Year: 1879

canvass, that will be printed In large
letters and posted In all the conspicu-
Gus places In the Government. 1t has
not only deprived the Democratic party
of ali the thunder there was in their
cry of fraud, but has really placed
them on the defensive in that issue.
Great as the Potter blunder was, 1t
is insignificant compared with that
of opening up the great sectional issues
and attempting to compel the Govern
ment to recognize the doctrine of State
sovereignty, the cornerstone, the
foundation upon which the rebellion
was constructed. Whether viewed in
the light of party movement to shift
the issue from the finances, in which
the Democracy have been badly worst
ed or as a masked movement of the
men who Joined In the rebellion to Sc
cure recognition in n quiet, peaceful
way of the ducttine advocated py them
at the opening OF the war, Goes i NOT
matter, the result is the same. We
are returned to the exact issue which
divided the parties twenty years ago
to-day. The Northern Democrat pro-
tests that he only means healthy
restriction in the use of the army at the
polls, while the Southern secessionist
declares that the Government has no
power to use the army for any purpose
within the border of any State except
upon requisition of the State author
tiles. The Northern Democrat pro-
| tests that the law for the appointment
of Supervisors Is an unhealthy espion-
| age over the ballot bOxi while the.
| Southern seCessionist declares that there
| is no power vested In Congress under
the Constitution TO legislate upon the
subject of the election Of Cougressmen;
! that it is matter exclusively for the
| State Legislature to determine. These
are the identical questions of state
rights, which have been repudiated by
| the people of this Government for
twenty wears, and in FIVE distinct Pres
! idential contests. The bills passed by
Congress, and vetoed by President
| HAYES, make the issue as clearly and


distinctly rs it was made in 1861,
when the Southern States seeded
from the Union. The Republicans
claim that the issue was settled by
the war, and that in the surrender


and return TO the Union the heresy OF
States rights, as advocated and formu-
lated at Montgomery, was forever aban-


dUhtd. The Democracy now claim that
nothing was surrendered but the per-
sons of those in rebellupl that is the


Montgomery Constitution was surren-


dered, the authority for its adoption was
maintained, and the time of its readop-
ton is only question of physical force.


1t was not in the power of the Repub-


llcan party to have renewed this issue,


and it was not within it's option to de-


cline the issue when presented, 1t has


had no more part in renewing the issue


now than it had in making it in 1861.


If the Democratic party are successful


in the contest to be made over this issue


in 1880, they will have gained to the


Confederacy ali that it lost by the sur


render of its arms. They will place


the advocates of State rights in a posi-


ton they never occupied before; that


is, in possession of both branches OF
|, the General Government; and Union
lists in position where to resist seces-
SION will be rebellion against the Coy.


ernment. That the issue will be dis


tnctly made, and the old dogma OF


State rights openly advocated in the


coming contest none need doubt. The


Southerners are not the men to conceal
} and befog an issue, and whatever the
design of the Democracy may be, the


South will not permit them to dodge
the issue. They were bold enough to


demand that the doctrine should be ac-


knowledged by the President, or the
means to run the Government withheld.
This is the first time in the history OF
, the Government that coercion has beer
attempted by one branch of the Genera
Government on coordinate branch


and if the Democratic party had left il
to select committee to devise issues
| upon which they would be most surely
, and easily defeated, the work could moi
: have been better done. HsdiGnapoh
,Tn,LrnnL