The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-02-15

I =. ---"AsSOFAAAg 80 Law"
Senator Trumbull, Of Illinois, 10 intro
ducing his bill for the cOntiscatiOn Of rebe
property, made . stirring appeal for th'
Constitution, He is leading and ardent
Republican, and q strong partisan, but hi
has some respect for the Constitution
Unlike some nominal Democrats in this
State, he refused to endorse the uncon'
stitutipnal acts Of the Administration. He
had the manliness to declare, on the floor
Of the Senate, that, unpopular as the
dcOscGL may be for the moment among the
thOSghtLes,, I here declare that / am .toT
sxppressing this mOnstrOWs rebellion Gc-
eOrdiR0 to lac, and no other cay" lie
earnestly warns his "Countrymen, who
stand ready to tolerate any act done in
good faith for the suppression of the re-
bellion, to not sanction usurpations Of
power which may hereafter become pre-
cedents for the destruction Of constitu-
tiOnal liberty" For uttering the same
warning and deprecating usurpatiOns Of
power which may hereafter become pre-
cedents for the. destruction Of constitu-
tiOnal liberty" we have been stigmatiSed
IS secessionists and traitors by apostate
Democrats and hirelingS Of the Admins
tratiOn, who are ever ready to betray a
party or villify their -benefactors for q
trifling consideration--by mercenary
wretches without character, principle or
gratitude. Let us stand by the COnstitu-
ton, for, =. STE t>sNe>sAse NT SnotHss, = ~
the preservation of its liberty is the most
important, the most vital interest Of
Republic, and the Constitution is the sa.
cred depository and conservatory Of its
liberties, the destruction Of its Constitu
ton is the worst injury that Republic
can possibly receive. There is not, there
never has been, there never can be any
State necessity in a Republic, near so
great as that Of preserving its Constitu-
ton from lawlesS violence. It is there,
in its Constitution, that are garnered up
all the sacred principles Ofliberty, all the
enlightened affections Of freemen for their
Government. Whoever lays his sacrile-
gious, destroying hand on that great sane
tuary Of freedom, is guilty of the worst,
the fouleSt crime that can be committed
against Republic. 1t is to Consultation.
al liberty that an enlightened freeman
can pay the heart-warm devotion Of an
unstinted loyalty. 1t is to that, and that
alone, among human powers and institu.
tons, he can yield proud, manly. will
ling, devotional obedience. 1t is by that
he is bound in devoted, patriotic affection
to his country" Well might Senator
Trumbull warn his party to not violate it
and advise the Administration to conduct
the war according to law" Said he:
81 want no other authority for putting down
even this gigantic rebellion than such as may
be derived from the Constitution properly in
terpreted. It is equal even TO this great emer-
geDcy, and the more we study its provisions,
the ore it n tried 10 trOublOus timeS, the
greater will be our admiration for the instru-
ment and our veneraiiOn for its authors.
"As unpopular az tie 0rOlrGl may he .for the
moment among btst1OUghtless, There declare ndt
am for suPpressing this m0NstrOUs rebellion
0cc0rding 70 LIto and no other 'rdy, and believe
that Congress has oUly to discharge its duty,
and the army to perform its with energy and
activity. to bring the war to a speedy and sue
ceSsfui issue. We are fighting to maintain the
and ii especially becomes MS in
appealing to the people TO come To its rescue,
not to violate it ourselves. Hotr are tc6 better
than the reJels if 10th alike set at nOught the
C0nAtUtiOMP I ardrn my c0untrynen tOho
stdnd reudy tn toIerdte any act done in gOOd fdiM
tor the suppression Of the rebellion, net to sGnc-
ton UsUrpdtions Of po'oer rhich may Hereafter
became pyecedemts for tie destruction of Consti-
tutionGt liberty"