Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-01-06
COUNTER REVOLUTION.

The Constitution of the Confederate States or
dams three departments Of government-Executive,
Legislative and judiciary. They are co ordinate in
dignity and authority, and each in ITS sphere su-
preme as against the others. The successful at
tempt of one of these departments to subordinate
the others would be revolution. The combination
of two of them to destroy the other would be con-
spiracy. The Constitution would be overthrow
and the liberties of the people subverted if such
procedure were tolerated. Is there no occasion to
think of thisf Let US see.
In our issue of yesterday we mentioned the pas
sage BY an almost unanimous vote of the Senate, of
. bill repeating the exemption Of those who have
placed substitutes in the service. This bill having
ross'sss s-.eh the Housa. u bore it originated
with most undgnied if not indecent preci pitancy,
requires now but the signature of the President to
become an act OF the merits of the bill we have
already spoken. It may now be regarded as law.
We wish at this time only to make some passing
comments upon the tone manifested in Congress in
the debates upon this measure. A Senator (Mr.
Orr, of s. CO. among other objections to the pas
sage of the bill gravey questioned its legality "If
the pending bill becomes law" said Mr.. O., "there
will DO great difficulty in executing il, by reason OF
the decisions of the courts in several of the States
We must acquiesce in the decisions of the courts
or resort to measures which he was not prepared
for" Senator from Missouri, (Mr. CLARK, repre-
senting constituency wholly beyond the action and
that "in regard to the action of the courts steps
may and should be taken to remove the subject
beyond their jurisdiction" The Sc GATOR from Ms
sissippi mr. Brown goes further: 1--WE should
not defer our legislation to consult the views of
every State Judge-to ascertain whether he will
overthrow it or not by his judicial decision We
have high duties to perform. Let us perform them
without reference to State Judges. There was
remedy against the interference of the courts, in
IS No. &c LII
vote of Congress upon this measure shows to what
extent the provisions Of the Constitution are get
ting to be disregarded in the Legislative branch
and how tar evolutionary sentiment already prevails
in that body. The strength Of the popular respect
for our government and the good sense of the
quiet masses, may for the moment allow such decla-
rations to pass without disturbance. The little
respect in which substitute arc held may inf1u-
ence temporary acquiescence in them. But the
Intelligent and ardent lover of his country cannot
witness such proceedings with indifference, nor will
he with submission. ......
There IS as much patriotism and intelligence out
of the Halls of Congress as in it, and the tendency
of the Legislative and Executive declaration so far
This session to subversiOn of the liberties OF the
country and military despotism, is already sowing
the seeds of counter revolution. Our people claim
it as their right as the duty Of the general govern
ment to ensure to them as the basis of the compact
Confederacy is but community Of sovereign States
They look to the Constitution as the Supreme Law
of the Confede,acy. They regard it as among the
blessings for which they are indebted to their anees
try, that they transmitted to US a written Consti.
tntion. 1t received the pighted faith Of our fathers
1T is the hope OF posterlty. To argue questions
outside or above it is but to assa the cause of law
of right and order. The wise men who 50 recently
l,emodeled our present government may have doubt
ed its perpetuity when they saw wreck after wreck
floating on the tide Of tine Of the short lived Repub
lies which had preceded them. Renodeled, too
after bitter experience from violation of the old
chart and at time when clouds and darkness weJt
lowering over us, they gave it to US and We took i
as the anchor Of hope to cling to in the coming storm
We took it as our reliance, as our supreme law
and the Congress or Executive who would now
throw it aside would perure their oath to abide by
it willingly in letter and spri: to render it ODE
dience and to support and MAINTAIN it and neithss
in conscience or conduct to ever transcend it
Should the poison of the doctrine to which VI
have referred faint the reverence of our peops fo
this fundamental chart-should the insidious eoun
ellis Of our representatives, corrupt the very STAINING
of our government-what arltidote can restore It Il
health and honorf Shoull our people b brough
to despse the weakness of their government o.
suspect its intentions of hostility to the general vel
fare the slightest irreguiarity. the exercise of any
unauthorized power, whether by principal or subor
dinate officers, will be sufficient to arouse their an
cry clamors, or almost to make them rise in arm
against it There is spirit of resistance in the
hearts of our couptrymen. They valpe life not BY
its conveniences, bat by the independence and dig
nifty of its condition At This moment We appea
only to the discretion Of Congress before they
arouse the jesfous madness of our people Rick
RMg.