
passed by that body, be an entering wedge
which will split the Union into forty parts,
or sledge-hammer to weld it together in
an iron-handed despotism? The States and
the Union, though they may safely be lone
as the sea-" can safely be so only so long as
they are distinct as the billows." The
Lop0E bill to destroy the States by depriving
them of their right to elect their own con-
gressmen will. If it shall become law,
and the Republican party is continued in
power, be followed hereafter by bill tying
the hands OF the people OF the whole
Union. The States will soon cease TO be
worthy of the name of States. They will
be mere satrapies. They will have no
rights, for the Constitution will not be
worth the paper il is printed upon when
the sword Of UNCLE SAM shall be permitted
TO be laid in the scales as the voters are
weighing the merits OF their candidates for
Congress.
We would fsin hope that these thoughts,
or some like them, have passed through
themind Of Mr.. EpMuSDs. and THAT he meant
last Thursday to notify his Republican as
socistes in the Senate that he would not
support tho Lopos bin.