Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 March 1879 — Living Issues. [ARTICLE]

Living Issues.

It has been the fashion for several years to ridicule the agitation of all questions relating to the issues of the war as a fruitless waving of the bloody shirt, and to assert that the question of State rights was a dead issue, and that all talk against it was so much argument thrown away. Possibly the men who referred to the issues of the war and the questions of State rights and secession as dead issues believed what they said, and were in earnest in abusing those who refused to so consider them. But if they were, they must now admit that they were sadly mistaken, and lacking in that common foresight that belongs to the ordinary politician in this country. All the signs of the times, and all the circumstances and incidents of recent political debates, indicate that the living issues of the extra session of Congress, and of the political campaigns that will follow, will be similar to those which commanded the attention of the people just previous to the war and in the years succeeding the war. It is to be regretted that such is the case. Certainly the conservative classes, which make up the Republican party, have made great efforts to prevent the recurrence of such a state of affairs. But it has required no gift of prophecy within the last few years to foretell the coming of the new crisis. Many of the best friends of the Union have been blind to all evidences of the presence of an anti-National sentiment in our politics, or, if not blind, have willingly shut their eyes with the hope that by ignoring the alien sentiment they might contribute to its decay and hasten its tinal disappearance. Others, in a spirit of recklessness or wantonness, have disregarded warnings for the sake of political capital, and have encouragedthe growth of extreme doctrines, that they might take advantage of them in political combinations. As a result, we have the doctrine of State rights and secession as squarely before the country now as it was in 1861, and the living war issues as prominent as they were ten or twelve years ago. It is a startling fact that there is as much talk, on the part of Democratic leaders and speakers, favorable to the State rights school of politicans as there wasin the memorable campaign of 1860. The doctrines that made Vallandigham dangerous in 1868, and kept Senator Thurman in the background during the war, find eager exponents and advocates wherever there is a circle of Democrats. Tho sentiments that were tabooed as unpolitic in Democratic Conventions in 1868 are to-day made the basis for claims to political promotion. The avowal of convictions that caused Vallandigham, as a Democratic candidate for Governor of Ohio, in 1863, to be buried under a majority of 100,000 is relied upon to-day to advance the interests of Senator Thurman and to forward his Presidential aspirations. The convictions that Southern Congressmen were requested to hold in check, for the sake of their party, as late as 1876* receive now tbe-fwast airing, and are forced upon the consideration of the public at every opportunity. Hot heads like Hill of Georgia, who were suppressed by party

discipline a few years ago, prate now of State rights and parade their hostility to Ihe National Idea of government unreproved. Issues as to the Southern States and as to the powers of the Federal Government to protect its citizens, which the Democratic party would dot raise a few years ago fpr fear of alarming the conservative elements, are now dragged to the front, with notes of defianoe and threats like those that preceded the great conffict that opened in 186 L No secret is made of the fact that the Democratic party is a State-rights party. This is the leading plank of their platform, the chosen ground on which they propose to meet the Republican party in Congress and in the campaigns of next year. The leaders throw off the mask and take their real positions on the questions that they have, as a matter of policy, heretofore dodged. The reason is plain. /They are the avowed allies of tne old rebel leaders, and have fone to the platform of the latter. here can be no mistake now about the issue. It is painfully prominent, and the people must meet it squarely. The friends of the Union anu of National government must stand as they stood in 1861, 1864, 1868 and 1872. The issue has come up and it must be met. — Chicago Inter-Ocean.