The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-12-04
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9dSPflsa(pt opens WITH D aisUossiOu Of
.theyeconstls jkiph qat tstiun. s :. IA SGyE On
rAisamomentous question, ard some Of the
peesu1sa SsyttuI, pst Of ~ Tshsd tAs niie
fottdn4 % di6E NON cdnxsass, and have &.
pressed ny conviction. without reserve,
'lEo6Ih with betonfbg defSvSpcs 70 M Upin-
ipsS of the Legislative departments Thesj
t6nvictions we're not only unchanged, but
ttfepgtL9ned byrubsequep4 events jnA fam
'thsf f46Acti>d' Tks steeash1 irpos.
tahqe of ths subject viii b . tuiscieut ex7
cuse for calling your attention to some Of the
various reasons which have so strongly indu-
may IN knaily 'concsr IA ! mode Of settle
yment consistent at once With our truD htsr-
Ies al 1.6 Sus ssrs &6ytoA As consti-
aa6n aAd ahe .nslion, oo3ua 10 Vsfead-
lily relinqnished. :.
+. R.s,I;s, IS; s! reviewing
Bea sinesrsIy convinced sau H., ih.,. view.
are correct would be unfaithful to my duty
rif 3ia mol osrecowmend ths repeal ef ths acts
nf Isukte4s yAieA plAeaa led oe ~. South
ern States under the domination Of military
masters. If calm reelection shall satisfy
pAi9rty Of your honqrAblsr bodies that the
sets Tefeffed to Are not only - viufxtion of
national fAith, hnt 10 direst conflict with the
Constitution, dare not permit myself to
doubt that you will Immediately strike them
fumythy vtAt1te book. To damonstfAt4 the
unconstitutionality ofthese acts, need do no
more than refer 10 their general provisions. 1t
must be seen at once that they are not an-
thorizsd to state what alterations shall be
made in the Constitutions Of tho several
States, to couirol the elections Of Stete Legis-
.lstures and State officers, members Of Con-
gress and Electors of President and Vice
President, by arbitrarily declaring who shall
vote and who shall be excluded from that
privilege; to dissolve State Legislatures or
prevent them from assembling; to distniss
Judges andother civil fnnctionaries of States,
and appoint others, without regard 70 State
law; to organize aud operate all the political
machinery Of States; to regulate the whole
administration of their domestic and local
affairs according to the mere will of strange
and irresponsible agents sent among them for
that purpose. These are powers npt granted
to the Federal Government or to any OF its
branches.
On the question of negro suffrage the
President expresses himself as follows
The plan Of putting the Southern States
Rholly, and the Federal Government par
TALLY, into the hands Of negroes is proposed
at time peculiarly uhpropitious. The foun>
dations OF society have been broken up by
ciyil war. Industry mpst be reorganized;
hfssice estsblishea; public credit maintained,
sand order brought opt Of confusion. To ac~
cornpGsh these ends would require oil the
wisdom and virtue of the great men who
formed our Institutions originally. J. cen6-
IDENTIFY believe that tkeis desceBdsnts, will be
equal 10 the arduous task before them;s but
1t is more than msdaess 70 expect thathe.
1roes will perform it for US. Certainly We
oqaht not to ask their assistance until We de-
spaisA Of our own competency. The great
difference between the two races in
physical, mental and moral Characters
lies will prevent an amaigamxticn and fusion
ii them together in one homogeneous
Ipa,s. II the interior obtain the ascendency
over the other It will govern With reference
entirely 10 lis own interests, for it will tecog>
nize no common Interest and create such =
tyrsriuy Is this Continent has never yet
Witnessed. Already the negroes are inilu.
enced by promises Of confscation and plum
der. They ARE taught to regard ~ an enemy
ssery white man who has any respect fpr the
rights of his pWn race If this cpniinues il
must become worse aud worse until all order
will be subvested, all industry cease, and the
iirtie fields of the South grow up intoa will
dernees. Of all the dangers which opr ma.
ton has yet encountered none are equal to
those which mast result from the snccesa Of
the eforts now making 10 Africaaize hall oil
our country.
The President refers 70 the Executive only
as follows: How far the duty Of the Presi-
dent to preserve, protect and defend, the
Constitution requires him to Goin opposingthe
unconstitutional acts Of Congress, is very Sc
rious and important question on which have
deliberated much, and felt extremely anx-
ious to reach . proper conclusion. When
~ act hss been passed according TO otha forms
,pf the ConsGtution, by The snpreme le4is
latire authority of the country, the Executive
resistance to it, especially in times OF high
party excitement, would be likely to produces
| violent commpton between the representa-
tive adherents of tbe Two branches Of The
Government. This would simply be civi
war, and civil war must be resorted to only
as the last remedy for the worst of evils,
Whatever might tend TO provoke it should be
most carefully avoided. A faithful and con.
scientious Magistrate will concede very much
to honest error, ind sornething ever
to pervesse malice, before he will en-,
dagger No evblic peace, and he will
not adopt fofcibls measures, or snoh u
might lead to force, so long as chances
which are peaceAbls remain opea to him o,
to his constituents. It. is trua that eases uaJ
occur IN which the Executive would be com.
PEELED 10 stand on his rights and maintain
| them regardless Of consequences. IfCon-
gfess should pass "a act which Il not orily il
| palpable conflict with the Constitution. bu,
will certainly if carried out roduce immedi
ate aud irreparable injury to the oraaui,
1pctufe of tkeS Government, and ifthsFe b.
lfsither Judicial remedy ID the WRONGS Il in
tiicts, nor power in the people to protec
themselves without the official aid Of thei
elected defender, aud if the l,eeislative de
partment should pass an act, even though nj
tbs EFqeoS lAw % abolish aeo>ofdinate "a
tpartueMt Or The Government, id such 4 CAS-
the President must take tho high respopsi
hility Of his ONCE ana save the E6 of the ma
ton q al hazards. =
OF the FsuuPs Of Office Bill the Presiden
says the forced retention in Office Of sinal,
dishonest person may work great injury /,
\ the psblic interests. The danger Of thes sN,b
he serys0s comes mot from the peer 10 e
tmovs, but from the power to appoint. There
fore Il vas that the framers Of the Consti,u
ton lsftthe fOwss q retAoval oarestricted
while they gave the 6enate the rirht to re;ec
,slhapQ16tb0n iAirh 10 thsie dbMees n
not st TO be made. A little reflection d m;
tsabjsct viii probably ssaisfy IN ~ ~ r,
good q III vug9tsy 1t heart thSs 6nr bes
copSse 10 70 tabe lha Cosstitution for -
guide, walk in the path marked out 81 Is,
!, founders Of tA1 RsPeNk5 4AH obey the rrle
~ she osEas sfs9Ts1
/ Ths Pfss;1sus thes procesa11o. !. d;.cs,
el6h e tAa Eraaos RSposlD IL ~ vnsieu