Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1863-12-10

Of its enemies is pronounced "unconstitu-
tional." In this position the Democratic
judges Of the Supreme Court OF Penusyl'
vania stand conspicuous. Of that court,
consisting of five judges, three are of the
intensest copperhead persuasion. The
Legislature of that State, two years ago
passed law similar to ours, authorizing her
volunteers TO vote. The vote Of the soldiers,
If counted, would have defeated the cop
perheads And so this Court, or the parti.
san majority, decided that il was "uncon-
stiiutiona for soldiers to vote" thus dis
francbisipg the soldiers, and by that meas
ure seizing upon the Offices. For this noble
act of these Democratic judges, the leader
Of them-W oodwsrd--was nominated this
fall for Governor. 1t was thought that
with 10000 of the loyal sons Of the State
disfranchised by this man Woodward, the
party would surely be strong enough to make
him Governor. But the people were not to
he 70 easily made the tools Of this unscru-
| pulous faction. They buried it beneath a
majority from which there will he no resur
rection. A loyal man was elected Judge of
the Supreme Court in place of one Of the
copperbeads, and will take his seat in Jan
uary, from which time all the bfanches OF
the State Gssernment will be loyal. These
judges, however, have until the first of Jan
uary to embarrass the Administration, aid
the rehek, and wreak their revenge upon
the loyal people And as this could be done
no way so sffectuay as to create disaffecton
in our armies, they very naturally seek their
end in that direction. And hence these
same three judges, the other two dissenting,
have Just decided that the law of Congress
/ by which tho Union armies were recruited
by the late draft, is unconstitutional and rod
and that the 300 900 men in the service
under it are wrongfully held in the service
and, consequently, are under no obligation to
remain. In short, if this deeisionis regarded
as law, by the soldiers,t they would be perfectly
, justified in not only refusing to remain ir
the service but in sarniug their arms against
!, the Government which has thus violated iLt
Constitution and trampled upon their rigbt'
at the same time.
, What is the natural tendency of such I
l decision at this time? sit not blow strucl
! at the very vitals of the Nation? Could I
! council OF jeff. Davis Generals have devised
a SC heme which would aim deadlier bloy
: ut tho heart of the Nation? 1t is not a
, attempt merely to weaken our army by di,
0 missing large proportion Of our soldiers
| but it is to make them enemies to the Gov
' ernmenc by instlling into their minds tn
: belief that that Governmenthad wrongful,
{ and unconstitutionally forced them into tn
y ranks, and to make it impossible TO Gil the
e places by another draft
= If the party were strong enough to en-
+ force such decision, jeff Davis woul
D havs no need further to court the aid c
y foreign despots in his work of destroyiu
s the Union. 1t would DO irretrievably de
stroyed by his allies IN the North ! But
s thank God, this is tho last aid which tn
d copperheads can give the rebels in this lint
e The elections have settled that A few
/, the faction still remain in Office and will d
l. what they dare to aid the South until til
e people get chance to oust them; but "
l. think, upon the whole, the danger is pas
t the people having come to see and unde
stood the true character Of the copperhou
g fraternity.