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

Ine Icxt OIL the fundamental law il
the guide, and the sole guide, in all
ethical inquiries into the duties of the
citizen. To that source all mus
come, rulers and people alike; tc
that fountain all must resort. The
vague and shifting standards that are
drawn from supposed dangers to what
is called "the national lile," or which
spring from the conflicting judgments
OF men respecting public necessities,
can determine nothing. These things
can furnisb no sales WS nnat haSt
a rule, for loyalty is a moral duty
and it must therefore oe capable Of a
definition. A people whose "nation.
al life" exists only by virtue Of a
written constitution, and who can
have no Necessities that lie ont o., OF
beyond that written necessity, can
finG no rule Of loyalty in any Of the
necessities which their constitution
OF government does not cover. They
may lind grounds Of e1pediency, in
one or another supposed necessity
for destroying their constitution ;but
it would be extremely absurd to say
that this expediency could DO made
the object OF their "loyalty'" Let us
90 then to the fountain head-the
source OF all our national obligations.
The Constitution of the United
States itself prescribes the fpll mean.
ing OF our loyalty in these words
"This Constitution and the laws Of
the United States, toh1ch shall be made
in pursuance thereof, and all tieat.
les made or which shall be m lade,
under the authority Of the United
States, shall be TIE SUPREME Law OF
THE LAND"
Observe how precise as well as
comprehensive this great rule Of our
duty is. 1t expresses without ambi-
guilty the whole OF our obligation to
the Federal Government. . 1t makes
a supreme law ; a law param ounl to
all other human laws-an obligation
trarsceuding all other political pbli'
cations. 1t leaves no room whatever
fur the intrusion OF an0tLe. ,9s q ritBl
claimant to our civil obedience. -
That claimant can Mother be person
invested or uninvested with Office nor
an idea of public necessity, nor an
imaginary National life beyond or
apart from the lite created under the
Constitution. The only possible
claimant OF our obedience is the law;
Or as that law is made supreme, all
other demands or demandants upon
our submission are Of necessity ex.
cluded. Loud cheers.
What then does this supreme law
embracel The text ON which | am
commenting itself furnishes the an.
swer. "The Constitution" it says
what this Constitution contains, and
tine laws shall be made in conformity
with it--theso shall De the supreme
law, rising in authority above all
other laws. No public necessities.
save as they are embodied in the
Constitution no national lile," save
as it exists under the Constitution
No legislation that is not in accord.
ance with the Constitutions tAe
supreme law ; but what the CoDstitu.
ton ordains or authorizes that is the
public necessity, that is the national
life, because it is the supreme civil
obligation. lApplause.l
Such is the fundamental character
Of our political system; ard SO per.
feet is it in it's consistency with ilselI
aud with the rights OF all who are
subject to it, that it contains a ma.
chinery by which the conformity Of
all tho acts OF the Government with
the principles Of the Constitution may
be peacefully tested, without fofcibse
resistance. Ii the acts of the Gov.
ernment are complained of as uncon.
stitutional, they may be brought to a
judicial test, or the people may them.
selves pass upon them at the ballo,
box through the instrumentality o.
frequent elections. Applause
Now, when we look to the consti
tuition OF our country to discover the
full scope Of the obligations which are
embraced in the supreme law OF the
land, wesfnd that it grants certain
political powers and rights to the cen
trail or National Government, and
reserves all other political powers
and rights to the States or the people
Hence it is plain that the reserved
rights of the States or the people are
Just as much a part of tho supreme
law OF the land, just as much compre
hended within the duty Of our allegi'
ance, just as much the rightful OBJ
jects Of our loyalty as the powers
and rights vested in the National
Government Ifthe political exist
euce created by the Constitution is the
national lie, called into being by the
supreme law Of the lsnd-and be voc
be a bold and reckless sophist who
| ,ronId rpdortoLo m find th at nQtiona