The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-09-09

While the Democratic party countenan-
ces and advocates policy of peace on the
basis of the Federal Union of the States,
and has incorporated such policy into
i its Platform as one of the great objects of
its mission, it also lends the full weight of
its authority to the policy of war, which,
regarding the Constitution as the supreme
law of the land, arrays itself against every
attempt to subvert that instrument under
plea of military necessity. This policy
takes the form of a firm and dignifed pro-
test against Executive usurpatiohs, and is
embodied in the fourth plank of the Dem
ocratic Platform, which reads as follows
4. That the aim and object of the Dem
ocratic party is to preserve the Federal I'm
and they hereby declare that they consider the
Administrative usurpation of extraordinary
and dangerous powers, not granted by the
constitution, the subversion of the civil by the
military law in States not in instruction,
the arbitrary military arrest, imprisonment,
States where civil law exists in full force, the
suppression of freedom of speech and of the
press, the denial Of the right of asylum, the
open and avowed disregard of State rights, the
employment of unusual test oaths, and the in
reference with and denial Of the right of the
people to bear arms in their defence, as calcu-
lated to prevent q restoration of the Union,
and the perpetuation of government deriving
its just powers from the consent of the gov
erned.
twill be seen by reference to the cat
alogue of usurpations above enumerated,
that, with the exception of the single one
Of the denial of the right of asylum" all
of them are based and justified upon
plea of military necessity, plea which is
absolutely fatal to constitutional rights,
and which has been uniformly urged by
usurpers in all ages as an excuse for the
fantastic tricks " which they have been
pleased to play before " high heaven"
The Constitution was made for war as
well as for peace; made, in short. to COW
er every exigency that could possibly arise
in tie political life of the nation.
The powers not delegated to the United
States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by
it to the States, are reserved to the States re-
spectively, or to the people.
Does the Constitution anywhere dele
gate to the Executive of the United States
power to "subvert the civil by the mill
tary law in the States not in insuarection?"
We answer no. But Mr.. Lincoln has done
this, and in doing so has oiotated his oath
Of office.
Does the Constitution delegate to the
Executive power to arbitrarily arrest,
imprison, try and sentence under military
authority American citizens, in States
where civil law exists in full forcer We
answer no But Mr.. LINCOLN has done
this under the usurpers plea of military
necessity, and Mr.. LINCOLN has violated
his oath Of office.
Does the Constitution delegate to the
President Of the United States power to
suppress freedom of speech ard of the
press? We answer no. But ABRAHAM
LINCOLN has repeatedly done this, and
ABRAHAM LINCOLN has uiolated his oath Of
office.
Does the Constitution delegate to the
President power to disregard the rights
of the States, and to proclaim freedom to
slaves held as property under municipal
law9 We answer no. But Mr.. LINCOLN
has done this, and justified it on the plea
of military necessity; and in doing so he
has 0iolated his oath Of office.
Does the Constitution delegate to the
Executive power to impose unusual test
oaths upon American citizens? We an
swer no. No such power is granted. But
ABRAHAM LINCOLN has done it, and excused
it as military necessity and he has,
therefore; 0iolated his oath Of office.
Does the Constitution delegate to the
President power to prohibit the people
from buying and selling arms, and bearing
them in their defence? We answer no.
But Mr.. LINCOLN is now doing this under
the plea of military necessity, and he has
oiolated his OATH of office.
This government derives its just powers
from the consent of the governed. 1t is
emphatically government of consent and
compromise. The Constitution is writ
ten compromise between the people of the
Federal States. What the President can
do is recorded in that instrument, and
where it is not so expressly recorded he
cannot do it. If we have not got con-
stitutional government, what kind of agov-
eminent haze we got? If the. Constitution
can be superseded at the will of the Presi-
dent, where are our liberties? Is the Ex-
ecutive to seal up our mouths as military
necessity? Is he to gag the press as
military necessity? Is he to immune us in
dungeons as military necessity Is he
to interfere with our business as military
necessity? If so, where is the catalogue
of aggressions to end? AS we march into
the future through the crisis of bloody