Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-09-13
ru- POWERS OF THE raE5Ipls

NDllfOAtN cunning S!COOH III III e41u4 ~
y. Y, on the "a inst, from which We take
a few sharp extracts
rH- POWERS OF the rREsIpLs-.
There seems to be an idea that the President
can do nothing except what Is written I'm the
Constitution. For instance, # he IS going - have
army 10 put down rebellion, they must march
right and lett, rs the military phrase Is, accord
ing TO the direction Of the Constitution or stand
still. The Constitution is the great landmark,
end not bill Of particulars. TCheers.l Every
power given by the Constitution directing thing
to be done, always implies the power to 10 IT,. Il
the Constitution erects Government, ~ prcsUp-
poses the maintenance OF that Government by all
the usual sli ordinary means within the reach of
that Government, and in times Of war, and in
times Of rebellion, there is power arising from
the very necessity Of the case that controls the
whole question and when you hear the small-beer
politician prating on the idea of unconstitutional
ity, ask him in the lrst place whether he thinks
il exactly constitutional for men to 60 into the
United States Senate and in to the House Of Repre-
sentatives and in the Army and Navy, and one
day swear, " DO swear in the presence Of Al
mighty Tod. that l will observe the Constitution
Of the United States, and 1 will discharge the
office duty Of Senator according to the best Of
my ability and ask him if after having taken
that oath, and while it is yet his lips. if
it is unconstitutional for him t. try to raise a
him that if there Is perjury in hell it is that kind
of perjury. loud continued cheering. say
that the Administration-auy administration l
don't whether il is one Of my choice or one
Of my cpposition-has the right TO do every thing
by implication, according TO the laws Of war for
the maintenance Of our Government, and if they
DO not do it. l viii be for dealing with them
and calling them ira tors themselves.
Now, it is supposed that there Is no war power
except that which arises out of and is prescribed
by written Constitution. There it power up5,.
which the Constitution stands, that lies beneath
the Constitution aud rises above the Constitute.
and Is on and under the Constitution. il e. the
great law Of sClt-preseryatIOu-for comUuritic-
nations and States, well as individuals. Itis
older than this Government Ii Is as old as civil
ILatioD. II had no rise in the Constitution II
arises in the very necessity Of the existence Of civil
government.
LIBERTY OF THE rbESs.
The law Of war acts right up TO the nec,ssi;.e.
Of the occaSion,-it brings men right Up % time.
and treats them practically, and according to the
energies Of the occasion. But TO suspend the
" Liberty the Press Oh how bad that i
to have tie Press suspended Laughter. i
The liberty Of the Press You say anytbiDg IN
them on the subject Of the government Lib.
erty Of the Press is the first thing YOU hear
The Press has liberty enough; and here let us
shake the wrinkles out Of this befogged a-d pet
tifogged question little. The liberty Of the |
press Is great and sacred right and blessing |
But the liberty Of the press is no greater riobt
than night than individual liberty, and than |
thousand other. The liberty of the press is 10 |
be enjoyed long as it does not aid in the des |
truction of the Government; so long as it is an |
engine for good and not for evil; so long as il is
an element Tor preservation and not for destr11c-
ton. The idea is the most idle, foolish and mis-
chevouS that ever existed TO allow an internal ma
chine Of treason to exist and work its errapd of
,fs.l,fa s haeor - - TT
fire is great right. We could not do without it.
1t IS necessary for warmth, for prepar atiou Of
food, Tor propelllng machinery, and for thou
sand purposes, and every one has right TO enjoy
1t. But one comes at the dark ard fearful hour Of
midnight, and, with torch, passes from dwelling
to dwelling, and lights up the darkness Of mid
night with the flames Of happy homes. He is ar
rested, and says, " You deprive me Of the liberty
OF fire " hat a tyrannous and abominable low
ornmcnt Fire is free and | am merely usir,
this right guaranteed to me by the Constitution,
and now [ am deprived of it What 4 tyrsppou,
Government to deprive citizen Of the liberty q
fire 80
The right If implements Of Lusb4ndry. too. :.
a great right. In cur wooden country, the right
OF welding the axe is great right. But suproso
an Individual should use the axe instead Of for
cutting wood or splitting rails for splitting his
neIghbors head open. He would be deprived Of
that liberty, and then he would cry out. What tyr
amy The right Of the axe is sacred Fycrv
man must have the right. The right Of indivij.
lai liberty Is ono of the most sacred rgbts midi
Heaven far above the Press aud eyery o,bcr
Ight. Yet when man converts himself from
le enJoyment Of true manhood TO tho destru-
ION Ot his neighbours property we put him IN
prison. And when you hear this idle parrot prate
Ibout the Liberty of the Press" tell him it is
o be enjoyed long it upholds right and il is
lot to be engine Of destruction going about on
is merciless eIrands. In my opinion Mr.. Lincoln
ught to have laid his hand upon q great many
reasonable journals which ho has not done : S
Cheers. A more abominable abuse never existed
Satan had been let loose after his confinement Of
thousand years, he could not have done more !
lischief than these miserable, reasonable ionr- |
ais. /
Duly OF DEMOCRATS.