Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-07-21
Our Form of Government

The Atlanta Constitution. after saying thaI
the DISPATCH is inclined to believe tha'
the old theory of our Government nus
been knocked into a cooked hat by exist
ing conditions" states some OF the re"-
sons which we have assigned for enteI-
tanning that opinion-namely, the erection
of West Virginia into State the forceu
ratification of the thirteenth, fourteenth
and fifteenth articles Of amendment 10
the Federal Constitution, the inquisitorini
character of the acknowledgements laws
and then adds
"Ana vet. as Ben Hin said IN his reconstruc-
zion epeecnes our lawmakers ana pubnc oihc'a's
continue 10 take nm oath TO obey the Constltu-
ton. Shall we give up q theory founded on
,ock for a condition built upon the sandi IL we
ore 20 accent every unconstitutional usurpa'ioh
~ mower as binding upon future generations
,hore VIII &c on DO very little left OF the republic,
and Jenersonian Democracy will DO only daz-
cling dream
1.-THE DISPATCH may give expression 10 these
gloomy views in order TO reawaken the old 10y
Atty TO the Constitution which built M ana
maintained the Union until 1t passed under the
control OF the party Of Capitalization. 1t GER
tainly il not ready 10 subscribe 10 the doctrine
that tho Government at Washington Is one OF
unlimited powers We are not ready yet 10
Weld nil the rights OF statehood and the reforms
now demanded by the masses Indicate gem
eraI desire TO return 20 first principles and re-
store the republic Of Washington and Jefferson.
The pendulum OF public opinion sometimes
swings very far I'm the wrong direction, but With
out n violent interruption II swings back again.
With little help it will swing back now"
Before man is ready to take medicine
he must be convinced that he Is SICK. SO
before the people of the United States can
be made to take States-rights medicine
they must know and feel that they need 1t.
Whoever takes an oath to obey the
Constitution, takes it, as we have heard IT
said General JACKSON did. with the un-
derstanding that he is to put his own con-
struction upon it. For this reason our
northern brethren seem never to have hal
any conception that they were trampling
the Federal Constitution under foot when
they resorted to the desperate measures
mentioned above. We do not propose TO
accent unconstitutional usurpatlons OF
We desire rather to emphasize the fact
that the Constitution has been superseded
and will never again stand in the way of
these usurpers. The Federal Gov
eminent will do whatever II de-
sires to do. and then decide fol
itself that its bogus laws are con
stitutional. Whatever that Govern
ment wishes to do it will do. The late
GEORGE FIrzHUGH, sociologist, always
maintained, even before the war between
the States occurred, that written constr.
tutions were worthless when they stood IN
the wav of power-when there was no way
in which the rulers of the country could
be compelled to treat them with respect.
Think OF what our Federal Government
did in reconstruction times and since, and
then say whether Mr.. FIrEHUGH was mis-
taken or not. SO we ask the Constitution tC
understand that when we say that ouI
| Federal Government is practically ono OF
unlimited powers we mean that 1t is
wrongfully and not rightfully so. Yet
who can right this wrong? Nobody has
| the power. The Federal Government IS
nominally one of delegated powers anc
well-defined limits; but it IS IN fact one
possessing all the powers it chooses &c
exercise. and not limited in any manner.
We do not say that this ought to be so, but
simply that it is so.