The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1866-11-10

laws by which their lives, liberties, and
property are to be judged, without the
constant presence and pressure of force
adequate to coerce obedience. The
adoption of this amendment will in
volve the necessity of maintaining an
army to enforce it, which of itself will
be dangerous to liberty, and add greatly
to the burdens of taxation, already
/ gricvOus.
! can see no good to result from the
proposed amendments. | see much
evil. We had better adhere to the form
OF government which our fathers gave
Us. II is, in my Judgment, the most
perfect political production OF human
wisdom and patriotism. For three
quarters Of II century it secured us un-
'cNumpied prosperity and happiness,
and, at the end Of that time, enabled
us to meet and overcome the most stu
IpCnduus rebellion in the history Of ma
tions. Why change it? For seventy
five year, we have hardly known that
we have had Il Government. When we
did know it we knew only by its bcne-
ficcncc. And it has shown itself as
strong as bcnciccnt-capabe of success
ful resistance to the tierCcst and most
desperate assaults that it is possible to
make upon government. Why change
it Just as it has vindicatcd its power and
glory, and lifted us to an cnincnce
= among the nations of the earth we never
till now attained?
: We have tried the Constitution and
; know its capabilities. We have not
: tried the new, as proposed, but can
: readily SEQ the confusion and disaster
, which it would bring. We had better
e. Let well enough alone. But five should
- change ii at all, we shoUld not change
= ii now. The public temper was never
! less ausp;cious to calm, conscientious,
{ wise consideration Of great questions OF
D state. Passion and prejudice should
! never lay rude hands upon fundamental
t and organic laws. In day they may
4 do mischief which years of rcpentaut
= patriotic labor Will not repair. In Il day
h they may open Il PandOra's box, WIic!
NAlN I'tNN' tNll'i vi
= century may not he able to shut.
= I do NOT regard the recent and pend
s ing elections as indicative of the iudg
e mcut of the people Of the Northern
1t States upon the Constitutional amend
II ments. They are really not the issue
presented to and considered by the peo
|, pie. They have not been calmly au(
,s diSpas,iOnatcly discussed and rcilectc,
$ upon. The people have had their fear
g alarmed and their prCudiccs and pas
l. sions al iouscd, and perhaps never votct
f under more delusive ideas rs TO tn,
Is character of the issues before tn,
il country.
Q, The people have been assured tia
le President johnson is Il traitor and
st usurpcr. lie usurpcd no power. Whel
le the insurrection0ry governments wcr
10 ovcrthroWn and expelled, the state
le We're left with constitutions which, &C
le cOrding to the most solemn sanctions o
l. the Federal Constitution, had been de
D. clarcd republican in form, and undc
n which those States had for many year
IL maintained their place as constituen
i. members Of the Union. But they hat
lie no organizations under their constitu
to tions. The President, therefore, doin
what it was his imperative duty Il
IN Commandcr-in-Chie to do, and Wha
le he would have been most culpablC fC
ID not doing, prevented anarchy by AZ
ne pointing temporary Provisional Coy
III crncrs, under whose advice the pcOpl
lc brought their regular government
lc Ggnin into operation under their COnst
IL tutious. This Was Il thing with whic
d. Congress had nothing to do. 1t was
Il matter purely Of military cogniZmc
~ The public enemy had just been cXpel
h ed by military force, and it was II
IL duty Of the Cummandcr-in-Chief to ),
Is, to it that anarchy and confusion did II,
iii crsue, and that thc machinery OF Il
IL legitimate governments was again pr
'ct IN operation for the preservation Of ord
Il and the protection Of life and libcrt
tn and property from laWlcss violence.
nd Was the duty Of the President, too,
10 the Executive bead Of the nation,
mt $50 TO il that the national laws were c
is ccutCd and the relations between Il
~. States and the Federal Government I
he stored, President Lincoln had take
ge precisely this action in respect to vi
lie giuiN, Tennessee, Louisiana, and y
NJ kansas, for which he was applaudcd NJ
he endorsed by Congress during the fiji
,,, tI,r,n vpnvs 1f tIa war orI tEpr.o II