North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1866-08-29
VOL. 6 NO. a.

form in all its provisions to its own ideas
of equality and the rights of war. Con-
gress, at its last session, proposed amend
ments to the Constitution, enlarging, in
some very important particulars, the au-
thoritv of the General Government over
that of the several States, and reducing, by
| Indirect diSfranchisement, the representa-
tive power of the States in which slavery
formerly existed and it is claimed that
+; these amendments may be made valid as
parts of the original Constitution without
the concurrence, of the States to be most
seriously affected by them; or may be i'm
posed upon those States by three fourths
of the remaining States, as conditions Of
their readmission to representation in Con-
gress and in the Electoral College.
1t is the unqnestionabe right Of the
people of the United Stats to make such
changes in the Constitution as they upon
due deliberation may deem expedlent.-
Bot we insist that they shall be made in
the mode which the constitution itself
points out, in conformity with the letter
and spirit of that instrument, and with the
principles of self government and of equal
rights which lie at the basis of our repub-
Iican institutions. We deny the right of
congress to make these changes in the fun
damental law without the concurrence of
three-fourths of all the States, including es-
pecially those to be most seriously affected
by them, or to impose them upon States or
people as conditions of representation or of
admission 10 any of the rights, duties, or
obligations which belong, under the consti-
.ution, to all the States alike; and with
still greater emphasis do we deny the right
of anv portion of the States from any share
in their councils, to propose or sanction
changes in the constitution which are to
affect permanently their political relations,
and control or coerce the legitimate action
If the several members of the common
! Union. Such an exercise of power is sim
ply a usurpation, ust as unwarrantable
when exercised by Northern States as it
would be if exercised by Southern, and not
to be fortified or palliated by anything 10
the past history either of those by whom it
attempted or of those upon whose rights and
liberties it io to take effect. 1t finds no
warrant IN the constitution. 1t is at war
with the fundamental principles of our form
OF 90 Jernment. If tolerated in one in
stance it becomes the precedent for future
invasions OF lib rtyand constitutional right,
dependent solely upon the will of the party
in possession of power, and thus leads by
direct and necessary sequence to the most
fatal and iutolerabe of all tyrauuies, the
tyranny of shifting and irresponsible politi-
cal factions 1t is against this, the most for.
midable of all the dangers which menace
the stability of free government, that the
constitution of the United States was in.
tended most carefully to provide. We de-
maud strict and steadfast adherence to it.
Ia this. and in this alone. can we find ba-
sis ofpermanent union and peace.
Fourth. But it is alleged in justification
of the usurpatlon which we condemn, that
the condition of the Southern States and
people is not such As render safe their re-
admission to share in the government of
the country that they are still disloyal in
sentiment and purpose, and that neither
the honor, the credit, nor the. interests Of
the nation would be safe if they were re-
admitted share in its councils. We
might reply to this
First That we have no right for such
reasons TO deny to any portion of the
States or people rights expressly conferred
upon them by the Constitution ofthe Uni
ted States
Second, That so long as their acts are
those of loyalty so long as they conform
in all their public conduct to the require
ments of the Constitution and laws. we
have no right to exact from them conform
ity in their sentiments and opinions to our
own.
Third. That we have no right to dis
trust the purpose or the ability.of the peo-
pie ofthe Union to protect and defend un-
der all contingencies, and by wha tever
means may be req2ired, its honor and its
welfare. These would IN our Judgment, be
full ond conclusive answers to the plea thus
advanced for the exclusion of these States
from the Union. But we say, further, that
this plea rests upon complete misappre-
hension, or an unjust perverson of existing
facts. We do not hesitate to affirm that
there is no section of the country where
the Constitution and laws of the United
States find more prompt and entire obe-
dence than in those States and among
those people who were lately in arms
against them, or where there is less pur-
pose or danger of any future attempt to
overthrow their authority.
1t would seem to be rational and inevita-
ole that in States and sections so recently
swept by the whirlwnd of war, where all
the ordinary modes and methods of organ
lied industry have been broken up, and
the bonds and influences that guarantee So
cial order have been destroyed where
thousands and tens of thousands of turbu-
lent spirits have been suddenly loosed from
the discipline of war, and thrown without
resources or restraint upon disorganized
and chaotic society, and where the keen
sense of defeat is added to the overthrow
of ambition and hope, scenes of violence