Weekly miners' express. (DuBuque, Iowa) 184?-1849, 1848-10-03
COMMUNICATIONS.
DO THEY ENDORSE IT,

COMMUNICATIONS.
DO THEY ENDORSE IT.
Fitz-Warren in his speech at the court
House used the following language -
" There is an un,c, itten posoer above and
beyond the Constitution, ,chich entirely
supercedes it," Does Whiggery endorse
this3 Is it its end and aim, 10 abide by
the Constitution so long as it suits its
fancy, and reject it when it does not; al
low it to be ssuperceded' by a something
uncertain and unrestrained? If words
make sentences, and sentences give ideas,
and we rightly understand the ideas con-
veyed in the foregoing sentences, then we
assert that more pernicious and an,i-re-
publican chain Of ideas were never hung
together. They strike at the very root
ofour liberties, and if accomplished, would
erect upon the ruins OF our Republic. the
worst species Of anarchy and no-rule.
What, permit the Constitution to be su-
Perceded by something beyond 1.-THE
written law by the unwrt.ten! We are
used to regard the Constitution as the ark
of our safety, the Alpha and Omega Of
our national existence; and paralized be
The arm that is stretched forth to deface
IL, and palsied the tongue that would seek
to dishonor it. We ask our readers COOL
~ and deliberately to examine and de-
termine the true meaning Of those decla-
rations Of Fitz-Warren, one Of the select
ed champions Of the Taylor wing party.
He has promul gated the doctrine, openly
in the hearing Of an intelligent audience,
that the Constitution, that instrument,
which gives life and strength and binding
force to all the acts Of our Government,
should be superceded,-by what? an I'M
written power, which neither has or can
have any binding force, and is as liable to
be unmade as made, to suit the caprice
and fancy Of the moment.
We neither advance nor hold the doc
trine, that we, as an American people,
are to be held to servile obedience, and
that, if our rulers should usurp powers
not granted 10 them by the Constitution,
that we are in duty bound to obey them;
but we do hold, tina; as long as a majority
Of the people Of the United States, are
satisfied with the existing Constitution,
which is the case now, that, as good ci,i-
zens and loyal Republicans, we are bound
TO obey and adhere to it. But what did
Fitz-Warren inculcate?-,he unconstitu.
tionality Of the measure about which he
complained, or an abusive strain Of ami
.nadversion against the officers Of the
government? Let us examine. He said a
certain river or rivers it may be, needed
improving that the people in the vicini-
ty Of them were anxious to have the i'm
provement, but that the present Demo-
cratic Executive would not allow it, be-
cause it was not party measure! See
now the drift Of this; he insinuates, that
the democratic party acts from party in
fuence, and against constitutional right
but is silent, mum, as to whether his inn
provcment is constitutional or not, and
contents himself with placing the whole
to the account Of party influence. Why
we inquire, did he not show the consti-
tutionality Of his improvement, and that
it was a measure which would benefit the
whole people, inasmuch as the treasure
Of the whole people had to pay for it.
The answer is evident; because he could
not, and because he wished to blacken
and disgrace the democratic party, by
making it appear if he could, that it a.
dopted or rejected measures whether con-
or not, to suit party ends and
purposes. Had Fitz even attempted 10
show that the Constitution had been vio-
lated, that the democratic party had
usurped powers not granted in the Con-
we light, in some degree, hold
him excusable, and suppose that there
were some tenabe ground for his assump-
lions 10 rest upon, that the Constitution
might be made and unmade all Ibilum.
But such was not the case; his asse rtions
we're nnsustained by argument or proof,
and we are therefore compelled to con-
'ider him as having advanced a doctrine
which, were it reduced to practice, would
lot only destroy the Constitution, but the
Republic itself, by allowing factions to
govern, instead Of being governed.
MECHANIC.