New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-11-13
THE MILIrLA DLSBANDNENT.

COPY Of the Constitution of the United
States "a document much talked OF and little
ready may be purchased, in neat, flexible
binding, for about two shillings, with the De-
claration of Independence, the Constitution OF
the United States and Washington's Farewell
Address thrown in. AS we have been forced
to the conclusion that the President is destitute
of this convenient little manual, and as we
ourselves have several spare copies, we have
determined to offer one of them to His Excel
lency as a free gift, upon condition that he
will read it every night before going to bed
and every morning upon arising. During some
one of these perusals, his attentive eye might
fall upon Article III. of the Amendments, which
is as follows: ..Y
a." wenregulated Militia being necessary to the secur
ity OF the right OF the people TO keep and
bear Arms shall not be inffinged
He might also read article l., sec. s, clause
~ that Congress has authority to exercise
exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever
cover such District mot exceeding ten miles
sauare) as may, by cession of particular States,
"become the Seat of the Government of the
United States"
In spite of these plain provisions, which he
who runs may read, but of the existence of
he has undertaken to disband all armed organ
izasions in the District OF Columbia. Our
Washington correspondent says: People here
" generally question his right and authority to
Interfere III the NATTER We do not know
why they should. There really seems to be no
question at all. The President might, IT he had
the power. disband all the baseball clubs and
confiscate the bats and other apparatus; but
he would have no right to do it. Similarly he
may abolish the Militia of the District of
Columbia and seize their arms; but the act
would be one of the most fragrant and despotic
usurpation, combining in about equal pro-
portions audacity, treason and larceny. Even
Congress itself has no authority to infringe
upon ." the right of the people to Keep and
Z" bear armsr 1t may regulate" the militia,
but it cannot say that there shall be no militia,
nor can it, without violation of the Constitu-
ton, take away any mans musket while he
"keeps itn and "bears it" for lawful pur-
poses. Monarchical governments have claimed
and exercised the right to disarm the people,
as the English Government disarmed the High
landers, and subsequently Irishmen. 1t was
with q full recollection of the fan
tastic tricks of tyrants that our fathers
framed the Constitutional provision which
we have quoted. They foresaw Presi-
dent desperately bent upon grasping supreme
and irresponsible power, and they reserved to
the people the means of defending themselves,
in the last resort, against the violence of apos-
sible usurper.
If the President meditates no illegal policy
no attempt to crush the law-making power of
this nation, no act opposed to the letter or the
spirit of the Constitution, what has he to fear
from the District Militia Menu If he does in
tend to indulge in treasonous eccentricities, to
set up his own will as the supreme law, to defy
the representatives of the people, then, indeed,
he has reason for the course which he is
pursuing-and very wicked reason 1t is.