The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1892-02-13
Cause of Alarm.

Pride of opinion ott.tImes ln0nces
men to exult over results in political
contests, when if the ultimate effects OF
them could be seen in time, they should
rather excite alarm. In the formation
of our government, there was strong
political element known as Federailsts
who, not wanting in patriotism and sa-
gacity, though they were a little 80 IN
5oretkoaght. honestly believed that 1t
was necessary to give the government
more power than was ut last accorded
it. The experiment which preceded
the present constitutional form, had
shown great weakness in the powers
of the confederation of the continental
States, and when the sires resolved to
reform and re-adjust them, they pro-
posed changes which some of the lead.
ing patriots of the time believed would
finally initiate against the favorite
prevailing dogma OF States rights.
Couspicuously among them stood Pat
rick Henry and Thomas Jefferson.
They interposed several objections
to the adoption of the constitution, the
greatest being that they regarded it as
the incorporation of too mueh power In
the Federal Government, which as
thew believed aud eloquently urged,
placed the rights and rspowers OF the
| States under its control.
So well understood was their objec-
ton on this ground alone that the 40.
captance by Mr.. Jefferson OF cabinet
Office, under PresdeGt y ashingtoD
] excited astonishment among his friends
They believed that, eatet tanning the
States rights. views he hid expressed
he could not consistently accept al
office. the duties of which would force
4 him to put the government In praetlea
oneration. Patrick Henry was ton
/ dered an appointment as member o
I the cabinet. but declined it on th
ground that the Constitution winked al
Il 1t did not authorize the abnegatlol
of cherished States rights. Before tn
States had accepted the Constitution
this fear had permeated the minds G
the masses. and hence the wonderfu
. mowers of Madison, Hamilton and ia
were employed in writing the mum
: bers Of the Federalists to quiet it, Q
: well as TO present other more snuattn
! features of the proposed Constitution
In the lapse of succeeding years, tn
!, fear continued to harass the Republ
: can and Democratic mind, and to qni'
the apprehension, as far as it was pra'
ticable for party TO do it, the celebri
: ted resolutions of Virginia and Kei
tucky of 1852 were adopted as pa
! of the national Democratic platforr
: They were kept in it for many cons
!, cntive national elections. They we
declaratory Of the doctrine of STATE
rights, as they were understood by Je
If ferson and Madison
1t was under the teachings of the
"a resolutions that the Democracy of &
: Southland portion of it in the Nor
/. and West-learned to stand up agar
. Federal encroachment and dared
81 fight and to die. The war resulted
q death blow to one of the dogmaS
!. cuicatetl by them but not in the
3. tire ohliteration Of all states righ
q Gradually but with alarming strie
y. the Federal government has been ms
q. ing insidious but plainly discerni
:: encroachmsnts, until at the press
Iss time, it were difficult If not impossi
sa to foresee any limit 20 it's arrogan
na Il is d source of inst alarm to us. y
Il. love the autonomy Of the states, to
n. hold this state of affairs aud to rea
T.. that theirs are those among US call
en- themselves Je6ersoniai. Democrats, =
exult in the tyranny because it happ
to sustain their puritanical dogma.