The dollar weekly bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1862-1864, 1863-04-02
Platform OF the So.caIled Union Party
Il in Kentucky.
From the louisville Democrat.I

,-i From the Louisville Democrat.J
We have been asked what objection we
have to the platform of the so-called Union
Convention lately held. Well, the main and
iusurmountable objection is, that after read
ing it, we have no Information about our
real condition, and the programme upon
which the war is now conducted by those
in power.
The resolutions condemn things in the
abstract; but what all these things together
mean, and the bearing they have upon the
condition of the country, does not appear
The radical measures of this Administration
and the late Congress are some of them
condemned by the resolutions; but what is
the desigo ofall these measures, and to what
condition have they reduced the 4oyal States
as we'll as the rebel States2
The plain truth that we are to-day under
the despotic authority of the Executive; that
the purse and the sword are in his hands, is
not stated or explained. These proclama-
ticns of the President are condemned; but
what if they are? It amounts to about as
much as q condemnation of the Ptolem ale
system of astronomy. .s re
Now. what is the principle introduced In
to this country by the proclams tions? The
President. as Commander-in-C Chief, assumes
the power to adopt any means he may deem
necessary to put down the rebellion. He,
iu pursuance of this power, undertakes by
proclamation to set all the slaves in the
States, and orders the army and navy to ex-
ecute the order. No more startling act of
usurpation could be committed; but if the
principle be correct, it doesn't stop here
The President can suspend any part or the
whole of the Constitution. As means to
put down the rebellion. be can postpone the
next Presid ential election, disperse the next
Congress, dispense with the Judiciary. We.
have, in fact, no Constitution. The supreme
law is the Presidents discretion.
A gin to this same doctrine is the assump-
ton and exercise of the right to suspend
the writ of habeas corpus in all the States
The President has done this by proclama-
ton, and, in addition. has assumed to try
men for disloyal practices, not by jury, but
by a military comission, if tried at all. Con-
sress has sanctioned it all; Unidentified the
President for what he has done, and author
ized him to Go so at his discretion hereafter
All these mean that the President may
arrest any man send him where he pleases,
and keep him in prison as long as he pleases,
and if Court issues writ of hdbeas corpus
to ascertain if he be held by any law, the
answer is that the privilege of the writ is
suspended.
our institutions were designed to secure?-
The resolutions condemn the negro proclaim
alton, and the act of the President 10 sus-
pending this writ of habeas co,pus-a quiet
disapprobation only; but what are these acts
SO quietly condemned? The reader is not
told that these acts and the principles they
involve, sap the very foundation of civil
liberty, set aside the Constitution, and leave
US not shadow of protection under law.
We do not see, moreover, in these resolu-
tions, that the programme of the war is
changed from its original legitimate purposs.
It was war against military cowbinstions
to obstruct the execution of the laUa. 1t is
now, by all the influence and the laws of the
party in power-a war on States and popu-
lations-a was on State Constitutions, laws
and institutions. The negro proclamation
strikes down State Constitutions and laws,
and the Army and Navy are to see it exc
cuted. The bayonet, rot the j Judiciary, is
to decide the point.
The Confscation Bill takes the life or the
liberty and all the property of every rebel,
and the whole population of the seeded
States fall under its terrible penalties. Ger
tainly they may exclaim we owe the Gov
ernment nothing. for we can expect nothing
but vengeance from it. The same party
that m ade such laws will execute thsm, if it
has the power, they may we'll apprehend;
and after the people have lost liberty aud
property, they find the negro armed to keep,
them in subjugation.
These resolutions don't tell the people
that this war is diverted to a party purpose,
and to accomplish, not restoration of the
Union as it was, but Union of free States
only. thereafter" said one of its leaders,
Eve shall have, not a Union as it was, but
IT,. AE Co. L. ri
of 'the Union as it was till he is sick of it."
and the whole system of measures point
that way.
By law they have abolished slavery in
the District of Columbia. Our fathers found
it there and left it there. Party has abolish
ed it for party purpose.
By the Con6scation Bill, the slaves Of all
convicted of treason are emancipated. All
convicted of inciting to rebellion are to have
their slaves emancipated. The whole prop
erty, as well as the slaves, of those who do
not abandon the rebellion, is to be coafis-
Gated, after sixty days from the President
proclamation.
Regardless of the Constitution, they have
admitted Western Virginia into the Union
as State, in order to have more free soil
territory. The leader of the radicals said
in advocating the bill:
coI VIII uob stuitlty mySelI oy suppoSs
iog that;we have any warrant in the Consti
tuition for this proceeding. This talk of re-
storing the Union as it was. under the Con-
stitution as it is, is one of the absurdities
have heard repeated until haze become
about sick Of it.. This Union can never be
restored as it was. There are many things
which render such an event impossible.--
This Union shall never, with my consent. be
restored under the Constitution as il 10, with
slavery to be protected by it.'
They have tried to pass bill to buy the
slaves of Missouri, in order 10 make her q
free State, aud the President has pressed
the offer upon kentucky, and urges q pro-