The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-26

these older universities are Tiled by
eminent men, or even fine. practical
teachers, they are likely to provide
better facilities than the mushroom
Washington concern with all its pre-
teEtious name and claims.
Judge Embry and Mr. Leigh Robin
son are conducting a contest that
seems abortive of results in the col
umns of Washington's leading political
paper, The Post. The question is Was
Calhoun a secessionist, or rather, Did
Calhoun advocate secession in his
speeches and writings. This is a sheer
waste of brain matter and newspaper
space. That Calhoun and Jefferson
Davis believed in the right of secession
and that this belief is seen in what
they said and did no well informed
man would deny. That they urged the
right per Sc or favored a resort to it
if it could be avoided as remedy for
ills endured by the people of the
several States, is quite another matter.
Mr.. Robinson consumes space in quot
ing from q work | very much admire
but to all the conclusions of which |
as an adherent of the Older State
Rights school, do not give unqualified
assent, The Treatise on the Govern
ment of the United States" 1t is pos
opponent has read the full debates in
Congress and the report of the Vir-
sinia Legislature on the Virginia Reso-
lutions, made in 1799-1S00, the other
of whiclf was Madison. In my humble
opinion nobody has ever expressed the
true doctrine of our government SC
we'll as the author of the Report,
which Hayne used against Webster IN
1880 with tremendous effect. Again, IL
tn hot NS u I'M hiS
mastery over Webster after the first
round of speeches owed his ascendcncy
in argument to Madison'S sound rea.
soning in the Virginia Report. Thost
who really wish TO know on Whal
principles our Federal system wa
founded should study the Madison Pa.
perS, giving the full debates in the
Federal Convention; Elliotts Debates
(iIi five voulneS) stating the summary
of debate III the Federal and various
State conventions. THE FederahSt,"
especially Madison's part OF it, and the
Virginia. Report above alluded to. II
he have not these wOrAs at hand, he
can do no better than rely upon the
magnificent summary Of the doctrine
Of the fathers presented in Is. }.
Sagc'S Republic of Republics. II Is
the most helpfu! book OH American
politics, superior 10 john Taylor s
CONSTRUCTION Construed. which IN
Jeffersons day was regarded by that
eminent authority as the best express
sion OF our government. T1ldcn and
Jerc Black thought Sage's work was
the very ableSt work on our lnSutu-
lions. The author OF Republic OF Re-
pubiics is my warm personal friend.
He is n Southerner Ga LouiSianian) by
adoption only, having been born in
New England. He is not o partisan
TT bA ,NOYn
find confrmatory matter in Hamilton
and Notwithstanding all the fathers
OF tho republic 10 establish the noble
doctrine Of the rights OF the states
In his book on the Rise and Fall of
the Confederate Government" Jeffer-
son Davis frequently cites Sage as au-
thority for sta tements OF fact and prin-
ciple. | know from my acquaintance
with the late distinguished constitu-
tional writer and statesman, John
Randolph Mckee, Of Virginia, that he
had the most profound respect for
Mr.. Sage as Il thinker on fundamental
principles in politics.
President RooseVelt's policy With re-
gard to the administration OF san Do
mingo's finances is regarded with dis
favor by all Intelligent Democrats and
by a number of Republicans. 1t is
evident that when this government
mean not. simply the administration
but Congress and the Executive more
particularly--the political part of the
govern ncnt-interfereS with the local
affairs of another American power,
whether with or without it's consent. il
assumes n hegemony likely TO lead to-
dangerous complexities, All history
abounds in warnings. But the best
warnings for Americans consists in
the example and teaching OF Washing
ton and his contemporaries. When i'll