, 1866-10-26
NUMBER 40.
ConstItutIonnI;

1ne best abused ci,d worst usa1 ;u.,;,
t,on y the United States except perban. ~.
PRESIDENT, is the Constitution I, !. %
Asu o. aud written about, and less undsr,
.soo1' 'n.n any other thing in the land r.,
nearly eighty years it has been di.cussoJ
Au1 fe>discussed, by politicians. statosmon
au1 iaWyers, and yet very few have bonn
Aole 10 agree as to its real mean;n, On ii
points Probably not three men in ~ -'
and In theR hited States have ever raaJ'L -
Constitution through even once 90, '4I 'uS
Oue VI thousand politicasters, except tbres
oSo meets VIII profess to be able to de.ide
onNuanu tue most a6struse of Gonstitution.I
problems. The politician who canno, o..
MS NE tell AZ what time the Con,t;,n,;o,,.
was aooPted, who cannot even tell the n,,r,I
oer OF states IN the Union, assumes 10 [no-
AL ABOUT the Constitution, and TO be shlo 80
eAPound Its most hidden lneapipvs ~
every occasion, from the discussion of q ~
law "a 70 the consideration of war with Grea3
prisaln' tue Constitution is lugsed forth. and
ueiu up ior the justification or reverence of
'ue crowd. When ward politician pets
ooiuereu 10 the argument, he commences
70 taik Oh the Constitution, satisfied, no doubt
tnat MS hearers know nothing about i,s nro.
VISIONS, aud certain that he does NOT Or 81
OF Polltleiazs profess to adore the Constitu
tion another set does not care 10 conceal ;,s
contempt for it; another too Iit,Io o.
PreaeheS treason aud regard for the Constitu.
'.4u ~ alternate breaths objurgates tho Cons
s'iIotlon' and follows up the repreheusiou
win reProaenes for those who were traitors
70 II. one class would make US believe that
.ne =: constitution Is so wise and perfect thar
IL snouiu not be altered another that it is of
so Httle Importance it should not be rA.
gaIued: And among them all, the Consti.
tuuon is very much abused, and yeIy little
understood 'lustltutiJn. The real truth !,
'nat tne Constitution is neither perfect nor
wise IL contains detects-and grave ones
WI mnicn nave existed frVm the commencement
Inc Trainers OF that document were not far,
seeing enough to comprehend the future of
me Nation which it was to govern and.
"ilhal even more theoretical than practic.J
o their Ideas. Yet with all its inherent A.
;oS, Tue Constitution, as it is, should be
l5'diy adhered to, until it is changed and
nAGe betterj and those changes should ba
niue inthe manner provided by itself, and
u . no other way. The Constitution is the
., uart OF our hoertles-our real Government.
we cannot safely disregard the least portion
Il IL; we may change it as we will-or ev,
u abolish 1t altogether; but SO long as il
xists !; Fe must live up to every letter .oc.iL
y trampling upon any of its provisions we.
annot make up for any Of its defects by viii.
ulIy dlsregardlng the least portion of its let.
er or spirit. 1t We attempt to 10 SO, we
ommence at once to overthrow republican
overnment What between over. strained
rofessions of holy regard for the CJnstitu>
on as it is, aud opposition to any change,
D the one hand, and undisguised contempt
Or theCoustiiutiJnal obligations and requires
tents on the other, the work of Jefferson,
ladisOn & Co., is in affair way to b. brought
D grief. Those who scJG at the Constitution
re rca ly no more the enemies Of free govern
lent than are those hypocrites who profess
uch holy devotion for the instrument that
hey would not have one Of its words changed
here is such thing as strangling the Na>,
ion by keeping it tied down to past ideas, .
s well as dashiug it to pieces by rushing
DO fast upon dangerous places.-S. F. Gull