The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1862-12-12
1.-THE Constitution as ii is"

ton OIL the CONSTITUTION III iaNoi VI
as to give "new guarantees" to the pecu-
liar institutions was proposed IN the Crit
tenden resolutions-the enemies oil an enlarged
freedom have adopted as their motto and
watcb-words, "The Constitution as 1t ss-the
Union as it ,casn Let it be borne in mind
that the Constitution as it is" was not favo-
rite motto with modern democrats, until the
last hope of changing it had faded out To
this end only-that of changing the Constitu-
tion-were all the talk all the public meetings,
and all the efforts in behalf of the propositions
ofMr. Crittenden, which propositions were sim
ply proposed amendments to the Constitution,
virtually giving Immortality to slavery, and
making the people of all the new territories,
south of a given line, the merest vassals of
the federal government, whose united wish was
to weigh nothing with Congress or any other
department of the government, but among
whom slavery was to be forced, protected and
fostered by the government, though ninety
nine hundredths of the citizens inhabiting such
territories might utter their protest against
it.
Such. in effect. was the Crittenden Compro-
mise, which, we are sometimes told, even JEFF.
Davis and Robert Toombs were willing to ac-
cent in lieu of secession and war! Wonderful
condescension Well they might accept it,
Though it is not true that they would have
done even this for it was really surrender
to their claims, yielding of the whole ques-
ton at issue, a bowling down before the giant
demands of slavery, of the most AFFECT char
acter. The people of the United States, in
constitutional way and by constitutional
majority, had elected Chief Magistrate, and
declared for Just and liberal Interpretation
of the Constitution; and now Mr.. JEFF. Davis
and Mr. Robert Toombs graciously consent
not to break up the Union, and not to detuge
the land in fraternat blood, if the people will
waive all the results of the election, and con-
sent to put into the constitutional bond that
slavery forever shall have its own way, be SUI
preme in the territories, and rule the govern
me mt in all time future as it has in all time
past. And there are men calling them
selves democrats and patriots, who even now
hint their regrets because the great free ma
jority of this nation did not ignoby, to avert
war, consent to such humiliation, and to
thus accept the leadership of Davis and
Toombs, and bare their backs to all the bur-
dens that such despots might feel disposed to
heap upon them.
We say it was when such an infamous
scheme failed, and the voice of the great ma
jority Enthusiastically declared that the domin-
ion and domination of slavery was limited,
and that no more guarantees of slavery were
to be added to the Constitution, that the cry
was taken up of the Constitution as it ISL
We know that men who, only nine months
since, voted in our legislature indefinitely to
postpone proposition to change the Constitu-
tion and TO make it what it is not, were de-
nounced as abolitionsts," while the only men
who demanded the Constitution not as it is,
were Messrs. Bradbury and Gould, the former
of whom has since been the candidate for Gov
ernor, and the latter candidate for Represen-
tative to Congress, of the very party which,
even in their nominations, inscribed upon its
banner, the Constitution AS IT Is"
We know of no loyal men who are not for
the Constitution as it is. Surely all Republi-
cans insist upon the Constitution as it is, and
they will SO insist until it can be constitution
ally changed. five may believe modern DEM
ocrats, the South have made war not to secure
the Constitution as it is, but because they could
not change it. If this is not the teachings of
democrats, why do they insist that the adop-
ton of the Crittenden compromise, which was
butts proposed change ofthe constitution, would
have averted all our troubles, and kept the
South contented? The North has never de-
manded alterations of the Constitution: they
have accepted it fully, and lived up to its re-
quirements, and when even to avert war
they consent to the imperious demands of any
body to change their organic law, they will
prove how sadly they have deteriorated, and
how utterly unworthy they have become of
their patriotic ancestors, who, to defend the
doctrines of equal rights, personal freedom,
civil liberty and individual independence, dar-
ed hurl defiance in the teeth of the proudest
nation on the globe, and to pledge their lives,
their fortunes and their sacred honor.
The constitution. is no Northern instrument:
it is no Southern production; it is the Joint
agreement of the North and the South
perpetual bond" for the posterity of both,
unanimously ratified by all the States; and in
demanding that those now in rebellion shall
submit to and obey it, we demand no more of
them than we acknowledge as our own duty.
And so long as the authority Of that Constitu-
ton is defied, not for moment can the de-
mand be listened to for either relaxation or
an increased tension of its provisions. Sub
nit and obey, is the duty of every citizen, and
only those who do this have a right to be heard
in demands for change or modification in its
exactions.
When rebellion ceases and the authority of
the Constitution is fully restored and respect
ed, then, if the people desire a change in any
of its provisions, they will be competent to
make them, and to do SO in the manner pre-
scribed in the constitution ITSELF And when
that change is made, we dare say it will not
be in the direction of despotism and the dark
ages, but it will be in the direction of an en-
larged freedom, and adversely to a despotism
which is the scandal of the age in which we
live. We go, therefore, for the Constitution
as 1t is, and we shall do so until it can be made
charter oil liberty to every rational being I'M
der its Jurisdiction, except so far as they shall
forfeit that liberty by their crimes.
% Slavery is right or it is wrong. 1t is in