The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1863-04-16

cal system which We have inherited from
our fathers, with al its manifold relations,
through which we may trace the clear di.
viding-line that separates perfect from i'm
perfect obligations. Cheers.
The text Of our fundamental law is the
guide, and the sole guide in all ethical
inquiries into the duties OF the Citizen
To that source all must come, rulers and
people alike; to that fountain all must re-
sort. The vague anI shifting standards
that are drawn from supposed dangers to
what is called "the National life." or
which spring from the conflicting judg-
meuts of men respecting public necessities,
can determine nothing. These things can
furnish no rule. We must have rule,
for 10y atty is morsl duty; and it must
therefore be capable of definition. A peo'
pie whose National life" exists only by
virtue OF written constitution, and wEo
can nave no necessities that lie out Of or
beyond that written necessity. can find no
rule of loyalty in any Of the necessities
which their constitution of government
does not cover. They may find grounds
OF eIpediency. in one or another supposed
necessity for destroying their constitution
bul i. would he extremely absurd to say
that this e1psdisncy could be made the
objcc, of their "loya!ty." Lot us go then
to the fountain head-the source of all our
National obligations.
The Constitution of the United States
itself prescribes the full meaning Of our
loyalty in these words:
This Constitution and the laws OF the
United States, which shall be made in pur.
suance thereof, and all treaties made or
which shall be male, under the authority
of the United States, shall be the sUPREM K
LAW OF THE LANE"
Observe how precise as we'll as compre-
henstivs this great rxle Of our duty is
1t expresses without ambiguity the whole
of our obligation toward the Federal Gov.
ernment. 1t makes a SUPREME LAW: law
paramount to al other human law$-an
obligation transcending all other political
obligations. 1t leaves no room whatever
for the intrusion of another or rival
claimant 10 our civil obedience. That
claimant can neither be a person invested
or un,nvested with office, nor an idea OF
public necessity, nor all imaginary Nation
al life beyond or ap.r, from the lifs crea.
ted under the Constitution. The only
possible claman, of our obedience is the
LAW; Tor as that law is made supreme, all
other demands or demandants upon our
submission are Of necessity excluded
Loud cheers.
What then does this supreme Isw en-
brace. The text on which | Am com,
menting itself furnishes The answer
"This Constitution" it saYs-what this
Constitution contains, and the laws shall
be made in conformity with it-these shall
De the supreme law, rising in authority
above all other laws. No public necessi-
ties, save as they are embodied in the
Constitution; no national life." save as it
exists under the Constitution; no lcgisla
ton that is not in accordance with the
CONSTITUTIONAL the supreme law; but
what the Constitution ordans or authori.
yes, that is the public necessity, that Is
the national life, because it is the supreme
civil obligation. Arplause.
Such is the fundamental character Of our
political system; aud so perfect is it in its
consistency with itself and with the rights
of all who are subject to it, that it contains
= machinery by which the conformity of
all acts of the Government with the pr in.
ciples of the Constitution may be peace
fully tested, without forcibe resistance.
If The acts of the Government are com.
planned of as uncosstitutiona!, they may
be brought to a judicial test, or the people
may themselves pass upon them at the
ballot box. through the fundamentally of
frequent elections. Applause.
Now. when We look into the Constitu-
tion of our country to discover the full
scope of the obligations which are embra
ced in the supreme law Of the land, we
find that il grants certain political powers
and rights TO the Central or National Gov
erument, and reserves all other political
powers and rights to the States or the peo-
pie. Hence it is plain that the reserved
rights Of the States or the people are jus,
as much comprehended within the duty Of
our allegiance, just as much the rightful
objects Of our "loyalty." as the powers and
rights vested in the National Government.
II the political existence created by the
Constitution Is the national life called in.