The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1867-01-31

? "
letter and spirit with ts provisions. And
in Ike language of the Supreme Court, be,
fore quoted:
The Constitution Of the United States
is law for rulers and people, equally in
war and in peace. and covers with the
shield Of its protection all Glasses of men
at all times and under all circumstances"
Thi, is the voice of authority, and set
ties the question finally and fully as to
what laws are to DO executed and eoutrOl
in the government OF the people Of the
United States. Away, then with ell those
who 'denounce their native land who
woaIl substitute the uncertain. doubtful
and undefued Laws Of war and of nations
for our maichess written Constitution,
who would apply the mustv code OF the
monarchs and kings of the dark ages CT
the citizens Of the republic and subject
; them to the for;etures aud penalties Of
the rules and laws Of barbarism who. con-
temnipg and denouncing the organic law
of the Union with bloody and malignant
hearts would subiugate. confscate, Danish,
! burn, kill, aud destroy others for resisting
u government which they themselves de-
nounce as despotism; who protesting to
/ be the especial champions Of liberty would
destroy the only charter by which it is Sc
cured to the people.
But it is insisted by the gel tleman ir
his speech and in the preamble to this bill
that the warrant for this measure is to be
found in the fact that tie States called
the Confederate States of America have
forfeited al their rights under the Con
stitution"
On tile 18th Of January, 1896. in
speech delivered in this House, and pub
/ Iished IN the GioJ- Of that date, | argued
more fully thal | can now. the question OF
forfeiture and many Of the others involved
IN this measure; now affirm all then
said. The positions taken are, IN my
! iudgm unanswered and unanswerable.
assert now as | did then, this govern
ment i, one created under and by writ
rem Constitution emanating from the peo
| pie through the States acting in their
! highest sovereign capacity. 1t has no
powers sovereign or otherwise except suck
as are granted to it in and BY that instvu>
ment. Al. powers not granted are Re,
served to The States or the people thereof
/ he original purpose Of the States IN form
ing The Union under the Federal CDnsti-
tuition was the better to prn:ect and pre-
serve each other and the rights and liber-
ties Of their several communities from vIo-
/ ierce both from within and from without.
! The Jurisdiction granted 10 1t oyer tho
States was TO govern and control them as
Sta es and people of States in the Union.
Ii was the creature OF The States, deriving
It's ..e from them. and without any pow>
cr TO live except il the life ot the Stites.
! 1t is gran and majestic structure its
be ,u;i!ul proportion, towering high up
among the pr5uje>t nations of the earth,
up!iited. upheld and sustained only by
preserving the States by aud OF which 1t
was created It's highest authority and
uuo>t solemn duiy, self preservation de-
man!s the preservation 81 The States. Ii
has 40 power, expres>,d or implied, by
which t eau consent 10 "fUlie tuIe by
Safe OF any Of its rights under the Con
s.ituton The obligation OF Z State TO
remain in the Mon and exercise is iunc>
! lions and perform is duties q State Is
not an obligation 20 the Federal Govern
u1ent alone. but to each and ali the other
States, aud to every cilizen OF the United
States But if it were possible that
State OF the Union cocId forfeit Its
rights as a State. what would become OF
those rights. where would they vest!-
! Certainly no, n he Federal Government,
! because under the Constitution from which
1t derives all its powers and jurisdiction
it had not the power Of authority either to
| hold or exercise any OF the rights that
properly appertain TO the States as such
! Ii has no use for such powers and no
lawful right to exercise them Should 1t
attempt to seize hold, or exercise or ac-
cept, even Is forfeiture or otherwise. any
rights or powers not granted in the char
ter by which it was created. II would be
nothing but usurpaton. 1t must pre-
serve the States aud the governments OF
the States and the people of the States in
order to preserve and enjoy the powers
aud rights conferred upon II hy them
Any other position is destruction TO tho
Union.
SIR, this Union is not yet destroyed.--
The Constitution still binds and holds the
States together Its provisions have not
been .melted and consumed in the fierce
fires of terrible war." Ii Is only the her
Ger fires of more terrible and successful
war that can melt and consume the hga-
mvnts by which that instrument binds to-
gether the States of this Union. All 9TH
er laws comracts and treaties may
melt aud be consumed. but while the
/ Constitution remains, while Its PROVISIONS
stand, war may rage, secession surge, aud
| fanatics howl in vain against the Mon.
[, will stand till the Constitution itself Is
melted aud destroyed.
/ There never VAS more abominabie doc
triuc or one more fatal to this government
i than that which asserts its right and pow
er TO hold the late insurgents az conquered
territory, aud tie people as conquered SUD-
/ lects 1t is IA virtual deniai of the power
Of self preservation, and pregnant adj
mission that the powers assumed and the
rights asserted are not 10 be found IN the
! Constitution. 1t is mes; la~e aud wick
ed subterfuge by which to usurp and ex>
ercse ungrauted aud despotic powers. 1t
is doctrine no less 'a;al TO the Union
than the States Ifpersisted IN by those
| in possession of the Government, and ac-
quie,ced in by the people, it must end IN
the overthrow Of the Republic and the
establishment Of an empire upon its ruiLs.
1t is at war with every principle OF the
Constitution and a complete swallowing up