The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-08-02
RECONST RUCTION.
Chief Iustaco Ruhiu Against tho New
Constituti0n-He DenOunces PresIdeaG
johnson n DespOt and Usurper,

johnson as n DespOt and Usurper.
From the Raleigh standard. W
We learn, and indeed the tact is admitted by
the Sentinel, the organ OF Governor Worth that
the long and able argument recently published
in the W,hnI0qtOR Journal, against the New
Constitution and the powers OF the late State
Convention. aud copied with so much gustO by
the Secession press OF the State, is from the pen
OF Chlet Justice Rutfin. We regret we have not
space to lay this argument Gin iull before our
readers, but We give the following extracts,
which Will afford some idea Of IT'S intent and
sprit. The Chfet Justice says:-
ii consider that this Is no Constitution. be-
cause your Convention was not a legitimate
Convention, aud had no power to make Con.
stitution tor u.s. or 10 alter that which we had
and have and that it cannot be made COnsti-
tuition, even by popular sanction. II these
positions be correct, It ought to be rejected by
the people, as the easiest, simplest ana most
efficient method OF setting the points at rest,
and avoiding many perJlexlng and dangerous
questions before the Judiciary. / object to the
organization OF your body as Convention,
because 1t was called without the consent OF the
people OF North Carolina by the President OF
the United States, or under his orders
an act of clear and despotic usurp-
patton, which could not give the body any
authority to bind the State or its inhabitants.
Ii 1t be SAID che President, or his satrap-hs
Governor of a Province-did not call, or
rather constitute the Convention, but the
delegates we're elected by the people, and
thereby the body was duly constituted, L deny
1t, directly and positively. Mr.. Johnson re-
quired convention TO perform certain specific
acts; to annul the ordinance of secession, aud
tender return to the Union, or claim its con
tinued existence under the Constitution of the
United States; to emanclpate the slaves, and
OrdAin that slavery shall never hereafter exist
in this State, and 10 Iepudiate the State war
debt All these were done; the two first
promptly and in satisfactory terms; and
the thlrd at the last moment, under sub
lection and in conformity co orders, after
having once refused to adOpt the measure. All
was done, | say, that was required, and Mr..
johnson proclaimed that he had got all he
wanted; that we we're back as State and might
choose our Representatives in Congress in con-
formity to our rights as State, and to our law
regulating elections. Was there anything more
for any other purpose, even by those who were
allowed to vote for members How dare they
then go on to frame a Constitution, Law tor
all time. which is to be binding on those who
elected them for other ends, and also that large
portion OF the patriots and heroes-''unpar-
doned RebelS"-Who were not allowed to vote at
all? The pretenson is without parallel of pre-
cedent until the present term of radical assump-
tion of power in a dominant military or nume-
rical majority, without respect for rights or the
Constitution. AS far as they safely can, aud
whenever they can, the people ought to resist
that pretensOn. This they can peacefully do.
when called upon and allowed to vote; and
trust they will DO so on this occasion without
commotion, in support of the great principle OF
human liberty-that people have the right to
make their own Constitution and not be made
subject to one imposed on them, by force or
fraud, by an eXtraneous power, or by fraction
of their fellOw.citizens.r