Year: 1879

The n alton, citing Harper's Weekly
as ''stalwart" authority compli-
ment which we fear may be challenged
in orthodox stalwart quarters re
marks that it seldom refers to State
rights except as a 'pestilent heresy' or
noxious doctrine which the war is sup
posed to have killed" This droll mis-
conception of our views we must
ascribe, of course, to our imperfect
statement of them, because local self
government, properly understood, is
the foundation of our whole political
system. No well-instructed or thought
full American questions it, and every
such man opposes all tendencies to
weaken or to disregard legitimate
local authority. The fear of Patrick
Henry and of George Clinton, when
the Constitution was adopted, was
that it would supersede this authority
and practically annihilate the States.
Alexander Hamilton, more esagaciously,
thought that the centrifugal force of
the new Union would be very much
stronger than the centripetal, and the
event has justified his provision. State
feeling has been always more power
full, and our troubles have sprung
from the exaggeration of State, not
of national, authority. Indeed, the
feeling was so strong that the Consti-
tuition could not have been adopted if
the dividing line between the two
authorities had not been left indis-
tinct. That line, therefore, naturally
became the point of departure of par
ties, and it's uncertainty has been very
convenient for all sides. When JEFF
ferson was seeking power, he i'm
mensely overstated the doctrine of
State rights, describing the national
government as a mere department of
foreign affairs. But when he had
gained ascendency, not only did he
deliberately stretch the national power
to the most unconstitutional extent,
but he confessed that he did so. On
the other hand, when the Federalists,
whose administration had aroused JEFF
ferson's professed apprehensions of
monarchy" fell from power, they
invoked State rights as against what
they denounced as the odious national
assumptions Of Madison.


The assertion of State rights be-
came more and more threatening. We
will not trace its progress. 1t is
enough to remember that they have
never been invoked for the protection
Of liberty or justice. On the contrary,
the cry has been the shibboleth of the
foulest wrong and the most revolving
injustice. It is, doubtless, possible
that the national power might become
hurtful to the States. But it is GER
tain that the exaggeration OF State
power has almost destroyed the nation.
The State-rights tendency is plainly
not the one that our history shows to
need reinforcing, and the reasons are
obvious. In the political situation of
to-day it is enough to remember that
Calhounism was its extreme form, and
that Calhounism became the moving
principle of the Democratic party.
Controlling the last Democratic Ad-
ministration, it ruined the national
credit and crippled the national re-
sources. and as States rose in arms
against the Union, declared that
States could not be coerced, and the
war followed. The Nation thinks
that the extreme doctrine which as
serts the right of secession was made
by the war mere foolish speculation.
We hope so. It is possible, also, that
some Republicans exaggerate the
scope of the national authority. We
are not aware, however, that we are
among them. But it seems to us very
plain duty to warn those who will
heed, that Democratic teachings upon
this subject are to be received with the


utmost suspicion, and that party
tainted through and through with


false doctrine is not more likely to
teach the true faith because it has


been baffled in its attempt to enforce


the untrue. Undoubtedly the truth is


as true from one mouth as from an


other, but, for all that, the Jacobites


were not desirable expounders of con-


stitutional monarchy. 1t is not by


the residuary legatees of Calhounism


that we are likely to be taught the


sound doctrine of constitutional I'm


ionism. When the Pennsylvania


Democratic Convention declares that


the country is menaced by the Repub,


lican assertion that the national Ad,


ministration may keep on foot stand


ing army to invade the States 10,