The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-09-20

decide.
The Constitution of the United States,
From ne N. Y. Evening Express.
This instrument was done in convention,
and signed by George Washington, President
of that body, on the 18th day of September,
in the year of our Lord 1857. Tuesday was
the SOth anniversary of that great transaction.
That Constitution constituted not a cenfedera-
ton of several States, not a league between
States but government for the whole people
of the United States made by the people. 1t
reads, eve the people do ordain and establish
this Constitution for the United States Of
America" It ordained government of limited
powers; the exercise of the powers granted
through period of eighty years has made
us what we area nation second to no other
in the world in power, enterprise, and intelli-
gence. Are not the people of the United States
beund by every consideration of duty and
patriotism, to cherish this Constitution, and
defend it against all violations Has it been
violated? There can be no more dangerous
violations of the Constitution, than when the
agents of the people in any department OF the
Government exercise powers not granted to
them-this constitutes usurpation. We en-
deavored to show on Thursday last that the
Congress- of the United States-the legislative
The argument to prove this averment is very
brief; it has not been answered, and it shall
be kept before the public until it receives an
answer. Congress has no powers except those
granted in the Constitution-the powers vested
in that body, says the Constitution, are those
herein granted. 1t follows, therefore, that
the exercise by that body of powers not
granted, is usurpation. What is the admitted
state of facts The leading member of the
House OF Representatives. says:-"Some of the
members of the Senate seemed to doubt their
powers under the Constitution which they
had just repudiated, and wholly outside of
which all agreed that we were acting, else
our whole work of reconstruction was usurpa-
tion." The editor of the New York Times,
in that paper of Tuesday, says:-"So much of
the strong effort OF the last six years-mii-
tary and civil-has been done outside of the
letter of the Constitution, that it is vain labor
to appeal to any absolute constitutional
guide, however earnestly moderate and con-
servative men may desire to make such an
appeal"
to appeal to any constitutional guide. Indeed !
has it come to this ? Have we no Government
with defined powers May Congress do what
it pleases without any reference to the funda-
mental law Can this be so We do not be-
lieve it, and we shall appeal to constitu-
tional guide over and over again, until we are
heard, ana the puDuc come 10 Ine rescue OF
their own Constitution. Let us see how this
doctrine of a repudiated Constitution will
work-what will be its practical operation
upon the business of the country. If the Con-
stitutionca berepudiatedb by imposing military
governments upon. the people of the States
lately in rebellion, its charm will be dispelled
! the reverence of the people for this funda-
mental law will be lost, and it will be less
difficult to violate it in other requirements. For
! instance, the Constitution strongly maintains
! the sacredness of contracts. Now it is well
known and comes to be sorely felt, that the
Government has incurred an enormous public
debt Good faith, national honor, require that
this debt should be paid. The morality which
pervades every line of the Constitution re-
quires the same thing. All can see that the
! time is not far distant when the payment o.
this debt will become very inconvenient tol
! the people. Can anybody doubt that repu-
dating party will arise, when just such dema-
gogues as now rule in Congress will seek to
sweep away all the obligations of justice and
honor. now embalmed in the Constitution Il
it is in vain now that moderate and conside-
rate men appeal to the Constitution, what will
it be then, after the people have been taught
not only to repudiate, but 10 despise this IN
j strumentY
Let us, fellow citizens, cling to the Consti-
tution-the people have been taught through
a long series of years to love and yenerate it.
| Nothing can be more dangerous than to impair
| this popular respect and veneration.