Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-12-31
TH- CORVALLIS GAZETTE.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 81, 1901.
STATE RIGHTS.

colonies had long been separate
governments, wholly independ- I
ent of one another, and filled
with suspicion, jealousy and envy,
not unfrequently attended with
bitter strife. The exigencies of
the revolutionary struggle forced {
them, for the time being, to put
aside their contentious and form
a confederation for the common
defense and to prosecute their
purpose of ultimate political in
dependence of the mother coun-
try. Not unfrequently did their '
petty iealousies seriously menace
the successful termination of the
contest upon which they had en-
tered,
Every one, familiar with our
history knows how, when our
independence had been achieved,
the articles of confederation were
found to be wholly inadequate
for the purposes of general gov
erument for the states.
1t was found to be impossible
to amend these articles so that et-
fcient government might be con-
Quoted under them and it was de-
termined to formulate a more
comprehensive and perfect
scheme of government. This
was delayed and all but defeated
by the jealousies of the several
states. After every necessary
concession had been made and
the convention had agreed upon
constitution, "the most perfect
ever devised by the ingenuity of
man," and the instrument had
been referred to the several states
for ratification, the contest was
renewed with. intensified bitter
ness in the state legislatures. But
one state gave it unqualified ap'
proval.
No sooner was the government
instituted under the constitution
than there sprang up two grea
political parties holding widely dl
vergent views as to the powers i
conferredupon the general govern
ment. All power not granted tt
the federal government is reserved
to the several states, so the doc
trine of states rights was contin
ually thrust forward to thwar
land defeat pubic measures TN
ertaken by the administration
he earlier presidents of the re
Washington, Adams
Jefferson, Madison and Monro
were all accused in turn of men
scing the rights of certain states
The administration of Madisol
was so persistent1y hampered an
obstructed by the application G
this doctrine that the government
was almost disrupted during tn
war of 1872. No patriot
American can read the history Q
that period and not feel the b1usl
of shame mantliug his cheek
Gradually, painfully but Ger.
tain1y the so called free state
became more and more inclinet
to a strong central government
The slave states, however, wher
provincial conditions continued
to exist, remained firm adher
ents to the doctrine. This wa
their position at the outbreak O
the civil war. 1t really seem
that but for the firm lodgemen
this doctrine had in the soutl
with the mass of the people Sc
cession would have been impos
sible. They had long beef
taught that secession was a re
served right. Jefferson had EN-
bodied it in the ordinance o
1898. Her leaders had alway
taught that paramount allegiance
was to the state, not to the ma
tional government. 1t was thi
/ that made easy the detection O
Gen. R. E. Lee and scores O
prominent southern men. Blu
In that fratricidal strife the doc
trine of state rights was forced
back to its rightful and reason
able premises. Never again will
1t plunge Our common country
into any sort of peril whethe
from without or within. In spit
Of all its hinderances we are nov
the most powerful of nations anc
yet have the freest and most be
nign government.
Sometimes the ghost of stat'
rights stalks through democratic
camps and jabbers, "you attene
to your business and 1 will attenc
to mine" but it terrihes no one
The man who would recall it tc
life or who hides behind its grave
clothes is simplyplaying the par
Of a conscious demagogue.