Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-01-05
cnNSTTTuTIoN BREAKING.

Some men talk of the federal constitution as
if it were made to be violated They point TO
the eases in which there have been departures
from its meaning, and find in them examples
to be followed by "a growing people" rather
than sins agsinst the public welfare. These
persons talk as If the written compact between
the states should be treated as an Anticipated
impertinence, to be reduced as fast as possible
to what Milton calls "filthy rags dropped over
worn from the toiling shoulders of time. And
the men who talk in this way are not all glori-
fiers of the bred Scott decision and the fugl"
tive slave act. Their notion is that the people
must compel the old federal compact to give
place to an ''unwritten constitution which VIII
necessarily shift and change, like moving
sands, and represent nothing but the prevail
ing voices of the street.
According to this theory, our principal pc
itical business is to break the federal compact as
often as we can find occasion, and give some
thing else supremacy in its place They say
what has been done may rightfully be repeat
ed and the only points to disregard and treat
without respect are those which the compact
was framel to secure. This fashion of play
ing fast and lose with social and political obi.
CATION is not commendable anywhere; and
when a system of political thinking is framed
to justify it, and to take the place of what has
been established as the foundation of political
order, we have an illustration of intellectual ac-
tivity in which there is much untutorable wild
ness with but little quiet reason.
Violations of the constitution are to be ex-
pccted; but they are not TO be commended by
wise and patriotic men. And, they are not
to be used as reasons and excuses for further
violations, but as indictments to just reverence
for the fundamental law, and to faithful en-
deaYor to rescue it from the violators. Many
years ago. when the country was full of fierce
political excitement, Congress enacted the ia
nous "sedition law" That body has no more
constitutional right to enact such law than to
create monarchy. But the law was made
and executed, and the courts pronounced it
Constitutional" At the present time it has
no defender. Slavery, in our time, has moved
Congress and the general government to
violate the constitution in several respects
and, now, while slavery is in power, and while
we are in the midst of the excitement of war
against its aggressions, most of the courts and
influential lawyers decide in its favor. What
ever the slave power does is considered ICON
stitutonal, and, to denounce it is to be hostile
to the Constitution and the Union" So they
tell us. But, this struggle will end in the
downfall of the black power in question; and
then we shall have the final verdict of the
courts and the country. The constitution will
again be rescued from its violators.
In this controversy with the slave power,
the constantly declared purpose of the Repub-
lean party is, to restore the original meanings
of the constitution and bring back the federal |
government to the uses intended by its found
ers. And this purpose will in the end be
realized; for nothing but the slave power |
stands in its way, and this power must go |
down. The disturbing influence is temporary
in its operation and what it does to-day, or
this year, must not be taken as the fixed and
final judgment of the country. 1.-THE aulacious
aggressions of slavery caused no excitement
in the country, we might well despair of the
constitution; but we may feel sure of its safety
while there is spirit and force enough in the
people to resist these aggressions. Unyielding
resistance shows the force that will presently
sweep away the unconstitutional contrivances
by which dying barbarism seeks to prolong
its power These things may be popular to-
day and claim the federal government itself as
their willing creature; but, ere long, there
will be none so poor as to do them reverence.
Not court in all the land will give them
refuge, and men will talk of them as they talk
of other monstrous things that come to trouble
the world for a time, and then disappear, to
be forever after impossible. But such results
would never be reached, if the men who COM
pose the Republican party should all become
constitution-breakers and walters on Provi-
dence for ''unwritten constitutions" like those
who tell us that all good citizens should disre-
gard the national compact, because it is
tramped on by certain bad citizens, who are
driven to this work by barbaric institution
The LEGISLATIVE CAUCusEs.-The organ
ization of the Legislature has been effected
with great unanimity and good feeling. Mr..
Moses Kimball of Boston presided at the Re-
publican caucus, Tuesday evening. The in
formal ballot for Speaker resulted as follows:
N MaSs NUMBER 5ar s S6 gStes l54
John A Goodwin Of Lowell had 81
John s. Eldridge of Canton Al
II. c. Rice of Worcester u
Charles Hale of Boston