The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-05-16
Observance Of tho Constitution.
From the National Intelligencer,

from inc Naslonal lntell&encer.y
It is common for certain class of poll.
tioiaps to represent in terms of reproach,
that all who earnestly contend for strict
observance of the Constitution in the con.
duct of the present war are animated by
an ill-disguised "sympathy with the rebel
lion." This charge is fippantly brought
against men who have signalzed their loys
atty, not by words, but by brave acts dared
and by suferiDgs endured with cheerful and
manly fortitude in the cause of the Union.
For ourselves we do not admit that any apol.
ogy can ever be necessary for the NANTES.
tation of laudable zeal in defence of the
Constitution, and least of all at time when
in its name and by its authority, we are
waging war against its violators, simply
and solely because they are its violators.
What right have we to wage the war we
are now prosecuting against treason and
rebellion, save that which is defined and
authorized by the Constitution and laws
Ii we had no Constitution of the United
States there would be no such crime as
treason against the United States, and no
penalty rightfully visited upon that crime.
" 1t is The laa0 which worketh wrath for
where no law is, there is DO transgression."
1t is therefore an anomaly involving
strange confusion of ideas and distortion
of fundamental principles, that the armed
opponents OF rebellion, who profess to re-
sist violation of the Constitution unto
blood, should be intolerant of reverence for
that Constitution when it stands, or even
seems to stand, in the way of their own
wishes or passions.
1t was well said by Mr.. Collamer, in his
speech delivered in the Senate few days
ago-on tie Oath of April:
That "the great question before the
world to be now settled by US is, can we
sustain the interity Of our Government and
perpetuate our institutions, and do it &C.
cording to the limitations and provisions of
the Constitution That is what is to show
that cur Constitution is competent to the
trial, and nothing short of that. II, when
this occasion arises, we are compelled to re-
sort to means which, in effect, are the means
used by stronger Governments, our experts
ment is failure. Ii we are constrained to
call up, invoke, and put in exercise in any
one department of the CONVENIENTLY is
immaterial in what department OF the Co.
vernment-more of power, more of force
than the Constitution provides, or than is
limited by that ConstitutiOn-the moment
we do that, or are constrained from our
supposed necessities to do it, we acknowl-
edge before the world that our institutions
are insufficiently founded, and that we are
after all compelled, in the period of trial, to
resort to the force which, they say, is neces-
sary to the existence of nation, and cur
experiment is failure. We should, there
fore, particularly in period like this, cares
fully study and sacredIy regard all the lim>
itations and provisions of the Constitution.
1t is vain and idle in US to war against
part of our people because they have made
war upon this Government, if we at the
same time have to sap the foundations of
the Government by stabbing through the
vitals of the Constitution"
These are words of wise and solemn
counsel. 1t is reproach to the temper of
the times that they should Iced to be utter.
ed, much less defended and enforced by argu-
ment or entreaty. They belong to the fun
damental conceptions of republican gov
eminent, and to confound what Mr.. Jeffer.
son was accustomed to call "the sacro.sanct
observance of the Constitution" with "sym.
pathy for rebels" is to indulge in mere
passionate invective, and to evince per-
version of ideals only less deplorable than
the absence of logic confessed by such an
accusation for, if rebels in disguise are
seeking to defend the insurgents behind the
ramparts of the Constitution, let it be shown
that there are no such defenses in the Con-
stitution as they allege. If the "ramparts"
really exist, let there be no attempt to scale
them in order to inflict "wild justice" on
the enemy behind them. Our safety,
equally with our honor, binds US to the rigid
and faithful observance of that great char
ter which is at once the sword and the
shield of the embattled Republic.