The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-03-19
BALTIMORE.
TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 1856

IUESDA1, MAhCh ~, 1861.
We took occasion to comment at some length
few days ago. upon the dangerous and enormous
heresy in regard to the functions of the Supreme
Court, proclaimed by Mr. LINCOLN in his inaugural
Address 1t is not our present purpose TO resume
the discussion of the subject in the point of view
then presented. 1t has other bearings of the most
important character, which have already bcgunto
be illustrated
AS we understand the propositions which are at
the bottom ofthe Presidents theory of our Govern
ment, in the particular relation to which we have
referred, they are these Painly-writen constitu-
tional principles, he says, cannot be, and have
never been the subjects of controversy among us.
1t is only in regard to rights which are not ex-
pressy provided for, that our constitutional con-
troverses have arisen. Upon such questions, he
says, We divide into maiorities and minorities,
and 1.-THE government must cease" unless the mi
nority will "acquiesce'' in the decision of the ma
orty. In other words, the existence of the Gov
eminent is made, by Mr.. LINCOLN, to depend upon
the absolute submission of the minority to the ma
orty, in all contr0verted cases of constitutional
right. Now as all disputed matters of mere expe-
diency admitted, upon all hands, to be
the fair and legitimate subjects of popular
determination, and as all questions which
can possibly agitate US are questions either of
eXpediency or Of right, it follows incontrover-
tibly, from the premises, that the will of the
majority is, according to Mr.. LINCoLNs idea, the
sole arbter of the destinies of the minority and
the nation, in every contingency and upon every
subject. ''The people will have ceased to be their
TOWN ru1nr- - bo hiatt
ment they allow even the decisions of the Supreme
Court, upon constitutional questions, to stand
between the will of the majority, upon the one
hand, and the adjudicaed rights of the minority
upon the other. The majority may determine
one way to-day, and the contrary way Tomorrow,
SO that what is right and constitutional to-day,
may, tomorrow, be unconstitutional and wrong,
and yet the determination, upon each day, must
be acquiesced in, or the government must cease.
The majority may be tyranncal and wicked, cor
rupt and fanatical aggressive and full of hate,
yet its will is law, to resist which is treason, and
to escape from which is to set up anarchy This
is the doctrine of the inaugural, in lis marrow
and essence-the very concrete of mob-despotism.
ANACHARsIs CLooTz '!the orator of the human
trace" could not have represented anything
worse, when he told the National Assembly of
revolutionary France that Fhis soul was sans
tcuyoHe."
Such being the governmental theory of
the Administration, publicly announced, Mr..
LINCOLN can hardly expect TO have the ex-
elusive benefit of it himself. His "rightful
masters, the American people," being pro-
claimed superior to the Constitution, the
Courts and everything else, will naturally feel
like taking their own business into their own
hands. If the Government is their property to
be dealt with as they please, the Offices of the
government, and its booty, plumber and appurte-
nances generally, of course pass to them by the
same title. Shall they not do what they please
with their own? Shall they not administer upon
their own estate? The New York Tribune is
prepared to answer these questions In an edto-
rial article on Friday last headed Selection of
'Postmasters," it deliberately recommends the
selection Of candidates, by caucuses of "lhe Re-
publican electors, receiving their mails or doing
Cuisines" at the respective post Offices. Some of
the Republicans it says, would prefer popular
vote to caucus, but this plan ''is impraccable at
''present," and the system is "substantial-
''iy'' the same, with this advantage, that it will
opposition Postmasers might be selected, if the
offices were to be filled by the popular choice
And so the caucus, which represents the national
majority, is regarded superior to the mere local
majority, and is suggested by Mr.. GREELEY as "a
very proper way Of designating the candidate'
The effect that such designations ought to produce
on the Government at Washington and the re-
spect with which the voice of its ''rightful mas
tiers ought TO be heard, are too characteristic
cally put by the Tribune, to be described in any
but its own language: thus
"We that the result of a caucus fairly con-
ducted-and great 1UH be necessary the part of
those ro receire the ballots and decide upon the quail ca
mons Of electors, 10 exclude the roteS Of those tChO hare
really no business in Republican caucuS-w have the
preference at Washington petitions, matter how
well signed they may be or strongly endorsed the cand
dates presenting them, erce the shall be
'otorionsIy Unfit for the place and then il Mould
'otth persons Of ats O1cR lliaJ.n
Here we think, Mr. LINCOLN has his doctrine at
once submitted to the test. How shall he "deny
Ito any community the right to fill its offices
with persons of its own liking" no matter how
'notoriously unfit they may be, unless he is pre-
pared to say that the people of that community
shall cease to be their own masters?' Have not
the people sovereign right to put in the places
which belong to them all the thieves and scoun-
dres for whom they have a fancy? True. the
Constitution makes it the duty of the President.
and not Of the people, to nominate postmasters,
but it also makes it the duty of the Supreme Court
to determine Constitutional law; and if Mr.. LIN.
coLN as the representative of the people, succeeds
to the Courts prerogaives, there can be no reason
why the people themselves should not take posses
sion of his. The shameless proaigacy of thu
Tri6unes doctrine is not whit less constitutional
than the solemn dishonesty of the PRESIDENTS
Each ends in the same things-the degradation
of the functions of the Government, and the pros
titution of its powers. AS to the pcople-sth,
'rightful sters''-they will find, after all, tina
their intervention in the business will be only
nominal. "Those who decide upon the qualifica.
'tions of electors at the Republican caucuses, will
IN reality control the nominations there, and the
PRESIDENT, who fatters the majority, will be
found to do it, only by way of magnifyng his
own office, as the majoriys choice. The despot.
ism OF the mob will thus turn out, as always. to
be only the dirtier despotism of the knaves and
demagogues who direct it.