Year: 1877

tegrity of President Hayes, and confidence
in his policy.


MIR. Blaine after full statement of the
relations between the United States and Mex
lco, spoke to the younger generation, "who
constitute the larger part of my hearers -
The war with Mexico is merely dm ira.
ditlon or an historical fact, but elderly and
middle-aged people will readily remember
that the final act which precipitated actual
conflict between the two countries in the
spring Of 1916, was not so palpable nor so
menacing as that which is now being fore.
shadowed on the part of our nations future
from the same disturbed quarter in the DO.
litical heavens, and if the course of our GOV.
ernment shall now DC guided, or even large.
~ influenced, by the men and the interests
that stand behind this movement, some of
them masked and some of them in sight, we
may find ourselves rushed into war reuuir
ing indeed but petty faction of our mill.
tary strength, yet involving a serious drain
upon our treasury, to be reimbursed in the
end by cession of territory acquired at the
wrong time, located in the wrong place, in
habitcd by an undesirable population, add
ing weakness where we want strength, dis
cord where we need peace, a lack of patri-
otto aspiration where, most of all, we require
the devoted spirit of a true American nation
ality. We are passing through an era of
test and trial for the Republic The war of
the rebellion is long since over, but politi-
ca! questions resulting therefrom, tho new
adjustments rendered necessary by the issue
of the conflict, the permanent Status of
race brought into new relations, have not
yet been settled upon q basis that gives ade.
quate guaranty for peace, harmony and sc.
curity in the future. | do not wish to exag-
gerate these sources of disquietude, nor do
wish to underrate them. They present the
grave problems of craftsmanship for the pres,
ent generation, snd it remains to be seen
whether our wisdom in peace is equal to our
prowess in war. Nor would it be Just to ig-
more or bclittle the grave difficulties which
the States lately in rebellion have upon their
own hands and within their own borders
questions which they alone can adjust, but
which are assuredly rendered NOR, difficult
to them by their jealously and distrust of
the National Government, and in certain as
poets these questions are being continually
complicated and rendered more embarrassing
by the action Of these States themselves.
When, after the close of the rebellion, the
States engaged in it were rcadmitted to a
participation in the government of the
Union, they all came in with constitutions
distinctly recognizing and affirming the par,
amount authority of the National Govern
mcnt, and the paramount allegiance due to
it from every citizen Of the United States.
Several of the States thus reconstructed
Gil rhn i
IN every instance save one, they have struck
out the paramount authority Of the Union
and the paramount all, glance of citizens to
the National Government. The latest cx-
ample is that of Georgia, that has Just vo-
ted for a convention to revise her constitu-
tion on which she was readmitted to repre-
scntation in Congress, and her distinguished
Senator, MrHill, is credited by the public
press with declaring that among prime mo-
tives for changing the constitution of Geor-
gia is to strike from it pages the assertion
that the late war was rebellion, and further
to erase and annul that majestic utterancc
contained in the 33d section of the decla-
ration of fundamental principles which ex-
presses more true patriotism than was ever
before proclaimed on the soil of Georgia.
IL 10 III thSoC WOTuS lie
State of Georgia shall forever remain mem
ber of the American Union. The people
thereof are part of the American nation.
Every citizen owes paramount allegiance to
the Constitution and Government of the
United States, and no law or ordinance of
this State in controversion or subversion
thereof shall ever have any binding force"
sheHill, is reported as saying that this patri-
otto provision should be struck from the Or
ganic law of Georgia, and he concluded his
speech by assuring his hearers that the full
power Of the South is just dawning, and that
the day is not far distant when it will con-
troll the government of the Uuion. In view
of these significant facts and still more sig
nifcant tendencies of the Southern part of
our country, Iask men Of all parties hero as
semblcd OH the soil of Connecticut, if they
think it wise to provide now by the acquis-
tion of Mexican territory for the creation of
additional States holding these views of the
National Government, as inevitably they
would hold them by reason of proximity of
location, by the character and creed Of men
who would naturally inhabit and control
them. In States north of certain lines Il
countless majority Of the people of all parties
believe their paramount allegiance to be due
to the Government Of the United States, so
that conflict between Northern State and
the United States is practically impossible.
In majority of the States south of the same