The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-11-24
STATES RIGHTS ALIVE IN THE
SOUTH.

The Declaration of Independence, the
IArticles of the Confederation and the
constitution of the United States all re-
lcognize free and independent states"
The word States run all through
from end to end. Il is not .Govern-
Iment" as is the fashion now. but
States that are named and
led. An examination OF chapter III in
lGrady's very able and useful work.
1.-The South Against the North viii
Igive you a great deal Of needed infor-
lmation at this point. II IS nonsense OF
1.-THE north now 10 speak lightly Of h
Estates and their reserved rights"
and to splu1ter over q Nation" II is
noE according TO fundamental law TO
do these things. John Fisks il a sort
of a New England historic Solomon
now and his opinions are accepted as
final He says in q work he calls the
E-Critical Period" OF which we know
nothing. but Mr.. Grady does, that
1.-THE sovereignty Of the several states
Twas expressly limited and curtailed in
many important particulars" And yet
every ordinarily informed student Of
history knows hat every right. every
power, every Jurisdiction which a given
state did not expressly delegate 10 the
UNITED States in congress assembled"
TO quote Mr.. Grady's language. was re-
served to said state, was retained, and
belong TO 1t now.
1t will be remembered that General
William r. Davie, one Of North Car
lolina's foremost men in the last CEN
tury, was a member Of the convention
that framed the constitution. After
wards in the North Carolina owen
It1on, replying to others. he said there
was talk of "a consolidation OF the
states as the intention of the
ton that adopted il, but he said, IF
there were any seeds in this constiIu-
ton which might one day, produce a
consolidation, it would sir, with me. be
an insuperable objection" AS Mr..
IGrady intimates this declaration was
not wholly devoid of the spirit of
prophecy"
The trend since 1865, has been in the
north to consolidation. If the south
had gained its independence, probably
by this time the north would have
wiped out the state as sovereign and
independent, and repudiating and des-
ipising the limitations Of the constitu-
ton 1t would have set up a great Cen
trial Power or changed the whole thing
into an empire as Mckinley and his
gang of hooters and spoilers are bent
on accomplishing. North Carolina
lstood aloof for twenty months before
lit would enter the union. If it could
have foreseen what has occurred since
1900 began, at the hands of the north
lin it's prolonged aggressions and out
lrageS upOn the south, it would never
have entered so ruinous and false a
government.
The invasion of the states now blythe
armed soldiery of the government
and the constant violation of their SOW
ereignty are enough to make any true
patriot despair of the future. MI.
Grady wisely observes, 1T is equally
Important hat we do not let the fact
escape us that in nearly all our politi-
Ical literature the constitution has been
Isupplanted by emergencies new con-
IditionS,' the march of nations, etc."
and other political claptrap that alas
show that trend is to desDotism and,
not to the preservation of the Republic
and the rights of the states under the
Iorganic law.
The subject is of vast, pre-eminent
Importance to the south. We were
surprised more h twenty-five years
professor now at Chicago university, in
an able work he published entitled
unconstitutional n Political History
lof the United States" thai he held so
firmly as to the vitality of the doctrine
Iof States Rights. He is a republican,
but he is not much in harmony with
the teachings of the historians, econo-
tiIIiSlS liz lCdOCIS III lud party. LII
republican circles. among republican
writers, it is not the vogue to write
about Independent, sovereign states,
but of the great Nation that over
rides and prostrates states at will.
twenty-five years ago he had pub
lished but n volume. We do not
know how he has carried out the task
to which he proposed to devote his life.
We have not kept up with his publica-
ton, n do not know how many vol
umes have appeared, if any. The ini-
ltial volume attracted attention in Eng
land and in our own and 1t was so
well received in England that the Brit
fish Quarterly said it was the work Of
"a great writer. At the time DR.. Won
Hoist was professor in a German uni
Iversity. After that he came to the
limited States.
What does he hold as to the doctrine
of state sovereignty? Has he too spit
it out Of his mouth, and turned historic
iconoclast like the hosts of north
ern writer's including the entire New
England crowd? The result of his
careful investigation is, that it is a
great error to suppose that the great
war between the states gave the death
blow really to the doctrine. To regard
state sovereignty as of the past strict
lily, as Of merely historical interest, is a
tremendous absurdity and blunder. 1t
rs In Iact, however ignored and deS-
lpised by political traitors and enemies
Ia present question of vast pith
and moment. 1t is a living question
at least in the south. 1t is a vital
principle in our government. 1t may
lbe completely destroyed, n the north
may agree to see it's great states
merged into a huge consolidation
merely parts of an .empire-but the
south will never willingly surrender it,
but will cling to it with all Of the pas
sion and love of the mother for her
first born. In looking recently over
some documents and papers we found
ia m or two of the British Quar-
Iterly on Won Holst's first volume. We
will give them at another time as this
editorial is already long enough. We
hope the time will never come to the
south when it's enlightened and faith
full citizens will ever surrender the
lgreat n priceless treasure of reserv-
led rights to the states. On that great
principle Of protection rest and depend
the liberties Of the citizens and preser-
walton of states against ruthless op-
lpression, arbitrary invasion and spoil
Iation.