The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-08-30

inc present case, in the ruot, fbnt General
SIcKLEs advised with the first men in his
District OH the subject. lie col oi,sucd tho
d"Scrnors' the Chief Justice, and .1#ny G!l!S1
distinguished men in both States, NIL Of whom
9'rged upon him the passage of such an order
iaenernl y. himself Inns sot this forth st length
in his recent reply 10 the Charleston Board ot
Trade
Nln the letter referred 10 l,u nlso sets forth tho
reason why lic resisted the process ortho United
states Courts. II was in accordance with
his conception Of his powers and his
duties under tho Act Of Congress
gross, investing him with supreme authority
within his district; unconstitutional certainly,
from beginning to ond. Hut il WINS not to be
expected that military commanders would be
restrained by constitutional scruplcs in tho ex-
ecution Of IN Act giving them unlimited power
The question Of tho consiitutionaty of any
law, ID in tho first instance between the Presi-
dent and Congress, nod after that between The
people mt lnrgn and tho Supreme Court of the
United Stntes. In no case can IL bo considered
tho duty Of military officer to weigh the pro-
priciy Of executing law regularly enacted,
because Of possible doubt he may entertain,
affecting its constitutionality.
We hnyo said TINT wo did not like much OF
Gen. SIoKLxs' military legislation. still we bo-
licvo, no is'a man Of frst-class intellectual
ability, and meant 10 do what was right. Wo
must bo excused therefore, II we DO moi con-
sider his removal Us good per ,. Wo know
nothing whatever of Gen. CANDY; but suppose,
upon his accession, ho should revoke General
0rdor No. 10, and 81, and perhaps some para
grsphs Of 65; is it certain therefore, that the
people Of tho two Carolinas will thereby be tho
gniners! Much that has already been done,
al present our greatest curse, bids fair to bo
continued indefinitely.
We have said nothing as yet Of tho ultimate
| consequences Of these changes; tho part We
arc again called to play in the quarrel between
tho President and Congress When Congress
| rc-assembles in November, the very first thing
they will do, in our opinion. is to bring in arti-
cles of impeachment against tho President.
Whether justly or unjustly, constlutionally or
unconstitutionally, will make no practical diff
ference to u.s. We believe that in this coming
| contest tho Presidents pnrty will not
| be the yiotors. It has not been 80 hereto
fore. llarsher terms have been i'm.
posed upon US every time VIC have listened
| TO the President and his advisers. Prudence,
| expedicncy, therefore, dictate strict neutrality
| on our part in the present contest. The PrcBi-
dent, whatever his intentions, is unable 10
serve us, materially, nor are We able 10 servo
him. but our connection, we verify believe,
has been productive Of harm 10 both him and
US.
Lot ua then learn wisdom from the past, and
stand aloof from the present imbroglio. We
| firmly believe that we now haro the best terms
that will ever be offered 10 us. Let nothing,
therefore, lead us from the main work in hand
Let no sidc-issue divert our attention from the
great task now before us, viz: our political re-
generation. If wo reject these terms, we hive no
reason wnatr'eI 49, --.fb;no but Yorso