New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-02-10

/ IN inc pOttuate Win which Degln. Assuming
that there has been lapse Of government In any State
so as TO impose upon the ned States the duty Of
cutting this guaranty then do insist that it 10 the
bonnden duty Of the United States that such State
has Republican government" and in the dischage of
inns bonnden duty they must declare that State which,
consent ofthe governed which imposes taxation with.
ont representations discards the principle Of
Equsl Rights and which lodges power exclusively with
an Ohgarehy, Aristocracy. Caste or Monopoly cannot
be rccognizedas Republican government accord.
ing to the requirement OF American Institutions Even
u 1t may satisfy some definition, handed down from an.
/ uquity or invented in monarchca Europe. it cannot
satisfy the solemn Injunction OF Constitution. For
this question now ask hearing Nothing in the pre-
sent debate equal In importance. It's correct de-
termination VIII be an epoch for our country and for
mankind.
Believe me- sir, this is question OF theory or alb
s'racon III practical question which you sum.
moned 10 decide Here IL the positive text of the Con-
stltutioD. and you must now aiiiI It's meaning You
cannot eyade it; you cannot forget it without aban
dobnenf vi duty. Others In vision aspiration have
dwell on the idea OF Republic, and they have been
liftec In soul You must consider il, not merely in
vision or aspiration but practically legislators In
order TO settle its precise definition the end that the
| Constitutional guaranty may be performed. Your
powers and duties are involved In this definition. The
character OF the government founded by fathers is
alec Involved in II. There is another consideration
which must not DO forgotten In afiIing tho proper
meaning 10 this text, and determining what is Re
publican government you act as court In the last re-
sort from which there Is no appeal You the sole
and exclusive judges. You may decide as you please:
Rarely in history hns such opportunity been offered
TO the statesman. You may raise the name Of Republic
10 majecuo nights OF justice and truth, or you may let
1t drag low down in the depths of wrong and alschood.
You may make IL fulfill the idea Of John Milton when
lie said that 81 commonwealth ought 10 be but
huge Christian parsonage one mighty growth or stature
Of an honest man, as big and compact in virtue as in
body :" let IL shrink into the ignoble form Of
pretender. with the name Of Republic. but without its
soul.
Mr.. Sumner then considers the origin Of this
guaranty, and how it obtained place in the
Constitution. The want Of such a provision
was felt as q capital defect in the Confederation.
In the Convention it was proposed by Randolph
OF Virginia, advocated by Mason of the same
State, and after some change Of phraseology was
unanimously adopted as it now stands. A fur
ther reason was suggested in The Ftderdlist, No.
XXI, that experiments in governments of other
forms might at some time be attempted by am
bilious leaders in the several States.
The very crisis herein anticipated has arrived.
The caprice Of particular States" ard the ambition
OF enterprisng leaders" have done their worst And
now the ms, be PeIOSTmed no ohy i iSs
Union 20 which they all belong and 70 advance the de-
cared objects Of the Constitution specified mi PIE
ambc.
The text Of this great undertaking Is worthy Of
study. No stronger or more comprehensive words
could be employed. whether We regard the object the
party guaranteeing. or the party guaranteed The ex.
press object IS "a Republican form OF government.
This ia plain enough The party guaranteeing !. not
merely the Executive or some specified branch OF the
National Government but 1.-The United States" or in
Other words, the Nation The Repnblc, which Is the
impersonation OF all guarantees Repubicnn form of
government, ana every branch OF the Nnt1hhi GOV
cAly Congress. where Is the collected viii Of tie peo
pie The litigation Is not less broad when We con-
slider the party guaranteed Here there can be no eva
sion The guaranty" Is not merely for the advantage
Of individual States but for the common defense aud
the general welfare II guaranty" to each In the
l....- 81 Ill .a1 NaUfuN Aall
nd such IL the solidarity Of States in tho Union tina,
that the good OF all IL Involved IN the good Of each
For each and ALL thea, this guaranty must he per
formed when che Joederis arrives As guaran
tor the Republic, according 20 familiar principle. IL
called 10 act only the default OF the party guarnn.
eed but when the default has occurred then the duty
is fixed IN all it's amplitude.
The question is then considered. what is q
Republican Government II is necessary 10
attach precise Specification to the term, for,
properly interpreted, IL becomes at once q sup
port Of Human Rights and balance-wheel TO
our whole political system. A large number Of
definitions are stated in order to be put aside.
TRUE SOURCE OF DEFINITION.
Every Constitution embodies the principles Of its |
trainers Iii traprcy,pt ofheir minds. II its mean
ing in any Tace IL open 10 donb or II words are used
which teem 10 baye fred duplication. we cannot
err II We turn the frsmers and their authority In
cresses IN proportion 70 tho evidence which they have
left on the Issih ST: psy intended that "
which embodied the principles for which they had
struggled Now. n II appears that through years OF
controversy they had insisted on certain principles rs
VII 10 free government 10 the extent OF enconn
tering the mother country IN war that niterWard on
solemn occasions they had heraIded these principles 70
the ord as sefeydeD truths, that also In declared
opinions they had sustained these principles and that
In public acts they had embodied these principles then
beyond dispute mt thee poe' w RSs. sSsy
took pains place under the guaranty OF the United
States But all these things can be shown unsnswer'
ably.
In these words Of hypothesis have already fore.
shadowed the four different heads under which these
principles may be seen; First, M asserted by the
fathers throughout the long revolutionary controversy
which eliminated In war; Secondly as announced IN
,olen declarations Thirdly as sustained IN declared
opinions, and Fourthly, as embodied in public acts
Under these four heads, numerous authori. |
ties are collected, and the doctrines OF James
Otis, of Franklin, Of the Legislatures OF Vm-
GINA and Of Pennsylvania, and Of the Congress
of l7G5, are stated at length. The political his
tory of America during the twelve years pre-
ceding the Declaration tended steadily toward
a republic with Liberty and Equality as its ami
mating principles, "where tho Government
should rest on consent Of the governed, or,
which Is the same thing, where there should DO
no taxation without representation. Alter the
Declaration Of Independence, the same princi-
pies were reiterated. The Declaration itself
embodied ;a:d them. the opinions Of the fathers,
of Franklin, Jefferson, Madison, HamliiVp, c! !
the Adamses, of Roger Sherman, of Pnckney
and Mason, down to Webster, breathe the same
spirit. "Thus at every stage, from the open
inc. when Otis announced that taxation with