The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-01-12

bids the assumption or payment of
the rebel debt, and prohibits the pay
ment of any claim for the loss or
emancipation of slaves. The four
\ clauses constitute one amendment,
which was submitted to the people of
Indiana for their approval or rejection
at the late election
I14It established the great principle of
national unity and citizenship, equal1-
ty of representation, disability for
treason, the good faith of the nation
to hercreditors, and guards the nation
in future times against the corruptions
of the rebel debt. It is of inestima-
BILE value to the country, and can not
1 be safely substituted by mere legisla-
ton which is liable to repeal or des-
truction at the hands of the Supreme
| Court. TOT $3.50
The cardinal principles of recon
| strnction should be planted In the
Constitution whence they can be up
rooted only by the same process by
which they we're established No
discussed before the people, better
understood by them or received a
more distinct and intelligent ap-
proval. | will enterinto no argument
in it's behalf before this General As
sembly. Every member of it Under
stands it, and is prepared, / doubt
not, to give his vote for or against, on
the question of ratification. ven
ture, however, to recommend that you
give to it your speedy consideration,
and hope that its ratification will soon
be published to the world as declara-
ton of the spirit and purpose of the
people of Indiana. o. a
But what If the Southern people re-
ject the Amendment? But what if
they continue this reign of terror, this
fragrant disregard of liberty and life?
DO they imagine the North will re-
cede, or that affairs WILDE allowed to
remain, as they are? These things are
impossible Aiquarter of a million of
lives have beenlost, billions of money
wasted, the tears of the widow and
orphan are flowing, the shrieks of the
murdered freedmen are heard, Union
men are. flying orltheir lives, and now
the blood1ef the nation isup and the
cry for vengeance is abroad in the
land. Let the people of the South
flee from the wrath to Hcome9 Let
them put away the perjured traitors
who hurried them into rebellion.a nd
now darken their counsels, and make
haste to abandon their sins and ae
cept the prohered terms. SOM 5n} io 4
The Constitutional provision de-
elaring that the United States shall
guarantee to each State a republican
form of government was not intended |
to furnish merely a paper guaranty, |
but authorized the Government of the |
United States to interfere In certain |
contingency, with the government of |
State. The guaranty is to be made !
by the United States, that is, by the
Government of the United States,
which is not the President or Con-
gress, but both together, and must
therefore be legislative act.
The President could not establish a
State Government and accent it finally
as loyal and republican in its form.
and legal and complete In its struc-
ture without assuming that he is the
Government of the United States,
which would manifestly be absurd.
E. What the extent of this power is
has never been settled by any pre-
cedent; and has not been defined
by Kent, Story, or any of our writers
on Constitutional law 1t is a vast.
power, given to the United
States to guard the States against rev.
anarchy or change to mon
archlal or aristocratic government. If
a State government has been destroy
ed by a rebellion, the United States
must set up or re-establish a repub-
llcan form of government IF State h
government should be converted into
an aristocracy the United States must
restore it TO republican form. How.
or in what manner, this shall be done (,
is not marked out by the Constitution
and must, therefore, as far as we, can I
Judge, depend upon the circumstances
of each case.
The Government is armed with SUI !
power to keep the States in
their orbits by maintaining within
them republican governments, and the
measure of power must therefore be
the extent Of the means. necessary to
accomplish the purpose.
1t is a well-recognized principle of
the Constitutional law, that, where a
duty is enjoined, all the powers neces-
sary to the performance of the duty
are included
Where certain demand is made
by the Constitution the means neces-
sary to produce the result must be in
ferred, else the demand would be
nugatory.
The only measure, therefore, we
can give to this power is that it en-
braces whatever may be truly neces-
sary to guarantee to each State re-
publican form Of government IF
State gnyernmnnt falls into anarchy