The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-09-19

time the evils which result from false
systems of finance and taxation, but if the
President has deliberately disregarded the
instrument upon which the Union is
founded, by supplanting the authority of
sovereign state by armed force, precedent
has been made which threatens our form
of government, while, if candidate for
President may properly pledge himself in
advance, as Mr.. Bryan has done, to do
nothing to protect the property, maintain
the authority and enforce the laws of the
United States unless and until the officers
of another government request or consent,
then we really have no federal government;
for government which is not entirely free
to use force to protect and maintain itself
in the discharge of its own proper functions
is no government at all.
According to Mr.. Bryan, there is some
where implied in the Constitution, for it is
nowhere expressed, prohibition of the use
of the force by the United states against
persons who, within the limits of a state,
may be successfully resisting its officers and
completely paralyzing all its operations as
government, unless the local authorities
shall first make request or give consent.
'Ths is contrary to the settled principle
that while the federal government is one
whose operation is confined to certain sub
iects, it has, as to those subjects, all the
attributes of sovereignty, and one of these
is always and everywhere, within the terri
tory of the states which compose it, to sup
press and punish those who in any wise in
terfere with the exercise of its lawful pow
ers. The fact that there are within that
territory other governments exercising
ted to it can make no difference under our
double form Of government, the essential
principle of which is a partition Of powers
to be exercised independently over the same
territory.
''Ths sovereign right of the United
States necessarily follows its officers and
agents everywhere they 20, protecting and
maintaining them in the discharge of their
duties. Congress has accordingly, by sec
ton 1897 of the Revised Statues, authorized
the president to use armed forces of the
government in aid of state authorities when
requested by them, as provided in the Con
sttution, and has also, by the following
section, 529S authorized him to employ such
forces, upon his own Judgment atone, against
unlawful distractions, combinations or
assemblages of persons, in whatever state
or territory thereof the laws of the United
States may be forcibly opposed or the eXecu-
ton thereof forcibly INSTRUCTED"
at was under the power conferred by
the section last named that the late rebel.
lion was suppressed. Mr.. Bryan's doctrine
that this law is unconstitutional is more
dangerous than that of secession; the latter
at least left the government some power
and authority in the territory of the states
which should choose to remain; Mr.. Bryan
would reduce it to the idle mimmicry of
the stage.
II will recall in conclusion the following
resolution, proposed by the Hon. John w.
Daniel. of Virginia, who was president OF
the convention which nominated Mr.. Bryan,
which was passed by the Senate July -,
1894, Congressional Record, page S663) },
without apparent dissent:
''Resolved, That the Senate indorses the
prompt and vigorous measures adopted by
the President of the United States and the
members of his administration to repulse
and repress, by military force, the inter-
ference OF lawless men with the due
process of the laws OF the United
States and with the transportation of
the mails of the United States, and
with commerce among the states The ac
ton of the President and his administration
has the full sympathy and support of the
law-abiding masses of the people of the
United States, and he will be supported
by all departments OF the government and
by the power and resources of the entire ma
tion.'"
Mr.. Harmon in quoting Senator Daniels
resolution above does not 90 into the whole
record of the Senate thereon which shows
that not only did Mr.. Daniels take that
stand, but that every southern Senator
now standing on platform condemning
the President in that matter was in his
company. General Gordon, now on the
stump for the Chicago platform, delivered
a speech on that occasion so fervent in
praise of the Presidents orders, and to
conclusive of his right and duty to issue
them, that the rules of the Senate Chamber
were violated and the crowded galleries as
we'll as the Senators on the floor applauded
the Senator to the echo Here, it was
insisted, let no more be said about sect
ional and ante-bellum constructions OF state
rights. When a Democratic President,
elected by the aid of all the Southern
States interprets the powers of the general
government in the preservation of order in
the same spirit as that which animated
Mr.. Lincoln when confronted with the
same problem in a graver form, and the
South indorses and applauds him for it,
national unity upoO tbn prinpinlpS nStah-