Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-07-14
The Government ana the COnstitu.
ZION. .r.r

The word Government has many signi6ca-
tous. The most important are these:
/. IL means the sovereign or supreme pow.
er, which in the United States resides only in
the States or the people, who in this sense are
alone the Government,
III. We often use the word to signify the
limited powers granted by the States and the
people, by and through the Federal Constitu.
tion, to their agents or representatives, to be
exercised for the benefit of the whole COnfeder.
acy or Union. In this sense the Government
includes the Congress, the Executive and the
Judiciary, which are usually styled the three
branches OF the Government. 6 F
III. But a frequent and common use Of the
term Government restricts ii to the Executive
branch merely, or to the President and Cabinet,
who are also designated as the Administration.
Taking the last two definitions, or either of
them, the Government is created by, and grows
out Of the Constitution, which gives 1t all the
life and power 1t has or has any right to have.
Without or beyond the Constitution, we have no
Government As long as the Constitution re-
mains what the States and the people made It.,
the supreme Law within its sphere.ve shall
have q Governments. To the extent that the
Constitution is broken AMI trampled under foot,
Kbecomes q dead letter, and is In fact no Con.
stitutiOn. To the same extent thas the Consti-
tuition is broken and nullifed, we have no Gov
ernment. The question then SO frequently ask.
ed Of late whether VIC have Government, re-
solves itself into this; Have we q Constitution 7
1t is said we are engaged in a war to support
the Government. That means, il 1t have any
meaning to loyal Americans, that we are war.
ring to maintain the authority Of the Constitu-
ton over the whole territory of the United
States, and to keep 1t from being broken or null.
liaed in any part thereof. satsB y
But It Is said that those who are "great stick
lers" for the strict observance of the Conssitu-
ton, are no friends of the Government, but
sympathlzers with the rebels who have broken
the Constitution and renounced its authority.-
Every man who does not at heart sympathize
with the rebels, is q "great stickler" for the
Constitution, and every man who does sympa-
thizs with them, looks on violations Of the Con-
slitution with stolid indifference, and often with
approval.
The only true friends Of the Government are
those who, ct home, in the camp or on the bat
tie feld, are bold, manly and unfinchlng In the
defense of the Constitution. They who deride
that instrument and set II at nought, are at
heart rebels against the Government, whether
they enroll themselves under the Gag Of JKyr.
DAVIS or Of ABRAHAM LiEcoLN. Those who
insIdioualy seek 10 bring the Constitution into
contempt among the loyal people of the Union,
are enemies Of the Government, and are con
tributing to lite overthrow as eifectually rs the
armies Of the Southern Confederacy. Let the
people be brought to the belief that itisa mat.
ter Of triflng consequence whether the Consti-
tuition be violated or not, or thatin certain ex-
igencies It's provisions may be, and ought to be,
set aside, what interest will they feel In Gus
tanning Government or Onion based upon
an instrument 40 worthless and contemptblef
The present Administration at Washington
has called upon the loyal Onion men Of the
country in this crisis 70 rally 10 tho support Of
the Government The loyal people understand.
and 30 do the Southern rebel leaders under
stand, that this means that the Consultation 10
to DO nainsaineas Thesery thing thssc rebels
are aiming tits 70 broak down and 'nullIfy the !