Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-06-29

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and their country an Empire; that people who were
not prepared TO be slaves would Quietly submit to 1
such encroachments of power; who, them would
have thought that in this short time We would hsve
been following their .examples y strange that
the Governors or Legislatures Of the States should
SO boldly denounce and condemn the law It IS
not strange that clamor should be raised against
it from the Poto,pac to the valley Of the Mississippi
They had been told before its passage, by the pa
pers who now advocate its necessity, thatno people
who ppreeiated freedom would quietly submit to
such encroachments. The seeds of opposition to
the measure had been sown broadcast over the land
the harvest might have been expected. Then why
agitate the public by its passagef Does not the
suspend the liberty Of the whole people on the will
of one mani Might not the Governors, members Of
the Legislatures, the Judiciary al, be arrested by
order Of the President? Under the act they would
have no remedy, if the officer, in whose custody
they were placed made the return required by the
acts Could power be given with less restriction
on its exercise? Does power exist in more unre-
stricted form in any government known TO the CIV.
ilized world-power to hold under arrest all the
people Of the government subject to the caprice
and will of one man? But we are told that the
President will not exercise the power. Then why
give him power he does not wish to exercisea This
is the admission of the want of necessity for the
law How long under such power would it take
the general government to absorb all the State Or
carnations? And how dependent we must be il
we cannot hold our freedom save at the pleasure of
one man! The increase of the power Of the Exec
utve should be guarded with great care. The ten:
dency Of this department of the government is to
enlarge its powers. Checks on power is one OF the
wisest provisions of e-nsgovernment. It has
given England her stability. 1t gave the United
States its prominence and prosperity. The wise
checks thrown around onr government by our faith
ers, gave US form Of government the most perfect
of human inventions While the restrictions were
respected and observed the government was pros
porous, the people were united and happy. When
they were dsregarded it resulted our overthrow,
and engulped US in this revolution. l would trust
no one with absolute power. Lwould not tempt
tile righteous nor trust the wicked. Nothing makes
government more crcumspect than to know all
their acts are to be scrutinized and investigated
The principle of checks and restraints are OF divine
origin. Future punishment was not ordained Dy
God to crafty malice against mankind, but was IN.
tended as check on his conduct in this world, and
exercises the most wholesome influence on his con-
duct. l would have no one clothed with absolute
power IN church or State. The differ mt churches
have their origin in the wise dspensaton of divine
each other. This principle of checks is
beautifully illustrated by the laws Of natures it is
the mutual check between the centrifugal and cen.
trpetal fierce that causes the planets to reVsve IN
their orbit around the sun. To remove centrifugal
force, they would approach the sun and be con-
sumed by its heat to remove the centIlpetal force,
they would wander utter darkness. The different
powers of are no less dependent each.
10 remove the legislative judiciary or executive, it
,Mryf cot nj fn
move either of the forces from the planets. The
strength Of the Confederate government exists
in the idea that We are fighting for freedom The
battalons Of the enemy are heavier than ours, and
the hope of success lies in the fact that Ideas fight
more terrible battles than men,"
Napoleon, in the first Italian campaign, relied
more on diplomacy and the genial influence of the
Republican ideas Of France than on the strength Of
his baHaons. 1t was not alone the forty five thou.
sand men and the few reinforcements he received
that conquered the peace of Compio Forma but
it was much attributable to the favorable opinion
entertained for him by the masses of Europe. He
was not regarded as conqueror, but as liberator.
Government is but the concentration Of public opin.
ion. Wise statesmen in all ages of the world have
obeyed its behests; those who have disregarded it
have fallen by its strong arm The modern history
of Europe furnishes many striking illustrations Of
this doctrine, but none more forcible than the Ill
fated Charles the First of England, and Louis the
Sixteenth OF France. When Louis the Fourteenth
of France declared that he was the State, and the
power of the Crown was absolute he sowed the
seeds that rpened into the revolution of 1892, ant
the execution of Louis Sixteenth and his wife, Marie
Antoinettc. Constitutional government is thu
strongest form of government when administered
within the sphere of its limited powers, because
ensures unanimity of popular effort in behalf o
common good. Aresort to dsspotism only weaken
the administration by engendering doubt anon!
the people. The repeal of this law would strength
| en- the administration rather than weaken it
favor the repeal Of the law because it is element
| weakness in the government Its tendency is t
ALLEVIATE the affections of the people and fan the fam
| Of growing discomfort oppose the law, since it
tendency is to show that the government distrust
the people. The people will never desert gov
| eminent that POUNDS its laws on the presumptie
that they are in the main, patriotic and just.
| have shown that the people are true to our gov
ernment Are not the soldiers true? Have the
not done their duty nobly2 The year 1864 ha
dawned auspiciousIy upon us. The dark cloud tina
had lowered over the Western department was fas
passing from the horizon; the cause that had led
our many misfortunes had been removed; dsser
sion had,been healed; despair had beeu supersede
by hopelulness; the star of Hope had risen abov
the gloomy clouds Of acversity, and shone with a
1 its spendor and beauty in an unclouded sky, poin
ing from gloomy adversely to the brightness Of SUI
cess and prosperity. Beauregard had bid defianc
to the approach Of the enemy on Charleston5 hi
brilliant successes in that department raised hi1
far above the shafts Of criticism and planted hir
firmly in the affections and confidence cf the peopl
Lee, the greatest and best Of all living men, delen'
ed our capital, repulscd every approach Of the enem
and by his greatness and goodness made himse
the IDOL of our people, and carved for himself
reputation that will gid many pages Of his coul
try's history, inscribed his name on the summit
the temple of fame-a name that will endure uni
all.recollection Of this age shall be buried man
fathoms beneath the waters of Lethe. He is OF
in whose person is seen illustrated the poets i'd
"a combination and q form indeed,
Where every god did seem to set his seal
| To give the world assurance If man."
From the eulogy Of generals can pass to mo
pleasing theme. The soldiers of our army ha