Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-11-30
! mIIitary dictatorship,

The fIrst regular session Of the XXxVllth
Conqrees commences on Monday next Decem
bs, A the Speaker of the House was elect |
ed, and the standing committees appointed ~
the extra session last summer, no time WIZ De
spent in organization, Itisprobable, therefore
that the Presidents message VIII be sent IN I'M
mediately. aud published all over the country
on tina. OF the following day. 4
We are 90 soon to have the message user
that all speculation upon what 1t may P'o0AD',
contain, seems to be out Of place OF suou
sDecu,atious are 50 natural and common that u
ia difficult to refrain wholly from induiglng in
them. The organ Of the Administration III
Nav York, the World, nspeaking Of the forth
coming message, remarks that 'on one prOm'
p,nt tonic which engrosses public attention. the
nolicy of the Government, as defined Dy tne
President, is Of more pregnant consequence
than the views Of Congress" This is preg-
naut sentence. What Is the zone prominent
topic'' on which tho views OF the President are
of go much greater Importance than those oi
con0ressf The reader will see from what we
are abont to quote, that this "topic" is' in the
estimation of the "organ," the question oil the
conduct Of the war in relation to the liberation
and arming Of the slaves. We are told by tho
World: N5fg
All the acts Of Congress must be within the
limits of the Constitution. That body eau sup,
uly the means for the vigorous prosecution OF
tbe war, but Il ia not within its competency TO
determine those questions Of military discretion
which belong to the Commander-ln- chlei al ana
find their justification in the laws oil war Inc
President Ia sole judge Of military necessities
Congress Las no power TO liberate eiaves WIN
in the limits of the State Jurisdictions; the Con
stitution leaves the whole subject 30 isr as ~
Ia q subject of legislation, to the States But tne
war power iustiGes the President in using any
means he NAV deem suitable for subduing the
enemies of the country. What we expect 10
the message, on this head, Is declaration OF
policy rather than recommendation OF legisia,
tion All the loyal part OF the country WIZ
rallv around the President and sustain him In
any policy be may think it wise 10 adopt -
What we expect, however, is simply an ex-
hibition of frmness in steadily Adhering 70 mis-
past declarations.
Here we iud the President elevated ct once
to the rank of Military Dictator, or Despot
rather, with power above Congress and the
Constitution. Not only the States, but the peo'
pie must how before this supreme and absolute
Judge Of military necessities"
-SoDgress, it is argued, has no power 60 iper-
ate slaves; but it is implied as strongly as
though it had been directly asserted, that the
President has, for "the war power justities the
President in usIno any means be may deem ad
Tisable in subduing the enemies of the country,
This is clothing the President with unlimited
arbitrary power under the stale plea OF "mili-
tary necessity" which will justify any stretch of
tyranny. II our Chief Magistrate may use
sIany means he may deem advisable" and 1t
there is no limit to his discretion either in the
Constitution or the laws, or In the coordinate
branches Of the Government, we have, In the
person of ABRAHAM LIEoOLs, an absolute mon
arch. And to "cap the climax" We are grave
ly told that q all the loyal part of the country
will rally around the President and sustain him
in aay policy be may think it wise to adopt"
implying that the mass Of the people have al
ready become so corrupted, that they are ready
to part with their right to sslfgovernment, and
make Military Dictator the sole arbiter Of
their fortunes, their liberties and their lives.
We do not spprehend that President LrseoLN
will attempt to exercise any such unlimited die
tatorship as bis organ, the World, claims for
him under the "war power" Bat we cannot
answer for the effect the constant reiteTation Of
such views may ultimately have upon him.
AT any rate, its tendency is to poison the public
mind, and help inaugurate reign of military
despotism, which the Union cannot possibly sur :.
viye:
Th World argues in curious circle. lt
would institute present military despotism to-
prevent one hereafter Il would entrust Mr..
LIacoLN with the .'aetGal conduc. Of the war"
"witbous Congressional dictation;" because,
1t s important, on all accounts, that the war
shall not be long The immense patronage
with which it clothes the executive would en-
danger our liberties If it should continue up to
the next presidential election. Our presidential
elections were doing enough to corrupt the
political morals Of the country when our annual
expenditure was seventy millions; the govern
meat cannot stand long, with the present Con
stitution II the prize to be struggled for in our
presidential contests reaches four or five hun
dred millions Of annual expenditure. If the
war is atill in progress when the next election
oVertakes is, the public liberties will not sur
vive the struggle. IL Is Of tie last consequences
that we put forth heFculean efforts, wage the
var on colossal scale, and end It before our cit.
izen soldiers have lost their taste for civil pur
suits and ambitious generals are tempted BY
too dazzling q prize TO use great afMy aud
enormous patronage as instruments of perpetual
power. 9.a s-sssis gs,.F 81
Here Il Is in nutshell. To prevent the |
danger arising from the present enormous pat
ronsge in the hands Of the Executive, We must
increase that patronage by giving into hia hands
the conduct OF the war ION colossal scale;,'
and to prevent our generals and our army from
aiming at perpetual power, we ere inyiteds sior
the time being, to surrender our Consultation,
Congress, and State sovereignty; our property,
liberties and lives into the care and keeping Of
one single man whom we call President We
trust there is independence and patriotism
enough in the country to save itfrom this deg
radiation. ~ ~, y ,i.s.gtr.,
The blockade. e.
In his Indictment against the Federal Gov |
eminent JEFF. Davis complains, by hia messaged
that the blockade Of the Southern ports is not !
effective, and has taken the trouble to collect |
evidence to prove It's "utier ineficieneyp That |