Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1867-09-19
TIE OLD GAME.

For moro than Thirty years con
spiraey was brewing in this country
to destroy the constitution, under the
pretext of saving it. From the null
Iifcation struggle in South Carolina
DOM TO this present year OF grace
1867, we find that every blow aimed
at the Union and the Constitution,
Except during the actual continuance
of the war, was professedly struck in
behalf of the Union and the Constitu-
ton.
In 1See, the people of the North
were met by the Southern leaders,
with the distinct declaration that if
they elected Abraham Lincoln Presi-
dent Of the United States the South
would certainly dissolve the Union;
and this they proposed to dc unJer
the shield of the Constitution itself,
which, they told US, had conferred
on each sovereign State the right to
withdraw from the Union at its own
pleasure and discretion, In other
words, they believe it to be constitu-
tional to destroy the Constitutions
In this propositionthey were sustain
ed by the Democratic party of the
North, and are still sustained by it.
THE Union,' the Constitution, and
the enforcement of the laws was
the motto of the Bell Everett party
party which, had it elected its can
didate as the successor of Buchanan,
would have dissolved into liquid form
and evaporated, beforc it would have
raised finger to prevent secession by
| force.
The rebellion for n time relieved
the people of this trouble about the
Constitution, SO far as the Southern
leaders were concerned Those zeal
Gus Southern patriots whose devo-
ton to the Union and the Constitu-
ton had been SO loudly proclaimed,
threw off the mask and stood in open
revolt against the United States.
Jerry Black, now IL favoritc friend
and adviser of Mr. Johnson, as At
torney General, had decided that the
States had no right under the Consti-
tuition to sccede; but that if they
should secede, the Constitution did
not confer on the Government any
power to restrain them. The imbe
cile Buchanan adopted this view Of
the Attorney General, and communi-
Gated it to Congress as his own
opinion. While those Democratic
champions of the Constitution in the
South, who, like jeff Davis, occupied
places of power in the civil govern
or. like Lee, Toombs, and Breckin-
ridge, buckled on the sword, ceased
TO trouble Us with their rawlings about
the Constitution, their friends and al
lies in North, the Copperhead party
of 1861 and 1867, kept up the cry; and
it is singular to see how little has
been done since the outbreak of the
war that has not, in the opinion of
these patriotic gentlemen, been done
in open violation of the Constitution.
The Constitution was invoked against
every step. however apparent the ne
cessitv for it, that was taken by Mr.
Lincoln or by Congress to put down
the rebellion.
|. The war itself was unconstitu-
tional.
9. 1t was conducted on unconstitu-
tional principles.
! J. All persons in the South brought
within our lines by military occupa-
ton, were entitled to the full protec-
ton of the Constitution of the United
States. If their slaves attempted to
escape, they must be sent back by
military escort
4. AS Mcclellan, at the head Of the
Grand Army of the Potomac, march
eel into Virginia, it was his constitu,
tional duty, in the view of these
patriots, to protect the house and
property of every rebel by military
guard. This he did, and the Copper
heads give him the credit of standing
by the Constitution. In fact, McClel-
Ian all along fought and got whipped
on constitutional principles.
3. If the soldiers were cold and
shelterless, il was unconstitutional to
build fires with fence rails, the private
property Of rebels. 1t were better
the soldiers should freeze than to vio-
late the Constitution; for, does not
Article " of the amendments of the
Constitution of the United St,tes de
clare that no person shall he deprived
Of his property without due process
of law!
6 1t was unconstitutional for the
President to call for 10000 vOlun-
teers. n.
i z. 1t was unconstitutional to enlist
men for three years
g. The draft was unconstitutional.
o. 1t was unconstitutional to pre-
vent Northern men aiding and CON-
forting the rebellion.
10. 1t was unconstitutional as well
as barbarous to make soldiers of the
negroes.
IL. Emancipation was unconstitu
tional.
II. Greenbacks were unconstitu
tiOnal.
IL. Everything calculated to sup
r press rebellion was unconstitutional
and the only way to uphold the Con-
+ stitution was to destroy it by letting
I the South 60 its way in peace.
Since the close Of the war, hund.
reds of the old Democratic leaders
of the South have joined their North
ern allies in their old cry of "the Con
; stitution! the Constitution" They
cry aloud for its preservation. They
5 always forget to mention the circum-
stance that they fought four years tc