The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1866-12-29

The two parties which measured their
strength against each other in the late cleo
tions, says the ~ Y. World, had each
clearly-defned affirmative policy. The
affirmative policy Of the republicans was
their proposed constitutional amendment
that of the democrats, the rights Of all the
States to immediate representation in Con-
gress. Ofthese rival policies neither have
succeeded The democrats have just as
good right to exult as the republican,
Neither party has gained or lost an inch
of ground by this contest. II Radicals
are still in possession OF the machinery by
which States arc excluded from Congress
their opponents still control the machia-
cry by which constitutional amendments
are defeated. If the republicans have an
overplus Of strength for the one purpose,
their opponents have also aD overplus for
the other. If one party has made some
small gains in the elections, the other has
gained in at least an equal ratio-the res
cue of Maryland and Delaware being more
important against the amendment, than
the slight increase of republican Congress-
men is against admission. If the opppo-
nents Of admission have a majority Of the
people of one section, the opponents Of
the amendment have q majority of tho peo.
pie of the whole country,-and therefore
superior physical strength, if the contro-
versy should be pushed to extremities
Looking to the future, thirteen States can
block the amendment forever, (thc num-
bcr of States being likely never to reach
fifty.two); while the republican strength
in Congress is subject 10 the contingencies
Of every biennial elections. So that al
though the deadlock continues, and the
Union is, for the present, kept dissolved,
the balance of prospective advantage is
against the republicans.
Ifthe republicans, as q Epaus Of cutting
tho knot which they cannot unite, should
assume that three-fourths of tho represen-
ted States are all that are required to rat
ify tho amendment, they will be still
checkmaied by the President and the Su-
preme Court The judicial, as we'll as the
executive department Of the government
has repeatedly recognized the rehabilita-
ted States, and bound itself by these pro-
cedents. Instead Of treating u spurious
amendment ratified only by threc-fourths
Of the residue as a part Of "the supreme
law of the land" the judiciary would dis
regard it entirely. and treat II as q perfect
nullity. Whatever laws Congress might
pass founded on such pretended amend
ment, would be dead letter, by the refu-
sal Of the President and the courts to en-
| force them. Laws do not execute them
selves. and Congress has no part of the
executive authority. 1t is clear, therefore,
that if the republicans attempt to escape
the present deadlock by pretending that
the Northern States can alone amend the
CONSTITUTION, they will still be not less in
deadlock by collision with the other de-
partments of the government.
They would only half cxtrioate them
selves by impeaching and deposing the
President. They would also have to i'm
peach and oust the judges of the supreme
Court, before they could force their bogus
amendments on the country. Perhaps
they may think that impeaching the Pres
ident would frighten the Supreme Court
into submission; but the probability is
greater that it would SO alarm and agitate
the country as to cause a great popular
revulson and the explosion of the repub-
lioan party.