The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1867-03-13

u CONSTITUTION winch Is not WOrlHy Ol
respect and preservation
Those who advocated the right orI
secession alleged in their owl itstitica-
ton that we mad no regard for law, and |
that their rights Of property, life, and |
liberty would not be safe under the
Constitution, as administered by Us. 1rI
We. nov verify their assertion, we prove
that they were in truth aud in fact fight.
ing for their liberty, and instead OF
branding their leaders, with the 6ishonor.
ing namo OF traitors againt righteous
and legal government, wc elevate them
in history to tAc.raMli Of sclC5acrlicing
patriots, consecratc them to the admira-
ton OF the world, and place them by the
ede OF Washington, and lGampdcn, and
Sydney. No, let us leava them to the
lniamy they deserve, punish them as
they should be punished, according to
law, take upon ourselves no share OF the
odi'lm which they should bear alone.
1t is a part of our public history which
can mover be forgotten that both Houses
OF Congress IN lnly, 1861, declared in
the form Of solemn resolution that
tho wax was and should DC carried on
for no purpose Of s,dugarion, buL sole
ly TO enforce the Constitution and laws:
and that when this was yielded bv the
parties in rebellion, The contest should
cease, with the constitutional rirhts OF
the States and Of individuals unmpair.
cd. This resolution was adopted and
sent forth to the world unanimously by
tho Senate, and with only two dissent
ing voices in the House. It was ac.
ccptcd by the friends of Tic Union in
the South, as well rs tho North, as
expressing honestly and truly the Oh
Ject OF the war. IN the faith Of it.,
many thousands OF cr, >ns in both sec
tons gave their lives ond their fortunes
TO the cause. 10 rcpudiato it now by
refusing to the States and to tho ndvi
dunls within them the rights which the
Constitution and laws of tho Union
would secure to them, is breach Of
our pNghtod honor Of which | can ina.
Smc no excuse, and to which [ cannot
voluntarily become party.
The evils which sprinr from tlo
unsettled state OF our Government will
be acknowledged by all. Commercial
intercourse ic impcdcd, capital is in
constant peril, public securities Auctuatc
IN va4uc, peace itself IS not secure, and
tho aclSc Of moral and political duty is
impaired. 70 avert these calami,;cs
from our couDtrv !, il ;mnnr,,;,,,l'.
uurca that we Shoull nnmnl;,,nl!, 10.
eide upon some course oc n,ln,in; ,,r,,;n,,
which can be slcnd(os.lv o1LnrnI I',n !
am ,!.oroucilv conyincn1 ,,ot 90,
clement. o. eomrromisc nr KIM ~ ~. nn-
ton which is incou ,;s,rn, w;,,, ~, ,,,;,,
ciplcs OF The Constitution w,ll nnt onlv
DC unavailinr, but n,;scb;rvons. ,hnt !,
will but mu,,iplv ,hn nrc.enI nvu,
instead Of rcnnovjnn in,cori,v ana vianr
,throuyhout the lcnrlh and brc,l,b ~
tho land, i ,hc bcsi, Of al cnmnrnmiso,,
Besides, our dutv docs MOI, IN INV ;nI,.,
mcnr, leave us a choice bctwccn ,n",
anu any other. i believe ,h,t i comY
tains the remedy that is m,ch uenlol
and that if tho co ordinate bronrI,ns ~
the Government woull um,r unnn -,
provisions tLrv would bn (nnI ,hroaI
cnougl. and sttono cnou~h 10 ynvtnin -
,imo ,uN pcoc, ,hn .ro,ion wh;,h ,hov
bore safely through Tho orlrol ~ :,
proirac,cI ciyn wor, Amonr H., M, "
sacred guarantees Of that instrument ,rc
those Which declare n.l ",ocl, S,n,n
snail have AT lras, one rcprascn,.,iv, },
AMI iha, '.no State w;,hont i,s co,,nn,
shall ho deprived o. lis co,,ol suni y 90, ~
the Senate Each lIousn Is -. H..
the Hudgc or the elections rr,urrs ond
qualifications of i,s own mcmhnrs y nmI
may, "wih the concurrence of ,vn,
thirds, cxpcl u member" Thus -.
heretofore urged, "in tho ndmiss;on m Of
Senators and REPRESENTATIVES, from ,nv
and lltho States, there can be- no ;ns,
ground of anproh,rsion ,bnt rn,|,,,,',
who are diioyal will be cl,,b'I viii
the powers Of lcaiylation for ,l,is conlI
not happon wien the Constitution ond
the laws arc enforced bv n v;ou,n, nnI
failhrA Congress-" "Wbcn = Snn,,nr
tor Rcprcscntaliv, presents lis c,rI;i;nn,a -
OF election, he may at once DO admitted
or rejected or should there be- any
question as to his eligibility, his crc6rn.