The southerner., 1867-03-07

tuke our choice between complete anarchy,
a consolidated despotism, and total dis>
solution Of the Union; but national hber>
ty, r, gulated by law. will have passed be-
yond our reach.
It is the best frame of government the
world ever saw. No other is, or can be
so we'll adapted to the geeius, habits or
wants of the American people. Combin'
ing the strength of a great empire with
unspeakable blessing of local self.govern-
central power to defend
the general interests, and recognizing the
of the State as the guardians of
industrial rights, it is ''the sheet-anchor
Of our safety abroad and our peace at
home" 1t was ordained "to form more
perfect union, establish justice, insure do
mcstic tranquility, promote the general
welfare, provide for the common defence,
and secure the blessings of liberty to ours
selves and to our posterity.' These great
ends have been attained heret fore, and
will be again, by faithful obedience to it.
but they are certain to be lost if we treat
with disregard its sacred obligation.
1t was 10 punish the gross crime of de-
flying the constitution, and to vindicare its
supreme authority, that we carried on
bloody war of four years duration. Shall
we now acknowledge that we sacrificed
million of lives and expended billions of
treasure to enforce a Constitution which
is not worthy Of respect and preservation !?
Those who adv. Gated the right of Sc
cession alleged in their own Justification
that we had no regard for law, and that
their rights of property, life, and liberty
would not be safe under the constitution,
as administered by US. If we now verify
their ASSERT n, we prove that they were
IN truth and in f,ct fighting for their liber>
ty, and instead of branding their leaders
with the dishonoring name of traitors
against a. righteous and legal govern
ment, we elevate them in history to the
rank of self sacrificing patriots, conse>
craze them to the admiration of the world,
and place them by the side of Washing
ION, Hamrden and Sydney. No, let US
leave them to the infamy they deserve,
punish them as they should be punished,
according to law, and take upon ourselves
no share Of the odium which they should
bear alone.
1t is part of our public history which
can never be forgotten that both Houses of
Congress, in July 1861, declared in the
form of a solemn resolution that the war was
and should be carried on for no purpose OF
subjugation, but sorely to enforce the Con-
stitutOn and laws and that when this
yielded by the parties in rebellion, the con-
test should cease, with the constitutional
rights of the States and of individuals un-
impaired. The resolution was adopted and
sent forth to the world unanimously by the
Senate and with only two dissenting voices
in the House. 1t was accepted by the
friends Of the Union in the South, as well
as in the North, as expressing honestly and
truly the object of the war. On the faith
Of it, many thousands of persons in both
sections gave their lives and their fortunes
to the cause. To repudiate it now by refu.
sing to the States and to the individuals
within them the rights which the Constitu.
| ton and the laws of the Union would secure
to them, is a breach of our plighted honor
for which l cannot voluntarily become 8
party.
The evils which spring from the unsettled
state of our Government will be acknowled
ged by all. Commercial intercourse is i'm
| peded, capital is in constant peril, public
securities iiuctuate in value, peace itself il
llOb anu inc StllSt VI lllOIdl, dllu pO
litcal duty is impaired. To avert these ca
lamitios from our country. 1t is impera
lively required that we should immediatel,
decide upon some course of administrator
which can be steadfastly adhered to.
am thourghly convinced that any settlement
or compromise, or plan of action which il
inconsistent with the principles of the Con
stitution viii not only be unavailing, bu
lnischievious that it will but multiply tn,
| present evils instead of removing them. TIL,
Constitution, in its whole integrity and Wig
or, throughout the length and breadth O
| the land, is the best OF all compromises
| Besides, our duty does not in my judgment
| leave us choice between that and any 9th
er. | believe that it contains the remed
that is so much needed, and that if the CO
ordinate branches ofthe Government woul
unite upon its provisions they would b
found hroad enough and strong enough t
sustain in time OF peace the nation Whic
they bore safely through the ordeal of
protractod civil war. Among the most sa
cred guarantees of that instrument are thos
which declare that ''each State shall hav
at least one Representative" and that 'sn
State without its consent, shall be deprive
of its equal suffrage in the Senate" Fac
House is made the "judge Of the elections
returns, and qualifications OF his own men
bers," and may, "with the concurrence
two-thirds, eXpel member" Thus, &
heretofore urged, ,"in the admission of Sen:
tors and Representatives from any and a
OF the States, there can be no just groun
OF apprehension that persons who are di
loyal viii be clothed with the powers of lie,
islation; for this could not happen whe
the Constitution and the laws are enforce
by a vigilant and faithful Congress-
''When Senator or Representative pr,
sents his certificate of election, he may
once be admitted or rejected; or, shou]
there be any question as to his eligibilit
his credentials may be referred for invest
CATION to the appropriate committee.
admitted to a seat, it must be upon evidenG
satisfactory to the House of which he tn,
becomes a member, that he possesses tt
requisite constitutional and legal qualific;
tions. If refused admission as a membt
for want OF due allegiance to the Cover
ment, and returned to his constituents, the
are admonished that none but persons 10y
to the United States will be allowed a voit
in the Legislative Councils of the Natio
and the political power and moral infiuenl
Of Congress are thus effectively exerted
the interests of loyalty to the Governmel
and fidelity to the Union" And is it no. Fl
better that the work of restoration shou
be accomplished by simple compliance wit
the plain requirements of the Constitutio
than by recourse to measures which
: effect destroy the States and threaten tt
subversion of the General Government 2
, All that is necessary to settle this simp
but important question, without further a
itation or delay is a willingness on the pa
of all to sustain the Constitution and carr
, its provisions into pratical operation.