Year: 1877

think that danger OF possible momen


to our Nationality may be most properl


discussed before an assemblage of Amer


ican citizens on the anniversary OF tn


Republics birthday To the younge


generation, who constitute the large


part Of my hearers, the war with Mexic


is merely a dim tradiction or an historic
J al fact; but the elderly and middle.age'


will readily remember that the final ac


which precipitated actual conflict be
tween the two countries in the spring o


1916 was not 30 palpable nor so menacinI
/, as that which is now being foreshadoweC


on the dial of our Nations future IRON
the same disturbed quarter Of the politi


cal heavens and. if the course OF or.


Government shall now be guided or ever


largely influenced by the men and the


interests that stand behind this move


ment-some Of them masked and some


of them in sight-we may find ourselves


rushed into a war, requiring, indeed, but


a petty fraction of our military strength


yet involving a serious drain upon ouI


Treasury, to be reimbursed in the end by


accession of territory acquired at the


wrong time, located in the wrong place


inhabited by an undesirable population


adding weakness where we want strength


discord where we need peace, and a lack


of patriotic inspiration where most Of all


we require the devoted spirit of a true


American nationality. We are passing
through an era of test and trial for the


Republic. The War Of the Rebellion is
| long since over; but the political ques-


tions resulting therefrom. the new ad-
justments rendered necessary by the is


sue of the conflict, the permanent status


of races brought into new relations, have


not yet been settled upon a basis that


gives adequate guaranty for peace, har-


mony, and security in the future. / do


not wish to exaggerate these sources OF
| disquietude, nor do ! wish to underrate


them. They present grave problems of
statesmanship for the present generation;


and it yet remains to be seen whether
our wisdom in peace is equal to our prov
ess in war. Nor would it be just to ig-
more or belittle the grave difficulties
which the States lately in REBEL on have


upon their own hands and within their


own borders-question which they alone
can adjust, bnt which are assuredly rem
dered more difficult to them by their
jealousy and distrust Of the National
Government And, in certain aspects,
these questions are being continually


complicated and rendered more embar-
RAISING by the action of the States them
selves. When, after the close of the Re-
bellion, the States engaged in it were re-
admitted to q participation in the Gov
ernment Of the Union, they all came in


with constitutions distinctly recognizing
and affirming the paramount authority


of the National Government and the
paramount allegiance due to it from eve


ry 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 Un-
ion and the paramount allegiance of the
citizen to the National Government. The


latest example is that of Georgia, that


has just voted for a constitution, on


which she was readmitted to representa-
ton in Congress; and her distinguished
Senator, Mr.. Hill. is credited by the pub
lie press with declaring that among the
prime motives for changing the Constitu-
tion of Georgia is to str Ike from its pag


es the assertion that the late war was a
rebellion; and, further, to erase and an


null that majestic utterance contained in


the thirty third section Of the "Declara-
tion Of Fundamental Principles" which


expresses more true patriotism than was
ever before proclaimed on the soil of
Georgia. 1t is in these memorable words:


The State OF Georgia shall ever remain a
member OF the American Union; the people
thereof are a part OF the American Nation; ev-
cry citizen thereof owes permanent allegiance
to the Constitution and Government OF the
State in cont-avention or subversion thereof
shall ever have any binding force.


Mr.. Hill is reported as saying that this


patriotic provision should be struck from


the organic law of Georgia, and he con
cludes his speech by assuring his hearers
that the full power of the South is Just
dawning, and that the day is not far dis
tant when it will control the Govern.
ment OF the Union. In view of these
significant facts, and still more signif-
cant tendencies in the Southern part of
our country, l ask men of all parties here
assembled today on the soil of Connecti-
cut il they think it wise to provide now,
by the acquisition of Mexican territory,
for the creation of additional States hold
ing these views of the National Govern
ment, as inevitably they would hold
them by reason of proximity of location
and by the character and creed of the
men who would naturally inhabit and
control them. In the States north Of
certain line a countless majority Of the
people of all parties believe their para
mount allegiance to be due to the Gov
ernment of the United States, so that
conflict between a Northern State and
the United States is impossible. In
majority of the States south of the same
line the great mass of those who term
themselves the governing class" believe
in an allegiance to their respective local
governments superior to that which they |
owe to the Government of the Union. |
1t is the same heresy that hurried tens
of thousands of brave and honora ble men |
into a conflict with the Government in |
1861; and now, l6 years having elapsed, !
with their frightful record of war and Of
blood, of cruelty and of carnage. the ira |
gedy ends in one important aspect Just |
where 1t began-with the men who pre- |
cipitated the conflict in solid power from |
Maryland to NJ leo, resolute in purpose
and holding with tenacity the creed that
underlay the rebellion creed that is |
utterly irreconcilable with a lasting de- |
votion TO the Union of the States. l do
not have the slightest doubt that these
views are honestly held by those who
avow them. They are proclaimed by able |
men. with the force and skill-not in
deed, OF logic, but of a sophistry which !
deceives the unwary and sometimes en- |
traps even the watchiul.


There can be no doubt, think, that
the overwhelming majority of the people
of the country, and especially of the
North, are hostile to further annexation
of Southern territory. That was plainly
shown when Mr.. Stewards proposed pur-
chase of the Island of st. Thomas was