Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1866-11-09
sE6REEABY BRoWEEGs LETEEE


from his chief. this gentleman has en-
tered the lists as a champion Of my
DoIicy. and has commenced swinging
around the circle. He first attacks
the traitors Of the North, at who's e
recent successes IA the elections he
seems to have become alarmed, an q
attempts by one fell sWoop of his quill
to strike down the Radicals and th e
Constitutional amen dment together.
Mr. Browning has evidently made
his best possible argument. and is una-
derstood to speak the mind Ofthe Acii-
ing President. EIe. begins his ingenl-
ious tissue Of sophistries by an effort
to sustain the assertion that the Leg
islative is the only branch of the Cow
erpmept from which encroachments
dangerous to our institutions are to be
apprehended, aud that Congress, art
swerabIe only to the dominant par
tv - has alreadJ too much power. M r.
Browning has most unprofitably stud
led the analogies of history, as well as
the philosophy OF our Government, If
he does not know these assertions to
be utterly false. Every page Of the
annals of the past teens with the
usurT ations of kings, emperors, pres
/ idents and other ezponents of execu-
/ tive power, but rare indeed are the
t instances where a legislature chosen by
the people has encroached upon their
liberties. On the contrary the great
est triumphs of human freedom have
been achieved by engagements of the
law-making power The Magma
/ Charta and every other charter of
rights of which az Englishman is
proud, is a concession from and limi-
tation ofthe Executive branch of the
Government. IF the revolution of
1858 had any effect in furthering the
cause of popular rights 1t grew out of
the triumphs Of Parliament over the
King and the limitations of royal pre-
rogative. The cause of freedom in the
American colonies advanced in like
manner by the gradual transfer of aU-
thority from the proprietaries to the
legislative assemblies chosen by the
people. Every step in the aggrandiza-
ment of legislative power, either here
or in Europe, has been a triumph for
human rights, while every increase of
executive authority has been step
backward toward tyrannyfand despot-
ism.
Mr.. Browning next proceeds to char
scterize the Amendment as an en-
crcachment by Congress upon the Ex-
ecutive and Judiciary branches of the
Government. But the measure is sim
ply proposed by the National Legisla-
8 ture and cannot become law until rat
J fled by the States. IF it is an en-
= croachment, it must be the people
themselves that encroach, for it is they
who give it legal force. OF these pop
e ular enoroachments, intrenehing as
they do upon the power. of the Acting
/ President, Mr.. Browning seems ex-
tremely jealous. He says there Is great
danger in them, forthey limit the pow
er of the Executive and of the Judges
appointed by him for life, aud enlarge
that of the peoples representatives
These representatives, at the behest
: Of the dominant party" may pre-
sumo to interfere with the unlimited
pardoning operations of the President
r and to dictate how rebels shall be
treated. Their stubborn will may rend
: the mantle of Executive charity and
l expose the sins of Southern cons spira-
tors But these things are just what
the people desire Congress to do.
] MIR. Browning says the first section
= Of the Amendment is unnecessary, be
cause already contained in the Consti.
tuition, and then labors to show what
Il the evil consequences will be provided
d this very measure becomes a lac of tn,
land
But be is opposed to changing the
i basis of representation. tits not true
d he says, that vote in the South vii
I outweigh a vote in the North without
the proposed Amendment, for under
e it all the non-voting population of the
: South will be excluded, while all the
non-voting unnaturalized foreign pop
l. ulation of the North will be counted
lle9 But by whom viii the non-voting ne
o, groes of the South be excluded ? Evi
d IDENTIFY by the rebels themselves, anC
for the purpose of keeping the disloya
n element predominant Ifthey desir,
ie more representatives, they can havt
II them by enfranchising these four mil
rs lion loyal blacks. They have a fire.,
Of Of choice in the matter and can do as the.
re please.
Mr.. Browning objects to the thirt
s section because it disfranchises tht
:. great majority Of educated men o.
the rebellious states. But not a single
d Individual is disfranchised, educated
L or not, who is not a perjured and
~ bloody handed rebel To exclude
~ these, Mr.. Browning says, will put the
& Government in the hands of the pool
e and ignorant Now if this will be the
- result, the loyal people of the North
T., say amen to it, no matter how many
n rebels it DISTINGUISHES We have had
e enough educated treason, let US have
little ignorant loyalty. Freedom in
"a all ages has found her safest refuge in
e the cottages Of the simple poor, and
3 not in the palaces Of the educated rich.
To this same refuge she comes now, a
$ prosecuted wanderer in the South,
I = clad in the tattered ensign of the I'm
! ion, and grateful for the shelter of an
! humble roof. She asks and is likely
to receive no other welcome abiding
+ place.
Z In the same breath in which Mr..
t Browning argues against disfranohis-
ing Southern oonsnirators. he admita