The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1862-04-09
stand by the COnstit ution.

stand by the Constitution. ...---
do not concur in the proposition that
certain States have been "recently over.
turned and wholly subverted as members
of the Federal Union," what the Confeder-
atcs themselves claim, and the fact that Sc
cession is maintained by the authors of this
call, for different purpose, does not make
it more constitutional or prevent them from
being actual aidcrs and abettors Of the
Confcderates. l have never be-
lieved that the abolition Of slavery, or any
other great reform, could or ought to be
effected, except by lawful and constitution
al modes. The people have never sanctioned
and never will sanction any other.-The
Postmaster General to tho Cooper Institute
Abolitionists
The onset that the fanatic set of ultras
continue to make on the bond that united
this noble land from ocean to ocean, and
from the broad lakes Of the North to the
Gulf on the South, into common country,
is of fearful portent Adherence to this
bond, in its purity, as Washington under
stood and administered it, is a sure path out
Of our present deplerable condition; de-
parture from it is as sure step to the un-
known realm of anarchy. When such is
the naked, simple, solemn truth, it is won-
derful that those who love their country
cannot have the moral courage to say, get
behind me Satan, to the whole tribe Of en-.
mics to the glorious bond.
Among the recent expressions Of fidelity
| to the Constitution we have seen none more
comprehensive than one Just put forth by
| tba Nouv TorSc., H;etor,ol C,,;,,,, TIL,
body has in it's ranks some Of the most
eminent men in the State, and Chief JUS
| ticc Hornblower is the President. At its
last meeting it adopted the following reso-
luton
"Resolred, That we declare our high and
undated appreciation of the Constitution
and Government Of the United Statcs-a
Constitution and Government wise in its
conception, massive and beautiful in it's
frame work, large in the liberties which it
guarantees, rich in it's provisions and in the
| blessings which it gives, and grand in the
extent, fitness, minuteness and power Of its
application"
That is the truth and nothing but the
truth as to our form of Government. That
is the great iEstrumentality to which it is
| now, more than ever before, needful to
watch over with that eternal vigilance which
is the price Of our liberties.
This is the frame work which one set of
| fanatics, South, have cast off as a worth
less thing 1t never injured hair of their
heads. Jefferson Davis, in his last mes
sage, comedies as much as this for it was
not any thing done, he says, that eccasioned
the rebellion, but something that was
threatened to be done. Such a threat was
made; the country was faithfully warned
against those who made it; and there was
no power in them to carry it out 1t was
made by the set Of reckless fanatics or un-
principed demagogues who were inspired
by the truly internal hypocrisy of the very
EXter Hall AbolitioniSts, whom Davis as
socia:es have been wooing to their side
Had the seeded States but stood within
and under the Constitution the whole Of
the broad river of blood that is flowing
might have been spared for then these
reckless assaulters of the Constitution cod
have been beaten off. But the States chose
the terrible path of rebellion and they are
rcaping its fruits.
Now the solemn pledge that unites the
loyal citizens Of our country South, North,
East and West, is a pledge of continued
fidelity to the Constitution. The word
used by the New Jersey Historical Society
is precisely the right word as to this instru-
ment; for it created no local rights, but
recognized and guaranteed rights already in
existence; each State had customs and
privileges and rights over a century old,
that were reserved in express terms, which
they had anterior to the Constitution,
which this instrument did not and could
not confer, and which it could not take
away. Massachusetts, neither i'm 1777,
when she first acted as a member Of the
Union; nor in l776, when she agreed to
unite to declare independence nor in 1878,
when she formally entered into the Confed-
Grafton; nor in 1887, when she accepted
the Federal Constitution, ever place her
local institutions at the mercy of majority
vote of the other States and though all of
her sister States then were slaveholdng
States, it would have not been in the power
of them all to have established slavery in
this State. She never thought of delegat-
ing such power to the general Congress to
act on this subject, and for Congress to
have assumed to act on this subject as to
slavery within the State would have been
palpabl, and undeniable breach Of the Con-
stitution and acts in relation to it would
have been nu,litics.
These reserved rights exist to day the
original limitation of power exist to-day;
the members Of Congress have no power
except what is delegated have no more
to legislate on slavery within the States to-
day than they had in 1890. To do it is to
violate the Constitution under the name of
adherence to its forms.
At time when the Union armies are
marching on to victories, we'll would it be
for the country to enjoin on their public
servants everywhere, to be true to the Con-
stitution. If the clergyman insults the
congregation by the reasonable stuff Of
setting above this Constitution higher law,
brand him as traitor if the Lovejoys and
the Summers come forward with their in
sane proposition to subvert this Union of
coequal States into provinces, brand it as
the Inauguration of a central despetism; if
the little shoddy race Of demagogues keep
up the vile religion of hatred to the whole
South, shun them as enemies to the peace
and glory Of the land and even the human
race.
Would that the great spirits of our an
ccstors would re-appear and re-animate the
body of the people and enable them to
walk as Madison and Hamilton, as Jeffcr-
son and Washington walked. That truly
greatest Of American statesmen, who on
every great question was full century
ahead Of his age, Thomas jefferson, said in
1902: IL can scarcely contemplate more
incalculah hla evil than fhe hreakiDv Of the