The Vinton record. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1866-1891, 1867-05-16

"HN 20 SohiSAISN ~ SUhoViiuaLcu
majority. .,....r
Reverence for the Constitution
marked the era of the Farmer Re-
public, and warmed the hearts of
all its children.
Now, who so poor as to entertain
this sentimentl 1t was rolled up
and packed away by Mr.. Lincoln; /;
and kept thus dishonored, it has
fallen into contempt, and to urge
Its authority serves only to provoke
a sneer, or to call out a Joke. 1t
forms no barrier to the project of
party rage or party desire. Its
provisions are entirely disregarded,
or Immediately altered to justify
the enactment proposed, or to COM
mand the attainment OF the end.
The highest respect shown to his
remains is the proposition to amend
them. The strife of parties, which
was once under the Constitution is
now over and above it.
Powers granted to the Federal
Government Is it not true that
every power which is desired to be
exercised is found to be granted,
and that more would be found if
necessary. t.
Once we believed a fundament-
al law, guiding legislation and con-
tanning the muniments of personal
liberty-so sacred that under no
circumstances could it be infringed,
or even amended, except in the
method prescribed-t" be essential
to free government. Now we have
willingly dispensed with it, and
committed unlimited power to a
temporary majority, and this we
call flippantly, the Will Of the Ma
ton.
Tell me, does one single feature
of the Farmer Republic remain?
We had plain and simple and
economical government. We have
magnificent complex, cbtrusive,
extravagant government. We had
an army Of $4,000 men; We have an
army of 100000. We had light
taxes; we have enormous burthens,
We had gold and silver as legal
tender; We have deprecated Gov
ernment paper currency. We had
trial by jury and personal liberty;
we have military commissions
made valid by law, and arbitrary
arrests justified.
We had government whose ey.
actions Of money or duty were sc
light that we scarcely felt its eAis
tence. We have a government
whose strength glitters In the lighr
of the FURNISHED bayonet, and i,
reflected in the resplendent lustre
of the sword. .-
We had harmony and fratemal
concord, and due respect for States
and people and opinions and hab'
its. We have a bitter sectional
strife, subjugated people, over.
thrown States, and an animosity ol
party warfare never before known
We had freedom of thought
We have an intolerance which
strikes down independence OF opin
ion and proscribes political differ
ences as crime, and establishes {
searching scrutiny into the heart!
and consciences of the community
We heard in our bitterest strug
giles the voice of Reason; now that
voice is drowned in the clangor O
the trumpet which marshals preju
dice, and rage, and hate, to inten
silly the party strife.
We had a peaceful confederation
Now, while National unity is incul
Gated as the highest duty, the per
petuation of geographical division
and National hatred is rewarded
with the highest praise. g
! Congress, which was the theate
of intellectual debate, is now tn,
registry Of the DEGREES of a part,
caucus, and hesitation to record
them is treason to the reighln!
power, and involves loss of person
al preferment even Of political life
H. We have broken down the bar
riers which hemmed in that vas
array of powers--closely akin t.
mere brute force-which we be
lieyed the government, and evel
society, could not, in any event
justly exercise, and have givel
them as the plaything of ever,
passion. We had republic W,
have an empire. | .TE
l! is said that learned naturalist
have pushed their researches so ia
that from the inspection of sin
gle bone they can determine tn
species of the animal, and repro
I,,ao l. fo.s. 4 - L