The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1866-01-11


Eisc E;:surc Constitution.
From the Cincinnati Daily Enquirer Jan ID
u hen the Constitution of tie United
States shall have been amended according
to the plans Of the party in power, it viii
consist Of two distinct parts; part to
which all the States have voluntarily as
sented, and part imposed upon some OF
them by process Of compuision. In other
words, several of the States and their peo-
lles Will lie holden bound to obey provis-
ions in whose adoption thev bore no part
no. having been allowed to act either
against them or in favor Of them--and this
while force is interposed TO prevent with>
drawal from their Jurisdiction.
Under the old ideas Of liberty. such %
grew out Of the revolutionary struggle. and
were embodied in the Declaration OF inde>
pendence-the old ideas OF which we and
our ancestors have been SO boastful for
three or tour generations and which, un-
Ill within few years, to call in question
would have been pronounced alnlost trea-
Sonable. this woul1 have been called tyr
amy, and the condition which established
a despotism The ancient maxims of ro-
iitical freedom taught that however benign
in itself and apparently useful measure
might be, it could not sanction the employs
ment OF injustice to give it the form oi law:
and that the wisest IF devices would he
uttcrl y vitiatcl if force were used Cor their
establishment
The process now in hand is HAT OF al
ministering ioses Of political medicine to
patients tied down beyond the rover of
resistance. The theory OF the political
doctors Of the timca is. that if it can only
be forccl diva it viii GO it,
work. But that which may Re true in
therapeutics. is not true in politics The
mode OF administration is. in :hc latter. a
part OF the character Of Tie thing admins
tered, and will adhere 70 it. No time can
sarctie n an act of injustice. No multipi-
cation Of wrongs can make a right. The
People who are not parties to the making
OF a government that is made; and this
which is not deemed TO be trua in respect
TO governments as whole, is equally true
III respect To every part. institution and
provision Of which it is &C nposed
The means which arc employed to unite
the North in the work OF thrusiinga code
of constitutional Ii. uron The South are
among the worst features of The affair. In
a single word. these means are SANDER
Now, when the war is over. aud when i is
of the utmost Importance, III every poiut OF
view. that the angry passions generated
i.r ID. Z flao
party in power are laborine, by every form
OF misrepresentation and abuse, to increase
The irritation. The average Republican
editor and dcma.oguc seems to think /;
beneath him 10 speak Of the Southern peo>
PIE except as traitors. Claiming 20 have
obtainsd great victory. and 10 be III the
enjoyment of ignaltriumlh, they cxhib>
it all the mean and narrow vindictivenes>
of party that has been half whipped, and
has not got half what it de<orvd. The
airs and manner al The party as seen
through lis Journals, and the speeches ol
its politicians. are those OF the bully anu
the coward, who has accidentally overcome
his antagonist, but still afraid Of him
he word chivairy has often been use!
against the South IA 4 TERM OF ccfirion
hereafter the North VIII need no aiiila
wits 10 prove tns; it has little ofthe spirit OF
true chlvalry in lis composition; for tic
occupation and enjoyment Of the party III
power and the only one III which :he ap-
petite seems to crow with the incu!gence.
IS that Of kicking fallen enemy
We may ca!l this process Of holding
down the Sou.h. while legal fetters are he
Ing rircted upon it, establishing the tnion
but it is not establishing the Union. 1t is
virtually max ing one law for one part OF
the States, and another for another. 1t i
destroying liberty and trampling upon
rish in the name of liberty and right. l.
is making the people of the South al OPP
people, and perretuating the
evidence OF their oppression in the highest
and most solemn fornl--in the organic law
Of the land 1t is imposing upon them
aud their posterity. for all time TO come, 4
moral obligation to revolt. Ii is genera |
;ng issues that will endure as long as the !
causes endure, to disturb every question.
obtrude into every measure. and form the
center Of perpetual dangers and ag;tl
tions