The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-09-19
FROM HON. \. II. STUART.

cclVe Your favor uf the btn instant, inviting
me "to address the great mass meeting to
be held in the city Of New York on the
18th Of September next, the anniversary Of
the adoption of the Constitution of the
United States, to respond 10 the action Of
the National Union Convention at Phila-
dclphia."
Important professional engagements COM
pei me to deny myself the. pleasure of at
tending Your meeting; but my whole heart
is with Won in the patriotic cause III which
Won are engaged. 1t would be well if the
people of the United States were to set
apart the 18th day Of September Of each
wear for careful study of the principles OF
the great charter Of American liberty, and
a close annual scrutiny of the action of the
Government with view 10 determine how
far it concerned to or departed from those
principles.
1t seems to me that the contest which
now cngroSscs SO much the attention OF the
American people is far more important
than the great struggle for national indie
pendcnce. If our fathers had failed, they
wonlG have been RENTED to the dominion
of the mother country, but protected by
the safeguards to liberty cngrattcd on the
British Constitution. five fail, bloodShed,
civil strife, and anarchy seem to be incvita-
bic. Society wS-hc uprooted, and the
w'Jt clements br yght to the surface; all
II securities for !i' liberty, and property
w@ ovcrthroS>.~ a. II ferocious spirit of
Jacobni>m, whicSm.S had noparallcl since
the worst days of the French Revolution,
will be rampant throughout our country.
The Convention of 1857 met i'll Philadcl-
phia to form more perfect union. The
Convention of 1866 met in the same city to
restore and consolidate the Union which
our fathers had formed, but which had been
practically suspended by the events of the
late unfortunate war. The purposes of
these Conventions We're equally patriotic.
The laborS of the SagcS of 1871 were
crowned with success, and / cannot permit
myself to doubt that the earnest efforts OF
the Convention OF 1866 will receive the
sanction OF popular approval.
have been educated to believe that the
Constitution of the United States was one
Of the highest achievements OF human
wisdom. My father, as a member of the
Virginia Convention of l7SS, gave his vote
for its adoption, and scvcnty-thrce years
afterwards, |, as a representative of the
same county in the Convention of 1861, re-
corded my vote against its reputation.
was content with its provisions then, and |
am contcntSith them now, and my earnest
wish is that the rash hand Of innovation
NAV never be laid upon them.
The Constitution of the United States is
the supreme law of the land. Obedience
to it is one of the highest political duties
of the citizen. Instruction against II Is
rebellion.
1t is very fashionable now to dcclaim
against southern rebels. But il must bc
remembered that there are northern rebels
as well as southern. A rebel is one "who
opposes lawful authority by violence" The
| men who resisted the fugitive slave law by
violence were better entitled to the name
of "rebels" than the men who fired on
Fort Sumter; for the latter believed they
were right, while the former knew they
were acting in defiance of the law and the
| Constitution. So also the men who now,
in violation of the Constitution, which pro-
vidcs for the representation of all the
States in Congress, exclude the Senators
and Representatives OF ten of the States,
are as much in insurrection against law
full authority" as were the most persistent
advocates of the doctrine Of secession.
The instruction against lawful au-
thority," or rebellion, or whatever you
may choose to call it, which recently en-
listed in the southern States has been put
down by force of arms. But the work OF
suppressing rebellion Is not yet finished.
1t must be put down in the North as we'll
as in the South. The form Of resistance to
lawful authority in the two sections may
be different, but in substance and effect it
is the same. Southern resistance was
made openly, manfully, with arms in hand.
Radical resistance is made stealthily, insi-
diously, and under false pretences. The
bayoaet was used to subdue the former.
The ballot is the appropriate means Of
putting down the latter, unless it should
assume more threatening aspect.
A solemn duty now rests with the people
of the North and West. The supremacy
of the Constitution and the laws must be
maintained. 1t is for the sovereign people
TO strengthen the hands Of our patriotic
President SO as to enable him to accom-.
plish the great work of restoration which
ne has so auspiciously begun. All the
great interests of society are at stake life,
iiberty, and property are in jeopardy.
Bond-holders, merchants, manufacturers,
siiip-owncrs, artisans, and agriculturists.
should all awake to . sense Of the dangers
which encompass them. If the coming
elections in the North and West should re-.
suit IN the triumph of the rebellious Radi.
Gals, 1t requires no spirit of prophecy n
foretell the evils which will Overspread the
country; but IL wiser counsels prevail. and