Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1896-09-19

The Democrats had been previous to
The election of GROVER CLEVELAND
confined to the states and they were
Jealous Of the power OF the national
and outspOken in the
concerning the exercise
Of even those functions plainly grant
ed by the institution itself
When its party came into power,
they found the same arguments which
they had used against the Republi
cans turned upon them and they
placed in the anomalous position OF de-
Tending what appeared TO be RePubli-
can tenets, but which we're in fact only
the plain specifications of the law,
On reading Attorney General HAIR
MONS defense OF President CLEvK-
LANDS action in dealing with the Chi
cago mob would imagine that he was
reading report made by the Attorney
General of President GRANTS cabinet.
And yet Mr.. HARMON is standing
squarely upon the broad basic princi-
Piles of the constitution itself.
In speaking of the attack made upon
President CLKvELAND's policy by the
Chicago platform in putting down mob
law, and MIR. BRYAS's endorsation OF
the same. he saEs:
"Mr. Bryan, in his letter accepting
the nomination for Pres ident by the
Convention at Chicago amplifies thS
protest, which that conventios made
| IN it's platform against federal inter-
| ference in local affr;fs, which strange
ly enough, il not found in the plat
| forms of the other two conventions,
which have also nominated him"
And again:
"As nothing else has been done or
proposed to which they can possibly
apply these protests were intended and
are understood to be directed against
phe recent action of the President in
| forcibly suppressing riotous disorders
which had stopped the carriage of the
mails and interstate commerce and
were defying the civil officers of the
United States.
He strongly emphasizes the Presi.
dents position when he says:
THE President took this action moi
only without the request, but in some
instances against the protest OF the
authorities OF the States, in which riot,
occurred, and Mr.. Bryan. taking sec
ton 4. of article 4, of the Constitution
20 be the law on the subject, pledges
himself against any repetition of Oh,
violation thereof, which his letter nee
essary charges. He vindicates tn,
wisdom of the trainers of the Constitu
ton by declaring that the local an
thorities are better qualified than thu
President to judge of the necessity 10
Federal assistance"
Mr.. HARMON properly remarks:
"This. in my Judgement, is q IA
more serious matter than the none
question or any of the other question
now before the people, grave as the
= all are. Oar government may surviv
a wrong decision of these questions
and the people may endure for tim
> the evils which result from false syl
j. tenn of finance and taxation. But
0 the President has deliberately disrt
e garded the instrument upon which oh
n Onion is founded. by sGpplanting tn
authority Of q sovereign State by arm
which threatens our form of govern
It ment While, if candidate for Pre-
q ident may properly pledge himself
= advance, as Mr. Bryan has done to {
nothing to protect the property, mail
e tain the authority, and enforce I'll
j. laws of the United States. unless ar
IA until the officers of another govern
ment request or consent, then we rea
IL ly have no Federal Government: T,
e & government which is not entire
Z free to use force to protect and mai
tain itself in the discharge of it's or
proper functions, is no government
all"
Time and again, we have made sim
lar declarations in these columns.
Is gratifying to note that after all the
;, years Democrat, of the most pr
: nounced type should see as his Repn
lican predecessors saw, and shou
% have the hardihood to declare I'll
truth and the consummate ability
= ably defend the position his chief o.
= eupies. But how we'll he. defines Il
: power of states, and answers the can
ing demagogism of Mr. BRYAN
: "The second provision of the Const
tuition to which Mr.. Bryan refers is
. follows:
. "'The United States shall guaral
tee to every State in this Union a r
>. publican form of government, ar
> shall protect each of them against Il
- vasion; and on application of the Lee
- islature, or Ofthe Executive (when Il
Z. Legislature cannot be convened
against domestic violence"
Mr.. HARMON explains it as follows
"This section plainly refers mere
- to the protection of the States again
> interference with their authority, la,
/ or property by domestic violence, al
D. they are wisely made the sole ludg
is whether and when they need such pT
- lection. Mr.. Bryan betrays a co
seriousness of the limited operation
' this provision in the expression, 'Fe
1t eral assistance in the clause I ha
quoted. but by the express terms
the Constitution q State has nothiI
Is to do with the maintenance of the a.
thority or the execution of the laws
~ the United States within the territOl
- of the State. Toe prevention and pul
" ishment of offCnses connected wi
= mails, with inter state commerce. al
70 with the administration of justice
a the Federal courts, are committed
% the general government, and tn
l. alone. Such offenses in nowise me-
e ace the government of the State wit
:, in which they are committed. Their
u fore the state cannot require prOte
, ton against them. The State has I
- duties to discharge in these matter
Therefore it can require no FEEDER
assistance with respect to them. [
course. domestic violence often, as
Q the State and Federal authority indi
criminately, so that either or boz
u may suppress it. And in such cas-
e the action of each in maintaining i
q own authority over the subjects cor
8 mitted to it, tends to aid the othe
: But in such cases each is acting in i
{ own independent right as sovereig
. government, and on its own behalf.