Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1863-12-03
I WHOLE NO. 800.

suffrage and other constitutional rights
shall be exercised. 1t must, however, be
borne in mind that. during the present In.
surrection. laws of the United States
have been enacted and proclamatiens Of
the President Of the United States have
been ssned, which are biniing as part Of
the supreme law Of the land. anything in
the constitution or laws of any State to
the contrary notwithstanding
But the restoration of the rights forfeit.
ed by actual or imputed participation in
the rebellion, must be guarded by cordi-
tions which will preserve the powers Of
the naion, sni prevent a repe ition Of
the rebellion. He SAYS: 1t would be An
act of national folly to restore to the in
surgents their political rights. except on
such conditions as should afford sufii.
cient guaranty that all our laws aud proc
larnations shall be msintaine,l and obey
ed And it would be unavailing to at
tempt the establishment Of a permanent
civil government in any insurgent State
until it is cleared of armed rebels. so that
the Federal Courts can hold their sessions,
and the polls can be opened. without inter.
ruption from guerrillas. Until then, pro-
visional governments. military or con.
occasionally appointed, are the only prac-
ticable form. But .hc sooner such TEN.
porary expedients, unknown to the Con-
stitution except as the offspring of neces
sites inseparable from a state Of civil
war. can be dispensed with. the better for
the cause of constitutional liberty. 1t is
rule of international law, that the laws
and institutions of a conquered nation.
except so far as these are inconsistent
with the victor's system of government,
shall remain unchanged until legally re-
pealed or modified by the conquering pow
er. This rule is founded upon that con-
sideration of humanity and fitness which
forbidS that there should be suddenly and
arbitrarily wrenched, even from nation
that lies at the mercy of the conqueror.
the laws and usages to which it has long
been accustomed. Still moro bin ling ia
such rule upon us. if we shall subdue
not foreign nation but domestic rebel.
lion. The insurgents, once legally REIN
vested with their political rights, are. in
nv opinica, entitlel to their constitutions
4 duu tucti laws, OF idi dS lllcSc COui0f tO
the present supreme law of The land, and
so far as these can be left to them with .
due regard to the general welfare. And
snch changes as the public safety require
should be made legally and in strict ac.
cordance with the Constitution Of the
United States"
He concludes with an appeal and an ar
lgument for adhesion to the Constitution,
as follows:
"Let us beware how, under circum.
stances so momentous. we stray from the
constitutional path; every other is Q path
of danger. In the British subject the most
powerful p ,lit:cal sentiment is loyalty to
his Qneen: in the American citizen it il
veneration for his Constitution. No appeal
to that sentiment is ever made. among m
: in vain. 1.-The Constitution as il isP'
No more potent watchword than that can
be employed in political contest. Excep,
upon that basis We cannot erect perms-
nent plan of reconstruction without expos
| ing ourselves to assault from the enemies oil
the Government on the score of arbitrary
and unconstitutional acts. And why ad
venture into the exposed fields of doubtful
controversy. when we can fight. safely pro-
tected, behind the imprcgnable bulwarks
Of the Constitution"