The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1864-04-16
ABUSES or THE WAR POW Err.

Tie grand and ultimate object Of the
war at the present time, an the part Of tho
Federal administration, is 10 secure success
| to the republican party in the next presi
dental election. The War power 10 rs
>,-ssary to the party IN ths non-,nsur-
r-cii11agg s'ates, as \ means Of recurring
vo,es fas ..se.i and preventing votes FOR
| others. as it IS IN tho seeded states to
crush rebellion. In state of peace, under
the constitution, the republican party
would not stand the smallest chance OF
| prevailing in national election. Even
when backed up by all the patronage and
expenditures cf the war, and by all the en-
thusiasm which its conduct in their hands
has Inspired, massachusetts, is the only
state where an election has taken place.
during the last year, in which the 40 min
istration has not directly and openly in
| terfered by corruption. fraud and force -
| If even, with all the advantages that they
| base from war, they can only succeed by
having recourse TO such measures. the
members Of the present administration
are to skillful politicians rot to kn,w that
! peace would be fatal to their hopes o.
power
1. is never to be forgotten that the SER
wants of the people now at Washington
have hinGsrsd free elections These facts
and thousand other kindred abuses
now enter into the prosecution OF the war
| Much has Leen said about necessity -
Pretty effectual measures have been
adopted under the "wsr power upon
presence of necessity. The war power
itself has become greater necessity to
the administration, than any necessity
which the war Itself has produced to the
country. The war is necessary to the ex
] nft h.. n ,isfr
est danger that it has to aprrehend is
Is from, the constitution. II is the war on
ly that can avert the return OF con.titu
tioaal government And in such a state
Of things. Jefferson Davis anil his cabii ct
are by no means the only persons who
might be hopeless of the benefits Of am
nesty.
Necessity is a strange power. Those
who invoke it, and those who permit any
right under Its pretense to be violated
would do well to consider its nature. In
the reign Of terror in the French revo!u-
ton, 1t would rot allow executions 10
cease. The guillotine became a necessity
Those who pretended to control il were
compelled to keept in exercise. under
the penalty ct becoming themse yes its
victims. The same is the cs-r O. abuses
practiccd by men entrusted with the aS-
mlniStratlOn OF SOVernUei : every whore
Fresh abuses must constantly | Q commit,
ted, IL order TO save them from the former
abuses. Men IN power, who violate law.
must hold on to power to protect them.
selves frem punishment and disgrace.
Allegiance to the constitution is a. much
due from Mr.. Lincoln as from the hum
blest citizen, ana any violation Of it Is
as much more monstrous. as his position
is more elevated. No allegiance whatever
is due from any body to Mr. Lincoln.-
When. IS one Of the people, the prssiden ut
ebeys, supports the constitution, and acts
within the sphere prescribed by the law.
then, or fer the time being, the first citi.
zen Of the couatry. the whole nation, az
one man. in times Of danger, should com.
hne to make him the Representative of
it's wisdom, and the guide of its power
Every danger and embarrassment that
now beset the country arise from the VOL
.untary violation of the constitution by the
Federal administration
The COMMON measure TO persuade free
nations to part with their liberties has been
10 subject the Institutions that secured
then 70 such abuses ~ the administration
sew 81 Wsehissteo hss prsst,ssd. u i