The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-10-24

gah @EA~tAeA
Tha & g,esl danger which b4se.s IT, Il
nation ahs present time, ISL We fear fhat
Bun true position is lost sight fIby those Sho
undertake to include the destipiea OF our
country by remolding our constitution,
Our government is not one, nor can Il be,
or brute force, or compusion. The very mo
ment il becomes necessary to holdariy potion
III tA6 State or nation to their allegiance by
oonlpulsion through military OF any kind Of
physical force, that moment republican gov
eminent is at I'm end.
We are not to, we cannot, copy cur course
from any Of the existing forms Of gcVernrnent
in the world outside of our own, for the basis
of all others is essentially radically efficient
We are a government by compact. We
profess and the whole theory Of ouE govern
Inent rests upon the idea, that the expressed
will of the people is law, and therefore that
it is indispensable that there shoudtbe an ex-
preston Of the popular will, in order thai the
government should be carried on and not
simply harnoriously but At all.
Say it is necessary, even under cifcumFtan-
ces Of difficulty like these which nov enYiron
US, as a consequence Of the late :rebe ion,
that physical force shall for time aold those
in order who were lately engaged III thf re-
bellion, but have now laid down their arms
and acknowledge fealty to the laws Of the
land and TO the constitution, against which
they raised the opposing arm and you say
nothing more nor less than that the expert
ment of popular government las filled.
You say that there is no hope for humanity
better than the old plea Of poism-.-that
the many shall be servants to tie few and
that might is right and governments can
live only by its exercise. If it is necessary
now, that power shall coerce those whose pat
Iiotism we cannot trust, on their. profsssed
willingness to obey the laws of thelaad, backed
by the oath Of allegiance when will the time
be that physical force will not be leces4ary
When, if not to-day will it be proper I'd take
off the restraints Of physical force, and PERMIT
the people of the States to exercise them con-
stitutional rights under a free government
based upon the consent of the governedf
1t is said by those who now oppose the
president in his efforts to harmoaise sconAIctino
opinions and action, that this will be- done
whenever the south will "gve guarantees =
OF fidelity, and that such guarantees ought to
be demanded. Bat should not the north and
other sections Of the land be required tt give
guarantees for their adherence to The consti-
tuition as well as the south T? Arc these sec
tons OF the country now ready to abide BY
the provisions Of the constitution? ave.
there 8 the rub" They are willing to take,
but not to give. Not only so they nov, in
the face Of all their professions Of ioyaItv, in
sist on changing the provisions of tie dons.i
tuition, and compelling others to acauies&e.
a word expresses the whole mattel A
government like that under which we have
lived, as constituted by Our fathers, must live
in the affections and willingness Of lhe people,
desPotism may for time be sustained bv
compulsion, but a democratic, government
never. Boston Commercial.