Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1867-04-19
VOL. 6. NO. III

States have been pla,ed by the enactment
Of the military bills, and have considered
Of the propriety Of the expression o
some opinion on the subject. Ny opinion
as to the proper course to be adopted BY
the citizens Of the Southern States coin
cides with yours.
The military bills have become operative
as laws, in ten States. The President, af
ter exhaustiDg his constitutional means
Of opposition. is now performing his exec
utive duty to enforce their faithful execu
ton. Ten States are now submissive to .
form Of Government unknown to the Con
stitution Of the United States. The judi
ciary power of the Union is dependen
for its organization and distribution up
on Congress. 1t is quite fair to conclude
that no arrangement of the judicial power
would be suffered to remain that seriously
incommoded the enforcement of these
measures. Nor am / able to perceive
that the judicial power, under its present
organization, is adequate to afford substan'
tial relief in the existing emergency, even
if the opinions of the courts were as favor
able as might be desired.
| regard il as an inexorable fact that
there is no constitutional opposition that
can be made to the military bills that will
have any other operation than to increase
the existing anarchy.
These military bills afford to the people
of the States, with large exceptions, the
means of restoring the supremacy of civil
order, and 10 terminate the dominion OF
military rule. l may grant that the con
ditions are harsh and Vigorous that they
violate the fundamental law of the United
States, and that they promise for the future
much of insecurity and instability. But
these admissions do not change the aspect
of the question, as now presented, nor do
they lessen the obligations Of our people
to take the measures open to them that
will best promote the common veal.
CHRISTIAN RosELIUs.
Christian Roselius, the eminent New
Orleans lawyer, submits the following
propositions:
/. That not the shadow Of a doubt can
be entertained by any intelligent and hon.
NSe hthN VI thO ufttt
of the law Of Congress. called the Militia.
ry Bill; and that the Supreme Court oi
the United States will also decide, when.
ever the question is brought before it in
judicial form, is equally clear. Nor i;
there any difficulty in bringing the ques.
ton before the Court by writ Of error.
2. From the temper Of the majority ol
the present Congress. it is not likely that
the legislative branch Of the Government
will pay any more regard to the exposi-
ton OF the Constitution On this subject
by the Supreme Court than they have
done to the unanswerable argument OF
the President in his veto message.
3. Under this unfortunate condition oI
things the embarrassing and difficult ques.
tish arises, what is to be done to get rid
of the stern military government to which
we are now subjected, and to re-establist
once more in its place the benign domin
ion Of the Constitution and the laws o.
the land.
There is no other method of accom-
plishing this desirable end than tina
pointed out by Congress, to whose pbysi
cal powers We must submit with the bcs
grace wo can. And the sooner this i.
done the better.