Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-08-18
VOL. XX--NO. 1914.

such changes in the Constitution as they
may on due deliberation deem expedient
and VT insist that they shall be made in
the way that the Constitution itself point;
out; in conformity with the letter and
spirit of it, and the principles of self-gOy-
ernment and equal rights, which lie at the
base of this Constitution.
We deny the right of Congress to make
these changes in fundamental laws with
out the concurrence Of three-fourths of all
the States, including those to be most Sc
riOusly affected by it (cheersG or to i'm
pose them upon the States without rep
resentation, or any of the rights, duties
and obligations belonging under the Con
stitution to all the States alike
And with still greater emphasis do we
deny the right of any part of the States
excluding the rest of the States from any
share in their counsels, to propose or sane
ton a change in the Constitution which
was to affect permanently their political
relations, or control or cOerce the legiti-
mate action Of the several members from
the South.
Such an exercise of -I1asao- is simply
usarpation Just as unwarrantAble when
exercised by the Northern States as it
would be if exercised by the Southern,
and could not be justified by anything in
past history, either by those by whom it is
assumed, or by those of whose right and
liberty it assumes to take advantage.
1T finds no warrant in the Constitution.
it is at war with the fundamental prinei-
piles of our form of government if tolera-
ted in one instance, it becomes a prece-
dent for future innovations on liberty and
constitutional rights. Depending soleiy
upon the will of the party in power, this
leads, by direct and necessary sequence,
10 the most fatal and intolerable of all
tyrsnnies-the tyranny of irresistible po-
litical factions.
This has been the most formidable war
of all ages, menacing the stbaility of any
form of government. The Constitution
was intended to provide against it. We
demand audience to its provisions. In
this alone can we find a basis of perma-
nent Union and peace.
Third-That we have no right TO dis
trust the purposes of the people of the
United States to protect and defend, un-
der all contingencies, their honor and
their welfare. We do not hesitate to
affirm that there is no section of the
country where the Constitution and the
laws find more prompt and entire obe-
dience than among those people who |
were lately in arms against the Govern
ment.
Fourth-It is alleged, in Justification of |
the usurpation we condemn, that the con-
ditiOn of the Southern States and people |
is not such as renders safe their readmis-
sion to share in the Government that
they are still the same in sentiment and
purpose; that the Union would not be So fe
# they were admitted to its councils.
Wemay reply to this: First. That we |
have no right for such reasons to deny to |
any Territory, State, or people the rights |
conferred upon them by the Con-
;titutiOn.
Second-That so long as their acts are /
hose of loyalty, so long as they conform |
n all their public conduct to the require |
nents of the Constitution aud laws, we |
nave no right to exact from them con-
ormity to sentiments and opinions of our
)wn.
1t would seem to be inevitable that in
ections so recently swept by war, where
III signs of industry and social order have
,een destroyed, all order and law should, |
or time, be subverted-
1t is true that local disturbances have
occurred, but these are confined to the
titles and larger towns where are more or
ess gathered LOgather In close contact |
nen Of different races and classes.
But the growing testimony Of these
'ast conditions of society, and of the state
f the public sentiment in the South, estab-
shes the fact that the great mass of the
outhern people accept with as full and
inoere submission as the people of the
ther States the re-establishment of the
atoms authority, and are performing all
cts essential thereto.
History affords no instance where people
D powerful in numbers, in resources, and
l public spirit after a war so long in its
uration, so destructive in its progress, and
adverse in its issues, have accepted the
ontest and consequences in such good
nth as has marked the conduct of the
eople lately in arms against the United
tates.