The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-05-04
THE corsrlrUr1os NOT 4 COMPACT

- SA~sso ~ SOuy AS0SuJ "
THE c0NsTlTUrIos nor ConPAC1
Immediately after his defeat, General LEI
wrote aletter in which he justified his treason
to the United States, on the ground that h.
owed primary allegiance to the State of Vir-
g gin'a, and only secondary allegiance to the
National Government, through his relations
to it as citizen Of Virginia. And that the
act of secession, BY which Virginia dissolved
her connection with the Union, relieved him
from all obligations to the Government Of the
United States.
ALEXANDER II. STEPHENS, in his testimony
before the Reconstruction Committee, swears
that such is also his opinion, and still main
tains the constitntionality and the rightfulness
OF secession, and asserts that such is the gen.
eral sentiment of the South. Such At least i,
the creed of LEE and of SrrpHEss, the ables,
and most popular Of the more moderate wing
ofrebel secessionists, and We doubt not it is
the creed of the overwhelming majority Of
that section to-day as it was FIVE years ago.
Here is the theory, as stated in the testi-
mony of STEPHENS
81 believe thoroughly in the reserved SOW
reignty of the several States, z,of the Union
under the compact Of Union or Constitution
oflIs7. ! opposed secession, therefore, as
question OF policy, and not one Of right on
the part of Georgia. When the State seeded
against my Judgment and vote, l thought my
ultimate allegiance was due to her, and /
preferred TO cast my fortunes and dessines
with hers and her people, rather than to take
any other course, even though it might lead
to my sacrifice and her ruin"
Now, all these Estate Sovereignty gentry
have a peculiar phraseology which they
inherited from CALHOUN, and which
DANIEL WEBSTER comments on in his
speechin reply 70 CALHOUN In the days Of
notification Calhoun called the Constitution
ofthe United States "a Constitutional com
pact between sovereign States'
In response to this, Mr.. WEBSTER insisted
that the Constitution was no compact between
sovereign Stats. but . Constitatioa or frame
of Government orda!; med and established by
the people Of the United sssates, and ratified
by the people of the States. 1ssat the people
SO proclaimed it in the Constitutions, and on
its face, and that it was so recognized id all
the State Conventions which ratified the
Constitution Of the United States, and never
.oaee limited at entering into compact or
ileaese with sister sovereign States. That
Constitution, 50 ordained and established by
the people of the United States, is declared,
with the laws and treaties made under and
in accordance with tito be the sxprems lar Of
the land, anything in the constitution or laws
.of the States TO the contrary Notwithstanding
A government with an executive legislature
and Judiciary was established by that Consti-
tuition to carry out the powers and provisions
thus created, and proclaimed as transcending
and superceding the authority and power of
the individual State Governments. And yet,
in the face of the clearest possible evidence
to the contrary, furnished in the Constitution
itself, and in the history OF its adoption, the
Southern rebels claimed, and still claim, the
right of each and every State to secede, annul
the Constitution of the United States, and alb.
solve the citizens of the State, by State
authority, from all allegiance or obligation of
obedience to the Government of the United
BILE sentiments by the war, ought never to be
admitted to the privileges and franchises of the
United States till they renounce, once and
forever. this fundamental groundwork and
source of perpetual treason to the supreme
law Of the land and the government ordained
and established over it.
.rwe are correct in our views Of what con
sst;tu, .es the Congress OF the United States
it nec> ,ssariy follows that the rump institution
at Was, tington, which calls itself the Con-
press Of the United States, has no legal right
to PASS an, act which is binding, either on the
States or on the people of any Of the States
whether the President approves or disap
proves them, fo.- legislation which is void al
initio cannot be cured by an act Of the ex-
ecutive branch of TIE Government, however
good OF patriotic his irtentions may be in the
premises -Keokuk o.sfftution.
tits somewhat strange that our modest CO
temporary does not entertain some doubt ],
regard to the soundness Of his "views" wher
he contemplates the logical results, ch nee
essarily flow from them. Any "views'
which lead to the conclusion that the legisla-
ton of Congress is nullity, and all the law
enacted by it and approved by the Presiden
and enforced in all departments of the Gov
ernment without opposition or question, mus
be very absurd views to say the least of them
But this attack upon Congress is virtual,
an attack upon President JOHNSON as well
for he was elected by the sams rumpn con
stituency that elected Congress, and hold
his position under the same Constitution ant
Law. and in giving validity TO the Legislation
of Conor.-ss BY his approval, as well As il
executing the Avs enacted, becomes not onl!
an a.ccrr,;c.. md tadeed the chief Of th,
usurping Government. of he country.
The editor of the Constitutio~ claims 70 o >
friend of President JOHNSON, but y snst
the kind Of support he gives him, the i.'ea.
dent might well exclain, save me from such
friends.
STRENGTH or PARrIEs.-The Chicago Til
bune thus sums up the strength Of parties, q
now divided in this country
White Republicans in Loyal States. IL, ,OO0, ,OO(
Black Republicans in Loyal State. TOO, ,OO0
White Republicansin Rebel States. 1,OO0, ,O0(
Black Republicans in Rebel States. $500, ,OO(
Total strength Of Rep. rarty.... II, zoe, ,O0(
Copperheads and Rebels IN Loyal
cteScs...:. ...... ............. o,300, ,O0(