Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-08-28

DlSest VI All ariStoVracleh, tno true patrlOts
will still have the consolation, that the
defeat, the damned defeat" occurred
under the strictest forms of Law. Better
than ten Massachusetts, soldiers should be |
killed than that one negro should be illegal |
ly freed Better that Massachusetts, should |
be governed by jeff. Davis than that it I
should be represented by such men as
Charles Sumner and Henry Wilson, noto- |
riously hostile to the constitutional rights of
the South Subsection, in itself, is bad |
but the great American idea of local Gov
ernments for local purposes, and a general
Government for general purposes, still, thank
| God my survive it. 10 be sure, VIC may
be beaten and enslaved. The rascals, rem.
egades, and liberticiJes may gain their OBJ |
ject This object we shall ever contemn.
But If they gain it fairly, under the forms ofI
the Constitution, il il the duty Of all good
citizens to submit. Our Southern oppo.
nents, we acknowledge, committed some
irregularities" but nobody can assert
that, in dealing with them, we deviatcd, by
hair .. BREADTH from the powers intrusted
to the Government by the Fathers of the
Republic, While the country is convulsed
by a rebellion Unprecedented in the whole
history of the world, we are compelled by
our. principles to look upon it as lawyers,
and not as statesmen. We apply to it the
same principles which our venerated fore
fathers applied to Shay's Rebellion in Mas.
sachusetts and the Whisky Insurrection in
Pennsylvania. To be sure, the ''circum-
stances" are different but we need not re.
mind the phllauthropic inhabitants of our
section of the country, that principles are
eternal" We Judge the existing case by
these eternal principles. We may fail aud
fail ignominiously but, in our failure, no,
body can say that We violated any sacred
form of the ever. glorious Constitution of
the United States. The Constitution has
in 1t no provisions to secure its own existence
By unconstitutional means. 1t is therefore
our duty, as lawyers as well as Legislators,
to allow the gentlemen who have repudia-
! ted it, because they were defeated IN an cleo
:, ton, to enjoy all its benefits That they dc
y not seem to appreciate these benefits, but
!. shoot, in u shockingly irregular manner
! all who insist on imposing on them its bless
!, ings, furnishes no reason why we should
J.. partake in their guilt by violating its pro
u visions. 1t is true that the Government es
', tablished by the Constitution may fall by Q
. strict adherence to our notions of the Con
stitution; but even in that event we shal
: have the delicious satisfaction of contem
= plating it in memory as a beautiful idea
,' after it has ceased to exist as a palpable
;, fact. AS the best constitution ever devised
= by hu,nun wisdom. we shall aways find
y more exquisite delight in meditating on tn,
u mental image Of its perfect feature than il
: enjoying the practical blessings of any othe
Government which may be established afte
it is dead and gone and our feeling regard
4 ing. it can be best expressed in the words il
which the lyric poet celebrates his loyat,
! n tho anul NJ tho dop.rtaI oI;aat % IL:
" affection
II, "rhough many gifted mind we meet
- Aud iaire,t forms see,
W To live with them s fur less sweet
NJ Than 10 remember thee"
L. 1t is fortunate both for our safety and tn
Or safety Of the Constitution, that these DO
1T litico-sentimental gentlemen represent onl
IN a certain theory of the Constitution, an
ar not the Constitution ITSELF Their leadin
lie defect is an incapacity to adjust their pro
nt found legel intellects to the altered circum
10 stances Of the country. Any child in DC
a litical knowledge is competent to give then
" this important item Of political information
10 that by no Constitution of Government eve
70 devised BY human morality and intelligenc
is were the rights Of rascals so secured as
ot give them the privilege of trampling on tn
ie rights Of honest nen. Any child in polit
O. cal knowledge is competent to inform ther
Q. OF this fundamental fact, underlying all law
g. and Constitutions that, If miscreant al
N tempts to cut your throat, you may resis
g. him by all the means which your strengt
q. and his weakness place in your power. An
e, child in political knowledge is further con
u petent TO furnish them with this additions
rs bit Of wisdom, every Constitution
no Government provides, under the war. powe
81 it oonfers, against its own overthrow
rebels and by enemies. If rebels rise (
OF the dignity and exert the power of enemie,
they can be proceeded against both as rebel
g. and as enemies. As rebels, the Govern
q. ment is bound to give them all the secur
,g ties which the Constitution may guarant
10 to traitors. As enemies, the Governmer
rs is restricted only. by the vast and vagu
O. rights Of war, of which its own militar
ns necessities must be tho final judge.
o. But" say the serene thinkers an
ut scholars whom the rogues use as mouth
2 pieces, our object is simply to defend tn
le Constitution. We do not believe that tn
es Government has any of the so-caled right
O. of war against the rebels. II Jefferso
n Davis has committed the crime of treason
n he has the same right to be tried BY a iur
or Of the district in which his alleged crime wa
I. committed that murderer has to be trie
oil by similar jury. We know that Mr.. Davi.
to in case the rebellion is crushed. will not onl
Of be triumphantly acquitted, but will be sen
l. 70 Congress as Senator from Mississippi.
t. This is mortitying in itself, but it still is
s. beautiful illustration Of the merits of ou
" admirable system Of Government. It er
20 ables the South to play successfully tn
o. transparent game Of Heads win, tails yo
m lose, and so far must be reckoned bad. :
70 But this evil is counterbalanced by 10 man
no blessings, that nobody but miserable Abc
ID litionist will think Of objecting to the M
al rangemsnt. We, on the whole, agree wit
u the traitors, whose designs we laxiy aid, /
On thinking that JEFF. Davis and Charle
a Sumner are equally guilty, in fair estimat
ey OF the causes OF our present misfortunes. :
r. Hang both, we say and we say il with a
at inward confidence that neither will h
!; hanged, if the true principles Of the CeI
y, stitution be carried out.
nt The political rogues and the class I
ne honest men We have referred to are, ther,
Vs. fore, practically associated in one party
W, oppose the present Government. FIJI
es rogues lead the honest men follow.