The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-08-19

ton and Union.
Permit us to say to you that any cit
zen who withholds his confidence anc
support from your Government-wht
refuses compliance" with these laws
and an acquescence" in these meas
ures so essential for its defense-in ou
jud gment not only disregards the wise
counsel of Washington, but violates hi'
duty--that highest word revealed by Goo
to man.
Whatever designing and unprinciplec
partisans may attempt, we have an abb
ding faith that the great majority of the
People will give their confidence anc
support, in the future as in the past, te
their Government and their faithful Chic
Magistrate. The answer to all that ha:
been said or which may hererfter be saic
by those who prefer place and power tc
principle, and party to country, OF the
alleged unconsttutionality of the severa
laws enacted for the common defense, >
and Of the force employed by the Presi
dent in the execution of them-is found
in the plain, strong words of the Consti
tuition itself. The Constitution provides
that the President shall, before entering
on the duties of his office, solemnly swear
that " to the best of his ability he will
preserve, protect, and defend the Consti'
tuition of the United States" 1t further
provides that, by virtue of his Office, he
"shal be Commander-in- Chief of the
Army and Navy of the United States,
and of the militia Of the several States
when called into the actual service of the
United States," and that the Presiden
" shall take care that the laws be faith
fully executed"
That these powers conferred and du-
ties enjoined upon the President might
not fail for want of the just authority oj
law, and that the people might be secure
in their rights, all the powers essential tc
the enactment of laws for these ends are
by the Constitution, expressly conferred
upon Congress are in these words:
The Congress shall have power to
lay and collect taxes, duties, imports and
excises, to pay the debts and provide
for the common defense and welfare o
the United States. x
To define and punish piracies and
felonies committed on the high seas and
offences against the laws Of nations.
ITO declare was, grant letters o
marque and reprisal and make rules con
cerning captures on land and water.
" To raise and support armies.
" To provide and maintain a navy.
To make rules for the government
and regulation Of the land and naval for
ces.
To provide for calling forth the
militia to execute the laws of the Union
suppress insurrection and repel invasions
To provide for organizing, arming
and disciplining the militia, aud for gov
ernins such part ci them as may be EN-,
ployed in the service Of the United States
To make all laws which shall be nee
eesary and proper for carrying into exc
eution the foregoing powers and all other
powers vested by the Constitution in the
Government of the United States. or in
any department or officer thereof"
We need not stop to say that those
powers, save in the manner of their ex
ercise, are unlimited. Under all vel
regulated Governments the powers for
the common defence" are only limited
by the public danger, the public neoes-
sity and the requirements of natural JUS
tice. When the people by their repre-
sentatives enact the laws necessary and
proper" as expressly authorized by their
Constitution for the suppression of insur-
rectons, they simply exercise right in.
herent alike in men and nations-the
right ofself-preservation. The Republic
has the right to liye-the Republic has
the right, therefore, to enact all laws
needful and consonant with justice to
suppress an insurrection which strikes al
and imperils lis life. Upon this great
question of the right of the people to
provide by law, and to do by force un-
der the sanction of their laws, whatever
may be just and necessary for the main
tenance Of their nationality, and the as
ser;ion of their rghtful authority. the
people spoke thus through two Of the
trainers of tho Constitution when they
ordained it.
Hamilton, speaking TO the people, and
for the people, said
The circumstances which endaugel
the safety of nations are infinite aud fol
this reason no constitutional shackes ear
wisely be imposed on the power 10 which
the care of il is committed" (Fed. No
23.) And Madison, speaking in the
same spirit, and by the approval of the
whole people, declared at is in vain
to oppose constitutional barriers to the
impulses of self preservation" Fed
ii.
Ii may not be improper to notice thai
the sympathizers with Rebellion. whc
seek to discredit the Chief Mag
and 10 prevent the due execution of the
laws, have here and elsewhere appealed
to the prejudices rather than the reason
OF our fellow citizens touching tho law
which gives freedom 10 the slaves Of reb
els, and offers them the privilege of con
tributing to the detonso OF their naliy,
land. An imperiled country is entitet
10 the services of all her children Tht
slave who comes in the hour OF her tria