The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1864-01-28

to all discerning minds, it is painful
reelection, that there exists faction in
the Northern States, which has persis-
teotly opposed The action Of our govern.
ment in its efforts to subdue the Rebel
lion, and clamored for peace upon any
terms. While protesting to be loyal,
the members Of this faction have given
strength and courage to traitors, and
BY their conduct proved themselves the
most insidions and dangerous foes OF
the Union. Recent even ''o~-
have demonstrated the con,nn.~,. A.
tachmcnt Of the patriotic masses Of all
parties to the perpetuity Of our free in
stitntione and shown that they cannot
be deceived by mere pretences ofloya'.
~, or mis'ed by the cry Of peace, when
there is no honorable or permanent
peace, short Of vigorous and successful
war.
Systematically opposing every meas
ure vet devised for successful prose
cution nf the war, and having no mod
oi their own for an honorable solution
u cxis.in. troubles, these NIL cnn'.r;s
&c. to justly their course i; creating
distinction brtwson he Goscsnne:s
and liz Administration confronting us
with he novel doctrine that tie Coy
ernmert il the Constitution and the in.
s,itntions founded thereon, while til,
Administration j. merely the agents
chosen by the people, and responsible
to them. Assuming to act upon this
theory, they claim the right 70 oppose
the latter, while pretending to support
and maintain the former.
This dangerous paradox is 4 fit com
panion Of the doctrine of State Rights"
which held the American Union - he
only a league between sovereign : aits
,lissolyable at ,heif will and that the
citizen owed paramount allegiance 70
lis State. and only subordinate one t.
tie Federal Governmental doctrine
which, although denounced b. the stern
old leaders Of democracy, as aes:rnrtiye
Of the lnian, yet succeeded i'll diIfus-
inc It's sub K poison through the South
ern mind, AMI, finally, eliminated in
the crime Of treason.
|, needs but v ,rd of refu'ation.
10 but adopt the idea Of a great writer,
when | say, that our free, written Con-
s,:lutisn is not government, but the
warrant and representative Of Govern
ment. Il is not power, but the symbol
Of power, and will, in any emergency,
prove altogether useless, unless the
power, for winch it stands be forihcom
ing. Where does this power reside !:
Not in the Constitution, nor in any Of
the co ordinate departments created by
il nor in the peol le, bu. in all com
bincd. These constituent elements
compose the Government, the powers
Of which are exercised through its con
s,i,utional agents, the legislative, ex
ecu,ivc and judicial departments. With.
out these, the powers defined in the
Constitution could mol b. appropriately.
exercised and without them, i, is oh,i
ons, We should have no government.
Therefore, to strike at any Of these. il
to irjarc the Government itself to the
full extent Of the blow.
The President of the United States
for the time being. 's the Supreme Exe
cusi,c Of tho Nation, the chosen agent
Of the people, The nila, who guides the
ship Of State. The liberty Of speech
and OF the press, guaranteed i, tie
Constitution. il formidable only I, III,
enemies ofliher'y. in Ms broader and
more extended sense The RIGHT t.
freely discuss the atf.irs ef G,,yernmen'
AMI cri,ic;sc the acts Of its agents. il
fundamental to liberty. AMI cannot
safely be denied
To all this fully subscribe. Hnt tie
right claimed hy some, to oppose the
ex. cu.ion Of the laws, and bv fac,ious
opposition Of tic President in the
discharge Of his high duties. Al
90 important 4 .inac,nre, is enbversive
Of AL liberty. and right which belongs
to treason only.
Again, the war policy Of the Govern.
ment has been continuously denounced,
as snhversive ofthe rights Of the South,
and III violation Of the Federal consl-
tuition, It Is reasonable to presume
that these men have either forgotten. Or
never known. that Abraham Lincoln is
not only President ofthe United States,
charged with he execution Of crit
power, but also Commanaer.in Chief
Of the Army and Navy Of the Union,
and thereby clothed with he war power