The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-06-08
SEATTLE, SATURDAY, JUNE 3.
THIS Is A NATION.

HIS Is n NAHUM
The newspaper comment on the decision
OF the supreme court of the UnitedStates
I'm the Debs case has In great measure
been confined TO one point. tho aftirmance
of the power in Federal courts to punish
under contempt proceedings and to use
the process of injunction to restrain the
commission OF statutory offenses.
But there is a ground taken In the de-
elsion. ia which all the judges join. which
makes IL in many respects the most note
worthy handed down In that court for
many years. This is contained in the en-
phatic declaration as 10 the sovereignty.
jurisdiction and political supremacy Of
the Federal government. The language
OF the court IN discussing this is as fol-
lows:
There IL no such impotency in the ma
tional government The entire strength
OF the nation may be used 10 enforce IN
any part OF the land the full and free
exercise of all national powers and the
security Of all rights intrusted by the
constitution to its care. IL the emer-
gency arises. the army OF the nation and
all It's militia are at the service of the
nation to compel obedience TO its laws
I'VE hold that the government of the
United States is one having jurisdiction
over every foot OF soil within it's terri
tory and acting directly upon each citi-
zen; that, while il is a government OF
enumerated powers. it has within the lin
its OF those powers all the attributes of
sovereignty"
When Mr.. Cleveland first ordered the
Federal troops 10 be sent TO Chicago.
without having received a request for
them from the governor Of the state and
IN fact despite the protest of that gov
ernor. there were many of the Demo
cratic leaders who. while still friendly to
the administration. looked upon his az
ton in the premises as violating the con-
stitution according TO all Democratic
construction Of that instrument. They
held that such an act on the part OF the
Federal government was an impairment
of the reserved sow relgnty Of tho state
and only jgsiihable in case OF actual war
The doctrine Of state sovereignty. al
though badly scotchcd by the results Of
the war Of tho rebellion. had never com
pletely lost it's hold on such Democratic
leaders as had survived from the ar -
bellum generation.
The supreme court of The United States.
by "a decision in which the four Demo
crttk Judges concurred. have finally for
ever set at rest this question. This coun-
try IS nation. the Federal government
IS sovereign and supreme. and the whole
armed power Of the nation. regular army
or militia Of any or all the states. can he
called into service 20 enforce the DEGREES
Of It's courts within the borders OF any
state. despite tho protests of the execu-
tive Of that state
There was time IN the history Of this
country when such decision would have
been looked upon as revolutionary. The
Progress Of time and the changes In pub
lie sentiment have however. don. moro
than constitutional amendments or stat
ues - establish the true relations which
should exist between the various states
and ihe Federal government In the ear,
4ttt AA@lofA ~ t'le CNNfF.fN me ileA was
paramount n ere minds ~ nearly al
public men that the United States were
Simply a confedcracy q sovereign states
each supreme within IT'S own borders
The loSica! result OF such a View was tbs
war of secession. Under this View. seces
SION was no; rebellion. bu; Ntthdrawa
from hurdensome and dlstastelul alli
8nce. The secession idea IS dead. hut N,
state Sovereignty idea has lasted long
The public miad has. however. been eiu.
Gated away from q. aud to the preSen'
generation the national t3ea IS natura
ana not dtstasteful Henc- the decision
OF the supreme court while Il reall,
marks an era. IS accepted as simply ~,
Statement OF a Wen understood condition
or Affairs.
States are but municipalities With pow.
srs 10 regulate :heir informal Affairs. A,
such thcir autonomy should he rreser,. al
and they should ba lcft free 70 exercis,
such powers. as are other chartered rnu
inequalities. Sovereignty, as applied - :
stste. IS a mere figure Of srecch. Ther,
Is and can be under present condition,
but one sovereignty IN she United S,atcs
aud that IS the Federal government itsel,
This IS tho logic % tho supreme court,
decision. and few can Re found 20 ques
ton ATS correctness.