The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-01-16


they can prevent it. If this conflict
for and against the Constitution
implies treason on either side, the
guilt does not lie at our door. It is
not the man who sustains and loves,
and believes in the laws of his coun-
try-lt is not such I. man TINT can be
justly called a traitor But if there
be al American citizen anywhere,
who, with an oath upon his con
conscience to support the Constitu-
ton, would make war upon it. sub
vert it by brute force, and take away
the defences it affords to life, liberty
and property. leaving them to the
mercy Of mobs, murderers, kidnap-
pers, military commissions, and bu-
reaus of military iustice-such a man
is thoroughly traitor.
"Ayc, from the extremist upward oG his
head,
To the descent and dust beneath his feet.
most toad-spottcd traitor"
These arrows which they cast
against us, barbed and poisoned
with the accusation of treason, re-
bound from our impenetrable armor
and fall harmless at olr feet; for we
are shielded and helned, and weapon,
ed with the truth; but il we choose
to take them up and send them back
at our adversaries, We would leave
them quivering in their very hearts.
A great truth, on which the safety of
society, and the safety of individual
rights must depend, is in its nature
lndestructihle.. You may crush It to-
day, but it will re-appear and vindi-
cate itself tomorrow On the other
hand, nothing is SO evancscent or so
tickle as the passions that spring
from the interests and the prejudices
of the hour. Let the lessons of his
tory be needed. Titus Oates, Bcdloe,
and Dangerfield enjoyed far greater
measure of popular confidence that
ever was bestowed on Mr.. Holt. Mr.
Conovcr, Mr.. Campbell, ali,ts Hoare,
or by all the officers, agents, spies,
delators and witnesses of the militia
ny bureau put together. They-I
mean Oates and company-werc
loudly applauded in Parliament; they
were the former favorites of the Bri-
tish people, and they were the very
darlings of all the political preachers.
They held the life and honor of the
nation in their hands. If they but
pointed finger at an individual, he
was doomed, and no purity of pre-
vlous character, no proof of inno-
cence, however clear, could save him
from destruction. Such was their
overfowing prosperity one year; but
before the next came round, these
wrctchcd miscrcants were howling
at the carts tail, under the lash Of
the public executioner, and the whole
population of London was clapping
its hands with JOY. Let the man
who puts his trusts in false popu-
larity beware of the rebound which
is sure to come, sooner or later. It
is written down among the unchange-
able DEGREES of Almighty God, that
no lie shall live forever; and especially
is this true of great, monstrous,
bloody lie like this which the Su-
prcme Court has put its broad foot
upon.
I have spoken of the court as a
collective body. All the judges con
Cured in the decision Of the question
before them. On merely specula-
tive point, which lay outside of the
record, there was = dissent. The
minority was wrong, Of course. as all
minorities are Each Judge, how
ever, met his duty to tie case itself,
and all are therefore entitled to the
reverence and respect which is Justly
shown to the highest talent, coupled
with the purest integrity. But one
among them IS primuS inter pages,
not because he is better or greater
than the others, but because he is
more fortunate. He was selected as
the organ of the majority, and gave
expression to their jud 5ment. The
thoughts that breathe and the words
that burn all over that ,inion are his
thoughts and his words. The ire
sistibie logic which goes through and
through all adverse argument, and
the felicity Of illustration which
makes the whole subject blaze with
light, are all his own. That great
production will be u guide and q
landmark for all future time: it
Identifies its author forever with the
sacred cause Of constitutional liberty.
and makes his
g )ne Of the few, the immortal names,
That were not born to die"
1t gives him n position to which no
earthly station can add any dignity;
for n man of just ambition would
always rather be public benefactor
tbo,, 70 bo1I 1,o.l ~. oo