The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1863-05-20

The powers Of the Government are divided in
to two classes the civil and the military. The
civil powers are clearly set forth in the Consii
tuition of the United States, which shapes the
Government, establishes the bounds Of ils az
thority and guards the citizen in hi. rights OF
life, liberty and property The constitution and
the laws made in conformity thereto, are the 81
preme law ofthe land, and the penalty afiE-d 10
any VIC ated law is TO BE Indicted upon tue Of
fender through the processes Of the courts.
The military, or war powers Of the Govern
menl are as clearly recognized as the civil, tho
not as distinctly defined. The essential features
Of military power are necessarily the same IN
der all forms Of Government, though ia ours
they are Invested Of the savage cruelty which is
the natural offspring Of despotisu. The great
principle Of obedience TO orders runs through all
military organization, and the severity OF the
punishment inflicted upon military offences
ssch a. insubOrdinstion, desertion, spying. &c.
will depend very much on the character of
the Government inf citing them.
IL will be seen that the civil and the military,
or, if you please, the peace and the powers
Of the Government are essentially different in
their characteristics They are no less 80 10
their objects The one is the conservation OF
the public good-tbe other is the guardian OF
the public safety The emblem OF the one j.
the olive branch-that Of the other the sword
The latter can only be exercised beyond mere
regulations for the array snd navy IN time Of
great public danger. when the eOuatry i threat
ened with foreign war, or when iusurrection has
become too powerful to be put down by the am.
of civil authority.
OAiug to the Indebtedness with which the
war power is defined 10 the Constitution, there
is great diversity Of opinion as to what extent IL
may be Consntutionally exercised The answer
is-just in proportion TO the magnitude of the
danger which threatens the State In cases Of
rebellion or invasion, it Is manifest that not osly
may the ha cas- corpEs-the most sacred right Of
tie citizen-bs suspended, but that the Govern.
ment may employ all the available resources OF
The nation, in meh aud money. to suppress the
one or repel the other.
llG OyCtflut lNdb tue NOFrinuttlL Las 10
POKER to ''coerce rebellion, and that. ia case OF
armed instruction too powerful for the author
tiles to suppress, The appeal is not to the
sword"-are simply hereses of secession, which,
ike the rest, we're practically repudsted by the
traitors of the South, as soon as they had made
sufficient Roadway to form Governments OF their
own, and which arc reiterated now BY their
brethren" OF the North, only for the purpose
Of giving them aid and comfort
The principles upon which military authority
must necessarily be exercised, are beginning to
be understood by the people, and jus, in proper
ton as they are understood will they estimate at
thei' true value the charges of tendency to des-
potism, violations Of the Constitution" &c,
which are so freely made against the Govern
ment Gen. Jackson, in a case which has De
come historic, deemed it proper, as a military
necessity, TO resort to measures, not merely ar
btrary, but in a civil point OF view, despotic.
Wba, was the judgment Of the American peo-
pie upon the act? Let the black lines drawn
around the vote OF censure passed by Congress
against him, and which besege it to this day,
give the answer.
The efforts of those, who, in this hour Of ma
tional peril, would fetter the Government with
restrictions inapplicaoie to the case in hand, viii
come to nothing. The people demand that re-
belIion shall be put down, and they will hold
the Government responsible-not so much for
the exercise of its authority, as for the accom-
pishmeEt Of this vital result which they require at
its hands.