Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1863-04-09

she had long before determined on sopsra-
tion and the establishment Of new Con.
federacy with slavery for its corner stone.
Gen. jackson, in letter to friend on
notification, written twenty years ago, said,
~ he tariff ,cas only the pretert, and dis.
union and a Southern Confsderacy the real
Object The nert prefert Uiube the negro or
the stapeyy question. ~ -us4.
The old Hero was right; the South never
abandoned that purpose, and the present
wicked rebellion is the consummation Of
what Calhoun's followers have labored for
ever since that time. Said Mr.. Rhett, in
the South Carolina Convention, THE seces-
sion Of South Carolina is not On event Of. d
day. ~ is not dnytLltg produced By MI.
Nac0tn's election, or the noa- execution of the
fugitive slaue L,c. IT HAS BEEN A MAT.
TER WHICH HAS BEEN GATHERING HEAD
FOR THIRTY YEARS" Mr.. Keitt, in the
same Convention, said, "Ihape been engaged
IN thts increment lsecession) euer since en-
tered political ive."
And yet learned Senators on this floor,
knowing, as they must, all these facts, tell
us they cannot support the war, because the
North did not compromise and so prevent
secession DO they not, like their Demo-
cratic brethren in the South, also make
this mere pretextT' You shall see, be-
fore am through. r. ~
FOR WHAT THE WAR rs PROSECUTED
I now come to the second point urged at
great length and with much learning and
eloquence by the opposition, to wit That
the Democratic party would have continued
to support the Administration and the war,
had not the President abandoned his origi-
nal policy Of prosecuting the war, by con.
stitutional means, for the sole purpose Of
suppressing the rebellion.
Now, Mr.. President, claim, that the
President has not abandoned his original
policy, but that he still prosecutes the war,
under the Constitution and for the sole pur-
pose of suppressing the rebellion. And on
this point call as my witness one whose
honesty will not be questioned, the Presi-
dent himself. l read from the reply Of the
President to the address of the working
men of Manchester: ....t taf..,.. ..l
When came, on the 4ih OF March, 1861, through u
free and constitutional election to preside in the Gov.
eminent Of the United States the country found
the verge Of civil war. Whatever might have been
the cause or whose the fault duty paramount
to all others, was before me, namely, TO maintain aud
preserve al the Constitution and the integrity OF the
Federal Republic. A conscientious purpose 10 perform
this duty the key to all the administration
which have been and 10 all which will hereafter be,
pursued ., .-.. ... . -.-.u.t I'd u.i-.
Here, if ever the President would have
avorred the fact, it he had prosecuted the
war in any other way or for any other pur-
pose than avowcd for the English people
have from the beginning refused US SYM
pathy because we prosecuted the war for
the restoration of the Union and notfor the
abolition Of slavery. rif VI
HABEAs CORPUS AND ARBITRARY ARRESTS.
But it is charged by Senators that the
President has been guilty Of palpabie and
gross violation of the Constitution in this,
that he has assumed to suspend the writ Of
habeas corpus, when that great privilege
was was peculiarly within the power Of Congress.
These gentlemen admit that the Constitu
tion says that this writ may be suspended
in times of great danger, in case Of invasion
question. Learned lawyers and writer,
gress; while others, equally learned, have
said il belongs to the President. Who il
to determine the question: Who but the
preserve, protect and defend" this sam,
Constitution? This ought not to bc dis
puted by Democrats, for it has always beer
|
all doubt, l read from an authority, the,
will hardly question, it is from the celebra
ted Bank Veto Message of Andrew Jack
son;
"rhe Congress the Execui re, and the Supreme cour
must each for seli be guided by its opinion of tn
Constitution Zach public officer who tukes an oath
support the Constitution means that he will support il
he understands it, aid il is understood by other
Il is much the duty OF the House OF Representative
OF the senale and Of the President 70 decide upon II
presented 10 them for passage or approval as Is ft
the Supreme Judges, when i may be brought befoI
has authority Congress than the opinion
Congress has over the Judges, and that point it
President is independent Of both" . It'.,,.
, The President is to determine these que.
t tions for himself-is he? Well that 8 jus
what Abraham Lincoln did. If right fo
President Jackson to interpret the Const
tuition for himself, it ought to be equally 6
II for President Lincoln. But if not the Pres
e ident, who is to determine the constitution
!; atty of any measure? The Supreme Cour,
. Why even the Democratic party refused |
Z abide by it's decisions. find by reierene
: to Halstead's s History of the National Den
ocratic Convention, held at Charleston, thu
: Mr.. Ewing, Of Tennessee offered the 70
q lowing resOlutiOn. ii nfalo ogn1msql .
Inasmuch didereaces OF opinion exist in the Der
ocrac party 10 the mature and extent OF powers OF
u rorai Legislature, and the powers and duties
Congress, under The Constitution Of tlx United State
r over the institutio Of slavery In the errtories M
y RESOLVED ThnI the Democratic party win abide
!, the decisions Of hs Suprse CoaH OF the United Stat
!. Oh the questions OF constitutional iaw" jH h9n3
&, Here was proposition that the Dem
o cratic party should simply abide by the d
is cision of the Supreme Court, and it vi
voted down by vote OF II for and 90
O. against --tse phole Ohio delegation pota
2 against the resolutioa, 10 oaauunh DID (
|. But how came the President to susper
a the writ of hdbeds ico,pusY 1t must be r.
4. membered that when on the 4th Of Mare
Of 1861, he came into power, seven States, b
"a "a ing South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabam
Ie Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas hs
y seeded, the rebel Congress had met
. Montgomery, adopted a constitution, cleo
a ed and inaugurated President and Viz
q 70 President, and matured bill for raisir
,e 100, 600 soldiers For weeks thereafter, Il
NJ Presidents course was every way pacific.
q But need not tell you how the rebels fr,
4 on the Star Of the West, when he attem
4: ted To- send provisions to Fort Sumter; he
d oowardly they attacked the little garrison
N one hundred starving men under Maj
r. Anderson with eleven batteries and so
,e men how after they compelled its surren
10 or, Mr. Walker, the Rebel Secretary
II War, boasted they would Immediately mar,