M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1863-04-30

the States or the people are equally
IcoTprehended in that life, for they
are eqIaIly declared to be parts Of the
supreme law OF the land. For this
treason, oil idea Of supremacy OF
national rights or powers or interests,
when founded on something not EN-;
braced in the Constitution, is purely
visionary. No duty of loyalty can
possibly be predicted Of any claim
that is not fOnnded in tho supreme
Jaw Of the land. When it is once
tnUoertainod whAt are tha rights and
powers vested in the national author
ties by the Constitution, they are
parts ofthe supreme law, and our
loyalty is due to them. When we
know what are the rights aud powers
reserved to the States or the people
and We know that they are the
whole residue of all possible political
rights and powers--they are equally
the objects of our loyalty for the
self same reason, namely, they are
parts OF the supreme law Of the land.
Loud applause
Again: The Constitution not only
contains some political power and
rights granted to the Federal Gov.
ernment, and a reservation Of all 9TH
er political powers and rights to the
States or the people ; but it also en-
braces rights Of persons and property
guaranteed to every citizen in his
individua! capacity and these are
equally made, not by implication, but
expressly, parts Of the supreme law
OF the land, and are therefore, equally
the objects Of our loyalty All pre-
tense, therefore, Of any paramount au-
thority III the Central Government to
override these personal rights to the
citizen, or to claim our loyalty in
disregard to these Co. ordinate parts Of
the supreme Law, is a perversion Of
the very idea Of American loyalty
| [Cheers.] AS well might tue citizen
claim, because the Constitution has
made his personal rights part of the
supreme law, that therefore the 10y
atty OF his neighbor is due to him
alone, as the Government can claim
that loyalty is due solely, or chiefly,
or primarily, or ultimately tO the
functions which it is appointed to
perform. The rights of the Govern.
ment, the rights Of the States, and
the rights Of individuals, all and equal.
ly, are cOmprehended in the supreme
law ofthe land, and our loyalty is due
to that law, to the whole. and every
part Of it, and public officers are in
the same sense and Tor the same rea-
son bound to obey every 'jot and tit,
tle' Of it. Great applause.] 80,
These positions arc very plain and
familiar truths too familiar perhaps,
YOU will say, to be treated, But in
these days nothing that lie true is too
fundamental or too plain to be incul.
Gated. The exrraVagant language
and ideas that are current i'll the
mouths OF even sensible people on
this subject OF loyalty would have ex.
ceeded all capacity o. belief 10 any
other period than this. Ii one were
to undertake to reduce this language
and these ideas to something like g
definite moral proposition, it would
be found that the doctl inc &c Eome.
thing like this. In a time of war,
when there is great public dangers,
the rights Of the States and CT indi,
viduals must give way and if those
who administer the Government are
satisfied that the public necessity re.
quires them to use powers that trans.
cend the limits Of the Constitution, he
who does rot acquiesce in their judg-
ment, or who questions their authority
to do particular acts, is a 'dislGyai'
citizen. Laughter, This statement
OF the doctrine is the best that | know
how to make ior | know not how
else to interpret or 50 apply the de.
nunciations which we find IN the pro-
ceedings Of public meetings, in the
columns Of party newspapers, and in
the common speech and action OF very
many persons. | need only point to
the utter prohibition that ls attempted
to be placed upon all discussion Of
any plan for bringing this dreadful
civil war to close excepting by the
particular method OF fighting; or to
the manner in which the terms trait
or and 'Secessionist' are hurled at al
who question tue policy and lawful
ness OF the methods pursued by the
Government in the prosecution of tue
war. Fo. myself, l do not profess tc
have a definite opinion, as yet, con
cerning several ofthe modes in which
a peace might safely be sought. BuI
know not what right have, legally
or morally, to say that my neighbol
shall not discuss such a question, Oh
shall not act upon it at the polls, ol
shall be denounced as 'disloyaP be
cause his opinions on these subjects
d;ffar from mine. IL is to me very