Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-04-06

came polirfi question. Inc uEltu-
tion OF this question was not al first
entirely sectional. but 1t became so
Subsequently. It's agitation as carly
as 1890 threatened the perpetuity OF
the union. The agitation went ON uu-
I'll 1t resulted IN civil war and blood
shed IN Kansas. This was followed by
the invasion OF Virginia by John
Brown and his deluded followers. for
the purpose OF iuausuratins civil and
servi,e war IN that state, And when
he was executed for his crimes, North
ern churches were draped In mourning
and their bells tolled In token OF their
sympathy with him and sorrow for
his fate. In the Thirty-ffth congress.
when the agitation was threatening
the peace OF the country, thirty-odd
propositions Of compromise were made,
for the purpose Of averting the danger
OF disunion; all OF these without eX-
ceptiou were mnde either by Southern
members or Northern Democratic
members. And every such proposi-
ton, which was presented IN the
house OF representatives, was received
by the Republican members with hoot-
ing and expressions OF derislon; and
the Southern members We're often told
that they had TO submit TO the Will of
the majority. The constitution was
denounced by some Of the agitators
as n league with hell and a covenant
with DEATH and the agitaturs claimed
that there was higher law than the
constitution. And in the campaign OF
1860 the Republicans nominated ms
their anti-slavory ticket both their cam
didates for president and vice-presi-
dent from the Northern states;
thing which had not occurred before
that time except In the election Of
Gen Jackson as president and Mr..
Calhoun as vice-president, both from
Southern states, In l32S, when there
was no sectional issue
In 1882 the peace OF the country II
not the integrity OF the union was
threatened on the question Of the
revenue policy Of the government
which led to the steps taken by South
Carolina to uullify the acts Of congress-
by which duties on imports and for
the protection OF home industries We're
levied I'm Il way which, Il was believed,
did not bear equally on the different
parts OF the country, and which was
believed 20 involve IA violation Of the
constitution. Both these were Ques-
tons which came up under the broader
and greater question Of the proper con-
struction Of the constitution OF the
United States. In the federal conven-
ton of 1857, which framed the CON
stitution of the United states, the
question us TO the character Of the
government we were to have, and OF
the powers which were to be conferred
on 1t. and in the conventions OF the
states which ratified the constitution,
were very ably discussed some Of the
members In each prcferrlng strong
federal government, and others Jealous
OF the rights OF the states and more
solictous for the liberties OF the people,
preferrng a government with limited
powers.
The states represented in the federal
convention were each free, sovereign
and independent. The constitution
formed by that convention and ratified
by the states conferred on the govern
ment SO formed certain specified and
limited powers, necessary to enable II
to conduct our foreign and federal
relations, reserving to the states re-
spectively and TO the people all the
powers not so delegated. The ques-
ton was discussed In the convention
as TO what should be done in case OF
disagreement between the federal
government and one or more OF the
states. A proposition was made by
Alexander Hamilton TO confer on the
federal government power to coerce
refractory states; and It was voted
down. So this power was not expressly
given by the constitution and was not
embraced in the powers which were
given.
During President washlngton's ad-
ministratlon, being the first under the
constitution, the question as to whether
the constitution should be strictly con-
strued, so as TO preserve the reserved
rights of the states. or should receive
a lautudinous construction. looking to
Strengthening the government beyond
the powers delegated by Il, was sharply
made between Thomas Jefferson, the
secretary OF state. contending for It's
strict construction. and Alexander
Hamilton, contending for broader
construction.
During the administration of the
elder Adams, the congress with the ap-
proVal of the president passed what Is
known In the history OF the times as
the alien and sedition laws The strict
constructiOnists, under the lead of Mr.
Jefferson. denied the consttutionailtv
of these laws, and charged that they
endangered the liberty OF the citizens
Under this Issue the American people
agreed with Mr.. jefferson and elected
him. president in the year $500, and
again in 1904.
In the year 1898 the legislature of
Kentucky, and In the year 1899 the
legislature of Virginia passed resolu
tons denouncing the allen and sedi
ton laws as violatlve Of the constitu-
tlon and dangerous TO liberty; and as
serted the right OF the states to pro-
tect themselves against unconstitu-
tionel laws and acts Of the Federal
government, And in these resolutions
they asserted the right OF the states
to protect the people against the I'M
constitutional acts aud arbitrary pow
err Of the Federal government, and that
they We're the Judges Of their rights
and remedies, but that this power was
not to be exercised by them except in
extreme cases when there WAS no other
remedy Under this issue what was
known as the Federal party went out
OF power and out Of existence. And
under this as the doctrine OF the then
Republican party, which afterwards
became the Democratic party, MIR.
Jefferson, Mr.. Madison and Mr. Mon
roe, successively, held the office Of
president Of the United States for
tweuty-four successive years. II was
always the doctrine OF the Democratic
party down to 1860. and was specific
ally Endorsed by its national conven-
tipus In several canvasses for presi-
deht and vlce-president preceding the
war
am not saying wether this is or Is
not the doctrine Of the Democratic
party now; ! am only reciting these
facts to show the opinions which pre-
vailed before the war between the
states, and in a large measure guided
the people OF the Southern states when
they passed their ordinances OF Sc
cession. They believed public opin-
ion had been created IN the Northern
states which threatened the peace OF
the country and the rights OF the peo-
Pile. They believed the constitution OF