Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-04-13


5tb article of the ritual of the Order OF
Sons of Liberty
"Soyereignity resides in and with the
people of the States respectively, which are
parties to the Constitution of the United
States 1t cannot be alienated, neither can
il be delegated. Some of its powers may
be exercised by delegated authority, while |
others cannot be SO exercised except at the
sacrifice in part Of the conditions of all that
lends dignity to mans relation TO Govern
ment,
O. Was that ono Of the principles Of
the order, as you understood it
A. would not SO have worded it, but that Is
substantially our declaration of principles,
standing as a whole There are thirteen OF
them, but why there were thirteen do not
know. except from the thirteen original
States; they are part OF the one whole,
/ and they are Just as proper rs the platform
of any Republican or Democratic meeting
ever held.
The Judge Advocate then read |
"The Government designated the United
States Of America has no sovereignty, be-
cause that is an attribute belonging to the
people in their respective State organiza.
| tions, and with which they have not endowed
that Government as their common agent.
| q. Is that correct
! A. That is sound doctrine. Those are
my opinions, and they were those of the
old Democratic party of the Revolution
that there is no sovereignty in the Govern
ment, but there is supremacy; that is the
old Constitutional Democratic right OF 9V-
that to the extent Of its pawers, 1t was SUI
preme, any law Of the Constitution or State
to the contrary notwithstanding. The Fed
cralists believed that the people as whole,
, were the constituents of the Federal Gov
ernment.
, O. Then in the event Of the officers of
5 the Government exercising powers not del
, egated are they to be regarded and dealt
, with as usurpers
They could not be called any thing else,
and should be regarded and dealt with as
/ usurpers. That is an abstract proposition,
which recognize as an abstract truth, and
) which, five years ago, he would be regarded
: as bold man who would call it in question.
The proctical application Of it is very diff
fercnt thing. When they were to be usurp-
crs, and who were to judge, and who pre-
S scribe the dealing, were very different
= things. These were simply the genera
Y euunciations Of principles that are common
: to all parties, from the establishment o
= the Government down, that whenever au
d thorites went beyond their constituted
- rights, they became usurpcrs, by taking II
powers not belonging to them, aud were tC
lc be dealt with but when, how, and undcl
what circumstances, is another question. -
in | have given the contingency under which
e | considered it right to resort to revolution
ID q. Does not that order state when the!
are to be considered usurpers, and how the.
rt are to he treated Article 10 reads
"Whcnovcr the officials, to whom the peo
n pie have entrusted the power of the Gov
crnmcnt, shall refuse to administer 1t il
r strict accordance with its Constitution, ant
re shall assume and exercise power or authorl
ty not delegated, it is the inherent right am
t; imperative duty Of the people, to resis
I'd such officials, and if need be, expcl then
by force of arms.
| A. That idea and doctrine are borrowe
III from the Declaration of Independence, an
re are regarded as sound American doctrine
y and have been since this Government wa
ny established.
re O. They are abstract doctrines. and
er have never cndeavorcd to carry them on
&C because the occasion has not arisen.
re simply prescribes the general principle
re and furtler: They are abstract principle,
nd like those in moral or mental philosophy
Of religion, or any thing else.
ey q. Who was to determine when the oC
e, casion existed
IN A. 1t was a subject to determined b
the highest authority Of the organization
ut the Supreme Council.
y Then whenever they determined tina
~ the Government was exercising powers nc
I'D delegated, had the contingency then hap
ut pened upon which they were to take "a
re arms
y A. proclaim and avow that when
ID comes to that contingency, it is the duty o
| Al,,,., 10 tNr l,n hat wa
cs peaceful mode of making revolution, tina
III it is better to submit to the loss Of ever
right, if you will enly affirm that pcaceabl
he mode Of rcvolutionlzing the Government
ey | mean tho use of arms, if that right wa
questioned. And no man till within I'll
nj last three years, has been called to accouI
n for any such statement Of any abstra'
principle.
Dr- O. Who then was to determine who
en- the Order would tako up arms to resist tt
Federal authorities?
,ut A. The contingency would have arrive
Ter with the destruction of the right of clccuo
then, as American citizens, say the pc
In pie have u right, and it is their duty to |
my sist.
cr, O. Docs this in any way confinc it to i
ia terfaroncc with elections does not Il
paragraph expressly state whenever t
lat Government was exercising undelcgat
powers ?
lid A. 1t is general declaration of prin,
yal pies, precisely like the creed, II believe
lis the Father and the Son." which defines
general doctrine, but is an abstract creed
in belief
rs? Q. Does this paragraph confno it
1ut elections
cr. A. 1t does not
vas g. If it did not coninc it to election
ms whenever that supreme Council dcterml
nat cd that the contingency had happened, W
it generally understood that this body W
ere TO take up arms
to A. That was tho natural conclusio
re- but it was never subject Of even specu
M ton in the order
7 q. Did you ever hear any member
lat this order who did not say that the Cover
ar. mcnt wascxorcising undclegatcl powers ?
Up. A. That was the opinion of the Den
nee cratic party universally MS well as the orga
ID, ization IL was also, if | mistake not t
of opinion of Fremont, Winter Davis, BE
iamiu Wade, and great many Republica
he too. have no doubt that ms an abstra
OF proposition that they should be eXpcl
by force of arms, and ! think every me,
ur Der of the order, five years ago, would ha
the given the same answer.
at, .. Is il your doctrine that when {