Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-12-29

MANYPENNY& 4 mILLER, Publishers
- ----------------- -
COLUMBUS, o., DECEMBER 20, 1868.
President Lincoln ON the Gunran.
sec ofa Republican Form OF Gov
csnmcnLN
Tho most curious, and perhaps, the most
characteristic passage in President LIN
coLN's last annual message, Is that in which
he refers to the constitutional obligation of
the United States to guaranty to every
State in the Union republican form of
government and to protect the State, in the
cases stated, from invasion and domestic
violence" Mr.. LINCOLN proffers that State
Government set up by one-tenth Of the
voters who have taken his oath Of Aboli-
tion loyalty, shall be recognized and guar
antied by the United States. 1t is evident
from what follows this proffer, that he has
an apprehension, dim it may be, but still
not little troublesome, that the new Gov
ernment which he proposes one-tenth Of
the voters in a State may establish, would
not be that republican form of govern
ment" which the Constitution pledges the
United States to guaranty to each State.
Common sense teaches every man what
the Constitution means by republican
form Of government" 1t is the Govern
ment existing in any State at the time OF
Its incorporation or admission into the
Union, including such changes as the peo-
pie Of the State may have made in a consti-
tutional way. This is the form of govern
ment, and the only one, which the United
States are pledged to guaranty to the peo-
pie of each State. 1t is not a new govern
ment set up by one-tenth of the voters IN
State, who have taken certain oath, ant
established government in conformity
with the notions or whims of the. partisan
leaders, for the time being, controlling the
National Executive and the National Gov
ernment. Mr.. LINCOLN himself perceives
that government SO set up would be un-
constitutional and usurpation; for he asks
the question-'Why tender the benefits Of
this provision 1.-THE guaranteed only to q
State Government set up IN this particular
way?" - -Hft
Surely, why tender the guarantee only to
State Governments so set up in violation Of
the Constitution, or why set them up atall:
Why not tender the guarantee, according to
the Constitutional pledge, to the only State
Governments, which that instrument recog-
nizes as republican, Some such questions
must have crossed the mind Of Mr. LINCOLN
when he concocted this part of his message.
But the spell of radical and revolutionary
demonism was upon him and forbade him
giving them DUE consideration. So he gropes
about for excuses and apologies for his
course. .'tuf
He says the Constitution contemplates a
case wherein the element in State, favora-
bic to a republican government may be too
feeble for an opposing element external to
orwithin the State. Now what is the mean
ing Of this remark? II it have any mean
ing, it Is that there may arise case in which
the party in State, standing by their Con-
stitution and their Government under it,
may be too weak to overcome an opposing
faction seeking the overthrow of both. q
Such, Mr.. LINCOLN says, 'are precisely
the cases with which we are now dealing"
Very well. Admit it to be so. What then
Is the duty of the United States? 1t would
clearly seem to be to protect the weaker
party and assist to re-establish and main
tain the State Constitution and Government.
We cannot well see how man, though a
fool in more complicated matters, could
make q mistake here. But Mr.. LINCOLN
has unfortunately got the "Dead State
theory into his head and it troubles him
like nightmare. Hence, he talks about a
''revived State Government" and about a
separation of opposing elements, so as to
build up only from the sound,"-carrying
the idea that the old constitutional State
Governments are destroyed, and new ones
are to be constructed or built up out of good
loyal Abolition material-the very essence
of the doctrine of SUMNER, WHITING, OWEN
and other Jacobin revolutionists.
rrHrs --