Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-06-03
EXPERIMENTAL LEGISLATION.
Tho Constitution our Guide i'm Emer
geRcies.


expended large amount of blood and treas
ure for the purpose Of annihilating treason in
the South. The fRolity promised was the
restoration Of the Union in its integrity. 1t
should now be remembered-nay, never
fOrgotten-that laws, whether human or di-
vine, are evolved from elements of power
that cannot be infringed upon with IMMUNITY.
Their most appreciabe merit is in the happy
adaptability of their moulding to the status
and condition of man, socially, morally and
politically considered.
From high consideration the genius and
inspiration Of men-0r call them, If YOU
will, the patriarchs of an American family
wrote out a standard text containing the
most important Judgment of the best bal
auCed minds for future guidance in emer-
gencics. Hence we cannot conceive Of
greater hallucination on the part Of any one
than 30 lose sight of these regular, distinct,
and natural classiications of rights, powers,
and benefits comprehended in the Constiu-
ton as the supreme law orthe land.
Further, it should not be forgotten that
cSstums, usages, the sense Of obligation and
mental stamina cannot be thrust from the
arena Of national augmentation without
detriment 10 any cause having the interest
Of great people at stake.
The former relationship existing between
master and slave has become dissolved 1t
had no just claims to permanency to allow
it 10 exist longer Ii had been sustained
for long tiIge upon a tide Of sluggish
sociality. The eye of the nation at one Of
those peculiar interims whose periods have
ever given birth to revolution, discovered it
as a monstrosity. Thus were frecmen made
at one fell swoop.
suppose we let this suffice in the way Of
sudden transformations. To the sincere
philanthrOpist az well as the honest patriot
there is certainly enough in the conditions
resultant to claim the full exercise of all
the wisdom and prudence we As people
can command.
agreed" says the Conservative to prin-
ciple.
Not yet" SAYS passions Radical. 90 We
can instantly legislate an intellect for the
freedmen; endow him with all the privil-
eyes Of free white American citizens (" Ge
gods! All natures diversity harmonizcd by
statutory law Ii by no means requires any
large degree of discernment or superior
mental acumen to conclude that we would
stand in no small danger when exposed TO
the reckless indiscretons of such rapid law
manipulators
Governments, at times, have been known
% change their complexion, and centraliza-
ton is not Unirequently the result obtained
from such energetic thinkers"
The people have vindicated the right to
sustain the present Rupublican form OF gov
eminent Intact, and intact il must remain, or
it is worse than a failure. Why? Because |
il has the power 10 crush those II was organ
lied 10 protect; those it should protect, or it |
ceases 10 be a constitutional government. |
Special law-making for the sole benefit Of
any one class of people initiates most dis |
astrously against the rights of those who are |
not included And, again, the doctrine on
which the entire fabric of this great Com |
monwealtb is founded is alike indestructi- |
bic in its spirit and unmistakable in its Ian
guage. II carries wih Il the doctrine Of a non
departure Of any single interest from bonded |
trkolc. II denies State alienation from the /
parent stem, and in this denial il has some |
thing TO offer in return. Were this not the |
case il would be no contract whatever.
Rights and privileges 10 be such must be |
both given and required. The party max |
ing the conditions and the one asserting
thereto must enjoy respective benefits ac-
Cfuing from such assent, or there would be |
no compact made. Territorial conditions |
are resigned and State Governments formed |
ON no other principle than this one. Thus
do we expand in the Executive and JudiCi-
airy Departments of our system. These SOW
ereign robes Of nationality must not, can not
WILL NOT be torn in shreds at viii. 4 mill
itary mantle may be thrown over them in
war. But in peace there must be no at
tempted monopoly of interest while the
Constitution is our estate. Such ideas are
much better suited for kings and satraps
than for Senators expressing Roman great
ness and American liberty.
There is no hope for the reconciliation of
the fierce antagonisms that faction now feeds
and fosters but in the people. Our iegisia-
tors are infatuated by the illusions Of power
and the glory of victorious legions. The
people, therefore, 10 save their Liberties,
must strengthen the Executive arm of State
with such unfaltering support, such I'M
swerving fidelity as shall defeat all mere
experimental aud dangerous measures. The
people are the spirit of the Government.
Whenever they sleep there is danger of in
cendiarism at the very portals of their
temple.
Peace has returned again 10 the country:
but she must he offered her old pedestal
back again upon which TO sit enthrored rs
some guardian angel Of power, protecting
the deStinies of an empire whose ultimate
eternity alone can shadow forth in its true
greatness.
The work of disintegration, when once
fairly begun, is very rapid and difficult TO
check. We ever make much larger calcu-
Iations upon the prestige Of sound, regular
principles than upon experiments. Faith
Iul stewards 10 public service and duty is
what the nation needs. If she has them not
she is very unscrviceablc ship of state,
and must founder sooner or later. The least
legislation we can do with is the better pol
lev. We commence ottentimes tinkering |
mon a sound vessel, and seem never to be
satisfied till il leaks, and that badly. No
FAULT is found with the material, but there
might possibly be dishonesty with the prac-
ice. Either a fool or knaye is dangerous
10 as now. The one will commit us to blum
lers; the other will make crime out of them.
We are a great people,-to vote, 20 fight, |
md make speeches! 1t occurs 10 me that
here is something else now lacking TO make
M our general character Wait upon me
or one moment remember il now. IL Is
lac discrimination to know when to quit
loing either. But we imagine it will be
aid, if We ara snapped at we must snap
pack again, and SO ON, dd iatnitun. We are
lot making proposition 10 settle the quar-
rel for either branch of the Government ,
We only hope the time is
near at hand for a practical solution. But
IN all sincerity, we cannot refrain from say {
ng, Il ever there was an important crisis in {
he history of nation it is upon this nation {
now.
While the war ragged and natures fields '
became the lap Of death and the sacrihcial !
altar for passions bloody oorpses, and the
,ries of outraged innocence reyerberatcd l
throughout the blackened and desolated {
homes OF a humanity that had become As :
iends IN horrid fTatricidal strife-even then !
re preserved hope in all our reflections
We ielt that lull must come; that hatred {
would expend its destructive forces and we
would then have peace. II Is here! let us
rot add calamity to these past disasters. I
Columbia's institutions Of liberty and the ,
inspired memory of her illustrious creators
re awaiting the decision TO be made I
which shall either perpetuate our Union as i
was, in glory imperishable, or denude It
f It's catholic energies, which will thrill ,
very American heart alike. The most IN
lestructible features il bears 10 our recogni-
. -. -. Ia lf,-o,cifine NJ ClfmntP l