Year: 1879

Tho Resi- Issas.


Though from present appearances n
nanoes will be an important side issue
in this falls political contests the main
pivotal question will be States Rights
. I'd the power which the Federal Gov
ernment has to enforce national laws
oil over the United States. The rssump-
ton Of specie payments which was the
policy Of the Republican party having
resulted in bringing on increased pros
psrity by setting all the manufactures
of the nation in operation, seems to
have effsctuslly settled the question OF
finances In advance in favor OF the Re-
publicans, and has left that party free
10 oppose the hsresy Of States Rights
and to maintain national supremacy.
II Is generally charged by the Republi-
cans and admitted by the Democrats,
that the latter hold that each State has
rights paramount to Federal authority
and has power to snap the tie which
has ever bound the States together.
Reduced to the essence Of principle, this
is what brought on the late war, and
according to the laws and usages Of ma
tions was settled by the arbitrament
of the sword in favor Of the supremacy
Of the national government.


On the other hand tho Republicans
look upon the United States as one
great natioh. and believe that 1t should
bs responsible for the protection of
every citizen in his. rights: for the
purity Of Presidential and Congression-
al elections; for the strict enforcement
of the law in every part Of the land
for the payment Of debts and the
of currency. There are
any who will not admit that
these diff f-renoes are radical, in some of
their phases financial in others political;
but in the main they involve the ques.
lion of whether the United States is
nation or a mere league liable 1T the
pleasure of any State to be broken.
The Republican party being the only
one that ever resisted tho fatal theory
that the Union can bs broken by the
will of one or more of the States, Is the
only national party the country has
aver had. 1t is the only party which
has ever made any effort to assert the
right Of the Union to suppress treason
and punish traitors; the only party
that has ever tried to uphold and es-
tablish the credit of the Union aad has
resisted those repudiating
tendencies which would make the United
States as powerless as Mississippi or Lou
isiana to raise armies, to enforce respect
for treaties, to suppress resistance to its
laws, or to establish~a wholesome and
safe currency. 1t is the only party
which has insisted upon 4 currency
equally good in Maine, Oregon or Fler-
ida; the only party which has opposed
reputation Of national obligations; the
only party which has suppressed a re-
bellion, and refused to strip the Gov
ernment of power necessary to the
suppression Of rebellions hereafter. In
reality it is the only national party
the only party that ever claimed that
the United States ought to be a nation
and tried to establish and uphold ma.
tional power, national honor or national
citizenship.


This party is before the people again
this fall with its principles plainly out
lined for acceptance or rejection, and it
will be seen what the people think of
it and its ideas. The lines have been
SO closely drawn that there is no chance
to dodge the questions involved. The
Democrats have taken such a position
in the extra session of Congress that
the very existence Of ths Union is
threatened by their assault upon the
executive power, and not less against
the.honor and credit of the UnitedStates.
Politically, the Democratic party wants
for each State, power to make every
elec ion farce as was the case in most
of the States of the South at the last
Presidential election, ard as is now at
tempted by the Yazoo, Mississippi, plan.
1t rests with the citizens to say whether
they want elections in which the rights
OF every citizen, whether rich or poor,
armed or unarmed, white or black,
shall be protected. 1t rests with them
to say whether they wanta strict and
faithful observance of the laws as to all
citizens alike.


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Political Intolerance.


In Kemper county, Mississippi, famous