Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1867-01-12
Congress and the Supreme Court.


with their constituents during the holidays,
have received an addition to their stock OF
backbone, and now they seem disposed to
come up with courage to the great work OF
reformation and reconstruction which the
loyal sentiment of the country demands OF
them. During the month of December we
could not see any good reason for the delay
which lost whole month, or one third OF
the short session, before commencing the
proceedings against the President which con-
template his removal; and we must say we
don't see it yet, unless lack OF nerve be
considered sufficient reason. But inter-
course with the people has convinced the
doubling Thomases in Congress, that the
speedy settlement of our domestic difficulties
is what the nation wants, and that we are in
no humor to have that settlement put off un-
til 1869, and to have to run the risks of in
tervening adverse circumstances. The work
to be done is immense, and will tax to the
utmost the exertions of the members of the
present Congress, and of those of the Con-
gress which commences its term on the 4th
of March next. The Upas of slavery which
oveTshadOwed the land and poisoned our
system Of government, was indeed snapped
asunder and prostrated by the storm of war,
but its roots still survive and undeIlie the
foundation of our Government, and unless
they are eradicated, the fostering care of the
lovers of the peculiar institution will nou1ish
them into growth and vigor, as green and
deadly as ever. With a pro-slavery Presi-
dent and Supreme Court, and a do-nothing
Congress, it would not be long before Sambo
would resume his normal condition." and
We should be informed that the Constitution
Itself was unconStitutional-at least so much
OF 1t as interfered with the patrlarchal rela-
ton of master and slave; ard we should
hear enunciated from the Supreme Bench
the pet dogma of the extreme chivalry, that
as the prime object of all government is pro-
lection of property, any act Of Government
which infringed upon property rights is null
and void, and as the rights of men are divine
and above human law. the right of the master
to his nlSger cannot be controverted in any
human tribunal, and the Southern higher
law thus judicially installed above our writ
ten Constitution. Thomas Jefferson was
right in his opinion that the liberties of a
people had to be guarded, protected and de-
Tended by the people themselves, through
their representatives in the legislative de-
partment OF the Government; that no reli-
ance was to be placed in the Supreme Court
for the conservation of freedom, and that
whenever corruption seizes the reins of DOW
er Il carries the Supreme Court with it. 1t
would be something awful if the National
Supreme Court should attempt to reverse
the verdict of the war, and re-enslave four
millions of persons who are by our law de-
clared to be citizens of the United States
The depth of the infamy of such an act is be-
yond computation, and yet the President is
said to declare that such will be the course
attempted by the majority of the Judges of
that Court. That such scheme of iniquitv
should succeed is beyond the belief of any
man who has faith in the progressive civili-
zation of his race, but its attempt may COM
pei remodelinS of our judicial system, by
which an appeal may be taken from the Su-
preme Court to the Senate of the United
States. Some such innovation is necessary
to make the Judicial keep pace with the po-
litical ideas in the Government. 1t is sad
commentary upon the spirit which moves
the majority of the Judges of that Court,
thatehe defenders of the country against the
treason of the last war are the only parties to
that strife who have reason to fear the judg-
ments and decisions of our highest tribunal.
When any of the machinery of the Govern
ment will only run on reversed motion it is
high time that it should be readjusted and
put in proper working order. While the in
itial step of Congress in carrying out the will
of the people, has been taken by the institu-
ton of proceedings looking to the impeach-
ment and removal of the President, it is yet
but step, and, though leading in the right
direction, will not conduct to the goal of
safety without earnest and persistent labor.
Should the Impeachment be successful, and
loyalty displace treason in the Executive
Department, there yet remains much to be
done to secure our regenerated liberty beyond
peradventure. Should the pro-slavery ma
Jorlty of the Supreme Court, undeterred by
the proceedings against the President, persist
in their despotic ideas, and attempt, by their
decisions, to reestablish slavery in the South
ern States, the duty of Congress to impeach
and remove the offending Judges would be
plain and imperative. No greater crime
could be perpetrated in a Government than
the enslavement of four millions of its citizens
and the public officers who could attempt
such a crime are beyond the pale of human
sympathy, and should be hurled from their
positions, and denied those privileges of cit
izenship which they do not appreciate and so
wantonly seek to take from Others. The
structures of the rebel State Governments
forced into being under Executive dictation,
will have to be taken to pieces by Congress.
and out of the loyal material of the several
States new edifice erected, dedicated to
Liberty. The labors of Congress in unity
ing our country will be great, but greater
will be their reward when those labors are
brought to a successful termination. The
lasting gratitude of mankind for all time will
be theirs.
HoN. WILLIAM HIGBY-From a letter
written by the Member of Congress for this
district to a gentlemen of t.lis town, we learn
that should his course have met the approx
al OF his constituents, and they desire con-
tlnuance OF his services, he would not be ad