The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1956-10-26
States Rights Rally Draws Audience
OF 900 to Jarman Hall Here Tuesday
Gravatt Sees
'IIcrta. Threat
In Fiery Address

A militant warning that de
struction OF the Constitution by
Judicial process poses mortal
peril to every man. woman and
child IN America was sounded by
J. Segar Gravatt in his States
Rights Party rally address here
Tuesday night
The NottoWay County Court
Judge brought a burst of applause
from the audience of 1000 pe,-
sons in Jarman Hall when he de-
clared Il don't care which party
IS hurt l hope our action strikes
a mortal blow to both. Since Nav
II, 1854 there has been only one
issue; viii you submit to tyranny
or will YOU resist tyranny"
Gravatt said the historic con-
test between those who want
strong, centralized federal power
and those who believe in states
rights to keep their reserved pow
ers has reached the crisis stage.
The Long View
Then IN projecting the imme-
dlate presidential campaign is
sues into the longer view he de-
clared If we make a strong
showing Of numbers. If we act
with courage and conviction. Wen
get in the 1860 political party
platforms something We can ac-
cept.'
He described the states rights
movement as process of get
ting back for our people the
American values and self-reliant
patriotism from which they have
been led aStray."
Tampering with the Constitu-
ton. its changing by judicial fiat,
against the documents own me-
thod of popular vote. is an act
against the founding fathers.
Gravatt charged. The Constitu-
ton was drawn by men who had
themselves felt the stripes of ty-
ranny on their backs They had
SO recently experienced the des-
p0tism. the terror of unrestrained
lust for power that stems from
the imperfect human personality"
Civil Rights Issue
The federal power versus state
right contest which precipitated
the Civil War has increased in IN
/ tensity since, Gravatt said. Today
outrageous political actions
/ have sought to make capital out
of the Negro minorities who NOV
/ ed to Northern industrial cities
/ after the war
The civil rights planks Of both
/ parties have been drawn for the
sole purpose of Turing the votes Of
! Negro mlnorities.' he said
President Truman's use of mill
| tary troops for the Korean "po-
lice action was an arrogant
exercise Of Federal power" Ora
watt charged i don't say that
tiioN obl VIZ Sit vas IlSIic Vi W Oll5 ,
but | do charge that the commit
ting of our sons to war should not
have been authorized solely by
executive order.
Gravatt cited the federal in
come tax as "one Of the greatest
tragedies ever to befall this coun-
try And. he added, there is not
one word in the law to prevent
the federal government from TAX
ing every dollar of your income
People Docile
The forceful speaker said the
Objectionable platform offerings
of the major parties have been
made in the belief that Southern
whites will remain "docile. servile
people who Will continue to act
as trained seals while accepting
whatever the parties decree
This is not a rally for me. but
an occasion for thanksgiving. I
thank goodness for the courage
of those who would arrange 1t so
that l can 60 to the polls Nov. 6
and keep my self respect, Ora
watt declared.
Noting the endorsement of the
new States Rights Party by Viz
ginia Delegate Frank P Moncure
this week. Gravatt said, unless
our own legislators speak up for
their convictions and conscience,
the good people Of Virginia are
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