Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-01-28
rgrou1 tho st. bouis Union.T
From INC Ct. Louls UnlonsI
The President and the Constitution.

me PTeSldenL ana the CoHStltUllOn.
Cavilers are seldom at loss for some
thing to eavil about. Politicians cam
always find real or imaginary flaw in
the character or policy of their oppo-
nents, ont of which to make capital In
the history of the American Republic,
no President has ever passed through
such fiery ordeal of qu uerulous com
plaint and wholesale criticism as Abra-
hanoLincoln. This is not marvellous,
considering that he was elevated to his
high position in opposition tothe then
dominant political party of the country;
nor should it be deprecated so long as
the complaints and criticisms are Just.
Unfortunately, his enemies are as IN
scrupulous as some of his friends are in
considerate and injudieious.
The grave charge of unconstitutional
acts was first brought against the Presi-
dent by those who were at the time in
open rebellion against the Government
Who does not remember with what an
JUNCTION the great leader of secession in
Missouri plead for constitutional rights,
and deprecated the Infringement of that
instrument, whilst he was eoncocting
plans for its utter abolishment? This
rebel cry of usurpation, tyranny and op-
preston has, somehow, crept through
the lines, and there are not wanting
those who call themselves loyal men
who denounce the President in bitter
and unmeasured terms for what they
call-fagrant violations of the sConstitu-
ton.
They may make no allowance for the
fact that the whole country was 7imperil
ed BY mighty rebellion, and it required
all the ordinary and extraordinary pow
ers of the Government to save itself
from the bloody hands of the parricides
They forgot the old maxim, inter arn,G
leges siIent-that military necessity over
rides all law. 1t is burglary for you tc
break into your neighbor's house, but il
the house is in flames and his family in
peril, it is no burglary to break windows
and doors for their deliverance. The
course of the President throughout thi:
terrible struggle for a nations life has
been entirely consistent. He sought
from the first to guarantee liberty anC
law to all the people, but when this lib
ertywas abused by domestic traitors fol
the destruction of the country and tht
subyersion of the Government it wa
abridged He sought to retain for tn,
krebellious Statesall the rights they hat
possessed under the Constitution, bu
when they abused these rights, and uset
their slave property 20 prolong and in
tensify the rebellion, he struck dealt
blow at this proximate, if notimmediat
cause of the war. From the first, b
has labored to save the country-eonsti
tutionaliy, if be, could-but to save tn
/, country any how. His course is not il
aptly illustrated by an occurrence tha
happened on the Missouri river fe,
years ago With some change OF name
, the incident was as follows: s.g
An agent of one ofsthe fur eompani.
I had arrived at 0mahason his way to
! Louis, with valuable cargo of furs an
J peltries, but at this point the pilot die
! and there was some delay and Difficult
4 in finding proper substitute. At tleng
D a man was found who was familiar wi
the navigation of the Missouri, aud vi
j offered to bring the boat safely to
Louis. The anxiety of the agent, or S
percargo, to secure the safe delivery
his precious freight in st. Louis, nat
rally led to little inquiry into the qua
tications of the proposed pilot
= Agent" You say that you are fam
ID lar with the river all the way from Il
at TO the mouth2' .es q BOG h5f.
; Pilot Well, ought to be CAPITA