The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1864-01-28

to be otherwise.
In the same article, at section s, this
Constitutions rs at the pains to declare
that mo efector hall be deemed to have
gained or lost residence by reason of
his being employed in the service of
the United States" Did the people, in
establishing this Constitution, intend,
while preserving the residence of the
soldier, and Conseq~ emily his right to
vote, at the same time to forbid the |
Legislatureto enact such laws as might |
enable hTmsto exercise the right. The
Constitution, like any other acts, must
be taken together, as whole, and have
such. reasonable construction as will
carry into full and beneficial effect the
system of government established by
it. The usual and reasonable power of
the Legislature will not be held to be
abrogated unless by clear and distinct
enactments to that effect.
The government established is in all
its branches elective, and the suffrage,
universal, or nearly so. Great care
seems to have been, taken to preserve
for all white male citizens, of proper
age, the exercise of the right to vote,
and think this manifest intention
ought to have great weight in the deter
mination of the present questions I'm
questionably the present contingency
is one not contemplated by the conven
ton which framed the Constitution, or
by the people in adopting it; and there
is, on that account, all the more reason
for declining to adopt any narrow con-
struction which would make it accom-
phsh what no one at the time designed
it should do.
In several of the States laws of the
sort proposed have been enacted and
put into practical operation without
no apparent danger of public injury.
In some of these States, with Constitu-
lions similar to our own, the question
of the validity of such laws has been
before their highest courts, and they
have been there sustained. Such, be
lieve, has been the case in Iowa and
Wisconsin.
After giving the subject considerable
attention. do not hesitate to recommend
the passage of such law, by this lie
gislature, as will enable the soldiers of
Michigan, while absent from the State
in the service of United States, 10 avail
themselves of the right which they
have never forfeited, to vote in all the
State and local elections. 1t will be
only just towards them, and their votes
will be dangerous to traitors only.
MIIITAPv pOkn EpOxf Eopr VIII EIDco>y
TO GREEN BAY.
Soon after the adjournment of the
last session of the Legislature, / re-
ceived a copy of an act of Congress
granting lands to the States of Mich
igan and Wisconsin,, to aid IN the con-
struction of military road from Fort
Wilkins, Copper Harbor, Keweenaw
county, in the State of Michigan, to
Fort Howard, Green Bay, in the State
of Wisconsin"
The act was approved March Sd,
1868, and grants ''to the State of Mich
igan, to aid in the construction of a
military wagon road from Fort Wilkins,
Copper Harbor, to Houghtou, Portage
Lake, and thence in a southerly direc-
ton to the State line of Wisconsin,
every alternate section of public land
designated by even numbers, for three
sections in width, on each side of said
road" The lands are made subject to
the disposal of the Legislature, for the
purposes designed, and the manner of
their disposition, together with the
width, grade and construction of the
road, are particularly prescribed: and
that if the road is not completed within
FIVE years, the lands shall revert to the
United states. One year of the five has
already nearly passed without action,
and it is important that the necessary
legislative action should he had at once.
The enterprise is one of great impor-
lance to the Lake Superior country,
and the grant is quite liberal. / recon-
mend that the grant be accepted on
behalf of the State, and the necessary
law enacted to carry it into effect ac-
cordiDg to its conditions.
SOLDIERS NATIONAL CEMETERY AT GET
TYSBURG:
On the Sd day Of July, in the year
1868, was fought at Gettysburg one OF
the most memorable battles of the war.
When we take into account all the cir.
cumstances surrounding and attending
the campaign which eliminated there,
1t is impossible not tn feel that field is
/. historic and famous forever. The Army
of the Potomac, the largest aud best
appointedsofthe Union armies in the
field, had then lately, under the com
mand of Gen. Hooker, crossed the Rap
pahannock. River successfully, in the
face of the enemy. and marched to
Charlottesville, with high hopes. and
the congratulations of the whole coun-
try, to offer him battle; but only to
return with hopes disappointed, and
congratulations turned to doubts and
discouragement. The rebel General,
the most trusted and skiIful of them all,
Immediately made his preparations to
improve the occasion of his great adj
vantage. Collecting with great rapidity
the largest and-best disciplined army
that the Confederaoy has ever pnt in
the field, he assumed the offensive.
Taking up his line of march straight
for the Middle States, the wealthiest