Year: 1877

'SA ho hau an aDldlnS confidence in the in
tegrty of President Hayes, and confidence
in his policy


MIR. Blaine after a full statement of the
relations between the United States and Mex
ico, spoke to the younger generation, "who
G0ns'itute &c, the larger part of my hearers
Inc war with Mexico is merely a dim ira
dition 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
menaclng as that which is now being fore.
shadowed on the part Of our nations future
from the same disturbed quarter in the no.
litlcal heavens, and if the course of our oov-
ernment shall now be guided, or even large.
" influenced, by the men and the interest,
that stand behind this movement some of
them masked and some of them i'm sight. We
may ma ourselves rushed into war requir-
ing indeed but petty faction of our mill
tary strength, yet tinvolving 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.
habited by an uudescribable population, add
Ing weakness where we want strength, dis
cord where we need peace, lack of patri-
otto aspiration where, most of all, we require
the devoted spirit of a true American nation
atty. We are passing through an era of
test and trial for the Republic. The war of
the rebellion is long since over, but politi-
cal questions resulting therefrom, tho new
adjustments rendered necessary by the issue
OF the conflict the permanent status of n
race brought into new relations, have not
yet been settled upon basis that gives ade.
quate guaranty for peace, harmony and Sc
curity in the future. do not wish to exap-
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 lust to ie.
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 jealousy and dstrust 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
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
have since changed their constitutions, and
IN every instance save one, they have struck
out the paramount authority of the Union
and the paramount allegiance of citizens to
the National Government. The latest cx-
ample is that of Georgia, that has lust vo.
ted for convention to revise her constitu-
tion on which she was readmitted to repre-
sentation in Congress, and her distinguished
Senator, Mr.. Hill, 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
1t is in these memorable words: "The
State of Georgia shall forever remain mem
Der 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"
reported as saying that this patri-
|sotj6 Sotision 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
niicant tendencies of the Southern part of
our country, Task men Of all parties here as
semblcd on the soil of Connecticut, if they
think it wise to provide now by the acquisi-
tion of MexioaA territory for the creation of
additional States holding these views of tho
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 a
countless majority of the people of all parties
believe their paramount allegiance to be due
| TO the Government of the United States. so