The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1862-05-07
treason An Congress.

The infamy Of some Congressman is only
equaled by the boldnsss with which they pro-
claim their guilt.
On the 18th inst, Senator Wade avowed
and proclaimed the traitorous doctrine in the
Senate Of the United States that the Consti-
tuition Of the United States was suspended;
in other words. that the Constitution is no
longer in existence, and that, there fore, the
Government is being administered without
any other authority Of right than what pos
session gives to those in power. Is this trueY
II it be, what obligation is there on any one
to obey the governing pcwers2 and what
claim Of right has the Government to any
ones allegiance and loyalty? None what.
ever, more than what each one chooses to
give it, if Senator Wade be right in his allie
cation. But he is wrong; damnaby wrong,
traitorously wrong, in assuming thai the
Constitution of the United States is no long
er in being; and it is an outrage on the Anne.
rican people that he was not arrested on the
spot and expelled from the Senate in disgrace
for uttering such treasonable sentiments
The failure to arrest and to expel him proves
that his colleagues in the Senate are scarce
ly less traitorous than himself.
Senator Wade's doctrine would place the
American people, North as we'll as South, in
revolution, IN rebellion. There is no doubt
he told the truth OF himself and OF his Abo.
loon party. There is no constitution in
existence for him or for it. But is there no
constitution in existence for the nation, for
the law abiding people of the North and
South? Heaven help Wade and the Aboli-
tionists, if Wade's declaration should come
to be true. What but the Constitution pro.
tects him and then from the just retribution
due from an outraged people, for the ruin
brought by Wade and his party upon the
country? II there be no Constitution any
longer, by what authority does Ben Wade
Admit it, and how long would he hold it by
possession, If the restraint Of the Constitution
did not prevent an uprising Of the people,
which would hurl him from it in an hour.
Abolitionists, as we have often said. should
be slow in admitting the non existence Of
the Constitution, and still more reluctant in
conceding that it might be suspended under
any circumstances or in any energency.--
Could the people be satisfied Of this, or con
vnced ior a Moment that the Constitution
can be laid aside to accomplish popular OBJ
ject and what would become OF our present
rulers? History furnishes precedents of
what would be their doom.
Ben W ade, you are fool, as well as a fan
ATTIC, for admitting that the Consti' is
suspended. II you can convince the people
of the truth of what you say, that they are
released from all legal obligations to abide by
the laws Of Congress, or to obey the COM
mands OF the Executive, and what must be
the result. But Ben. Wade only teaches
Abolitionism pure and undefiled when he
declares in his place in the Senate that the
Constitution can be set aside in certain
emergency might arise when an outraged
people might set it aside to iuflct just pun
shment upon the guilty beings who have
brought desolation upon the country. Ben.
Wade we advise you to retract your higher
law theory, belor the people learn to believe
it for the sake of ridding the country Of
those by whose m ,chinations ruin, disaster
desolation and the horrors and inconceivable
evils of civil war have been brought upon
them. Learn before it is to late, We who
subject the Constitution to the dominion OF
the higher law, but the Constitution which
protects such mortal traitors as Ben. Wade
and others OF his ilk from the same retribu-
tion as the Government is attempting to in
tct upon those who have made themselves
amenabe to the penalties OF treason, com.
mtted in the legal sense of the term Du-
| buQue lo1Ud) Herald.