The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1866-11-20
A SLIGHT PROSPECT OF CIVIL WAR
IN WASHIN GTON
From the Washington Union, November TO-

We perceive from the Chronicle that Forney
true to his instincts, is attempting to infame the
public mind by calling upon the Loyal Leaguers,
as they are termed, to organize themselves and
come to Washington for the purpose of protect
ina and Uindicating the power of Congress over
the constitutional rights Of the President, which
is nothing more DOR less than a revolution,
which must be met with decision and frmness.
If Forney & Co. are determined to persist 10 the
course they have marked out, it is the bounden
duty of the friends of the President to accept
the issue thus presentel, and prepare themselves
for the struggle
If the time has arrived when the legislative
department of the Government is to absorb the
coordinate branches, the time has also arrived
when it should be resisted at the point of the
bayonet We are 10 favor Of the constitutional
rights of every department of the Government,
which can only be maintained by each acting
within the prescribed limits of the Constitution.
When Congress shall transcend these limits for
the purpose of absorbing the powers OF the
President, it is revolutionary, and he is Justlhed
in calling to his aid the whole military power OF
the country, which would be responded to from
North to South, East to West and, when this
formidable array of fighting material shall pre-
sent themselves in vindication of the Constltu-
ton. this grand army of "Loyal Leasuers," as
they style themselves, whose loyalty consists In
plundering the public treasury, skulking from
the army when their services were needed, anil
now exciting the country to revolution, Will
never present themselves 10 battle array. The
war will be for the Constitution-not for plumber;
for the independence of the three coordinate
branches of the Government, and against either
one absorbing the functions of the other.
If the programme presented by Forney Co.
| :,
the Radical Congress intends to plant itself, we
say to the friends of the President let us accept
the issue, and at once organize for the struggle
Let our friends in every hamlet and village or
ganize themselves at once aud be ready for the
conflict Let their watchwords be the Constr
tution-the independence of the President IN
the execution of his constitutional rights-and
an united country upon terms OF equality and
justice, and present themselves also In Wash
ington, where these Loyal Leaguers may have
fair opportunity of looking upon the material
with whom they will have to lock horns /! they
attempt to absorb the constitutional powers OF
this Government The impeachment OF the
President is sine qua non for war, and the
friends of the President accept the issue.
The following card has been published by
some of the Radicals of Washington City, and
it is to such movements that the above article
from the Washington Union refers:
"Being profoundly impressed with the impor-
lance of the struggle through which the country
is passing, and of the necessity of preserving the
results gained by its trumphs in the field, and
more recently at tho polls, the undersigned, a
committee appointed by the Soldiers and Sail
ors' Union of Washington, D. G., do in their
name earnestly invite their comrades, the loyal
veterans of the Republic, with all other friends
of the great cause Of the Union and liberty to
meet in national mass welcome and council to
be held in this, the Federal capital, on Saturday,
December the LIST, proximo.
We ask your presence to honor and assure
protection to the loyal majority in the Thirty
ninth Congress, 10 whom We recognize faithful
guardians of our assailed institutions and able
supporters Of the principles involved.
Come in your might. By your presence show
how sternly loyalty rebuke treason. Prove
thereby that the threats and insults of treach-
erous Executive against the legislative branch
Of the Government cannot intimidate free
people. Here in the Federal capital must our
great struggle eliminate 10 wise and equitable
legislation Here, then, should we assemble to
encourage and strengthen Congress-to whose
:. hands the Constitution wisely entrusts the power
to such just action as will make peace perma-
nent and liberty universal.
D. S. CURTIS,
Il. J. HINTON,
A. j BENNETT,
w. S. MORSE,