The Placer herald., 1866-09-29
THEN AND NOW.

commencement Of the war up to the con-
vening OF Congress, there WAS scarcely an
&C. Of President Lincoln sanctioned BY the
Constitution. or any act Of Congress. Du-
ring this time. by royal decree, he increased
The army and navy. Everything was at
loose ends-there was no declared line OF
conduct, on the part of the Administrations
and to satisfy the people, as to the moliv.a
OF the President and Of Congress, the latter
branch Of the Governpeut, in July, 1861
when money and. iEoops were a necessity
passed the following resolution:
Resolrcd. That this war ia no, waced on
our art IN any spirit of oppression, or for
any purpose ct conquest. or for interfering
with rights and established institutions OF
these States, but to DEFEND aud MAINTAIN the
SUPREMACY Of the CoNsxIrUrIoN, and TO pre-.
serve the Union with ALL THE DIGNITY AND
RIGHTS Of the several States uNIMrAIREp"
This satisfied The majority Of the Northern
people, that the motives Of the Government,
were correct; that j, was to defend and main
tain the supremacy Of the Cons; Ut, ,on and
the Union Of the States unJe, it, and there
was no difficulty in getting troops, OF hss,a.
ton in granting moneys.
From this time TO the close of the war,
there was no attention paid 10 law o.. prece
dent. by the Administration. They did
whatever their lust for power, thirs: .pr re
vsnge. or rage for gain sugg-sted The
President by order. created offices. and es
tabshed courts. and sanctioned punishmeuts,
unknown t" and unauthorized 10y law: ritled
the post Office; violated the freedom of tie
press; authorized the Kidnapping of citizens;
and not only suppressed the writ Of ha5eos
corpus, bu. authorized j. 10 bs done by
deputy.
I, was the reign Of "higher law"-the era
OF terrorism-,hs epoch Of bas,ies-a very
saturnal;a OF corruption and crime in office.
Mr.. Grstl-y might have said with equal
ts-ih. that usurpation ma, ked the sn,re ca.
resr of Lincoln's administration.
They had satisfied the people with regard
TO their motives, and with basest ,rea. he,y,
worked upon this too generous confidence,
70 accomplish their 'rsasopable purposes.
Congress indorsed the President. Con.
gress. under the leadership Of the Radical OF
Abolition element, indoised every usurpa
top, berause he acas violating the Constitu.
tion aud laws Of bis country and establishing
new order OF things which they, in grand
Eloquent notes. called the New Na,ion."-
The Supreme Court, through its venerable
Chief, raised it's voice against these Iaions,
but the Executive and Legislative branches
bei'g nai,ed against the Judicial, soon placed
the iron heel Of might over the mouths of
the judges. Who. in all this time, ever
heard word Of remons.rance from Sumner,
Chase, Wade, Chandler, or Any Of the pres
snt Radical leaders. agains these revolu
lionayy sncroachmen'sl Nay. what man
among them did not applaud. whesdls and
bully by turns. MIR. LincuIn, to induce him TO
greater and further viol.tions, in utter con-
tempt Of The established aplhorilies Of the
lanjl
These men did not want the Government
established by the ns,ltu'ion, for that Con-
sti'u,ion they had often denounced in the
grossest teIms. They wapted then, and they
want nov, the New Na,ion"-a something
unde6neI, shXdowy, but full Of arbitrary
rule; which rule, it was their design then,
and is now. to reiain in their oyn hands, for
their own proper use, bshoof and benefit
They c'red not by what rretense or ,reach.
cry, they M ght snatch this power from the
people, and they know it could be more cas-
lily facilitated during the turmoils and perils
Of war. Hence, when it was necessary to
induce the enlistment Of troops. Congress
passed the foregoing resolui N. declaring
the otjsct OF The war to be for the maintain.
A1ce Of the Union under the Constitution,
and that whom that object should be accom-
plislIed, war should cease. Hence they ex.
cused those usurpations Of power, as war
necessities. Every one Of these radicals by.
pocri.icaIly sindorsea this. At ,hs Balli.
more Convention. in la6s, the body .ha,
nominated Nr. Lincoln the second time, the
very identical question now forming the is.
sue between piesldent Johnson and the Rad.
'ca'', was considered, and the plan now ad
vocated by C"ngrsss condemned. and that
now pursued by Prssidsn, JOHNSON approved,
BY vote Of $40 to ~. Thad. Stevens
was there and advocated lhe Congressious
plan.
He said be WAS ''afraid that it will be som
recognition Of the right Of the States which
now belong to the Southern Confsdsracy, to