Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1867-03-08

no other justification than may be
found in the false assumption that
rebellion destroyed the rights of the
majority, and that all said rights are
abrorbcd by the loyal minority. Tits
not worth the trouble to lift this
transparent veil clumsily designed to
hide the huge mass Of villainy, but
as we know not what the future may
develope, the people ought to bear
in mind the various steps that have
been taken to enslave them, and the
unauthorized character of each one
of those steps.
When Andrew johnson, as Militia
ry Governor, established the bogus
civil government in Tennessee, upon
the basis Of one tenth of the voters,
he knew that he was violating the
Constitution, overturning the funda.
mental doctrines of freedom and CIV
ing the lie to all he had protested
and taught for years past. In de-
tense of this treason against consti-
rational liberty, his ingenuity could
find no better argument than military
necessity doctrine which has been
made to sanction treason and tyran-
ny, murder and rapine. Recently,
however, the Supreme Court of the
United States have decided that the
Constitution is supreme in war and
in peace, and that military necessity
justifes no act which deliberately
violates any provision of that instru-
ment. This decision, though made
with direct reference to federal agents,
bears with no less force upon State
officials and State institutions, and
utterly repudiates the minority rule
and bogus government based upon
that false theory and established at
the point of the bayonet. If, then,
the tyranny under which we live, had
its origin in force and violation Of
constitutional law, it has no rightful
existence, all its acts are illegal, and
all that the majority have lost and
Suffered at the hands Of Brownlow
and his fungus sprouts, is without
even the semblance of law and ha,
no more binding force than the pro.
CARNATIONS Of any other marauders
in temporary occupation.
Starting out on theory in palpa'
BILE violation of the organic law Of
the land, the next move of the usur'
pers was equally unauthorized. -
, They met in Convention, without the
slightest regard to the mode prescri
bed by the Constitution for conven
ing such a body-without ever
the forms Of an election of delegates
to that convention, and so altered
the constitution as to make it sanction
any political villainy they may choos'
to perpetrate. These are the tw,
leading points in the origin and pro
gress of our bogus government, ant
il requires no argument to prove tina
it is no more entitled to our allegianc
, than to our admiration. The maj or
= ity submit, not because they conced
to it the slightest legitimate authori
:. ty, but because the peculiar conditio
Of the country and the uncertai
fate impending over government an
. people distracr popular opinion an
70 prevent that cool counsel and perfet
concert 30 essential TO successful OF
position. Asa State, the majorit
Il" of the citizens thereof have the rigl
" to regulate its internal affairs as
them may seem best, Had the pre-
, ent government been lawfully estal
N lished, the right Of the majority
>. alter or amend it could not be just
l. questioned. How much clearer the
). is that right when the govern
i ment is founded on force and admir-
, istered in tyranny--when it trampl,
10 upon constitution and laws, violat
:. every principle of political JUST,
;. and claims for the minority, absolu
- control over the rights and privileg
.. of the majority.
ir We did not set ont to argue Il
~ legal points involved in the foregoir
I. summary Of Radical proceedings, b
- simply to recall the facts to the mil
Va of the reader, and to ask him to tai
= courage from the justice of his eau
and assure himself that whatev
catastrophe may follow insufferab
m tyranny, he will stand guiltless
a the bar Of his own conscience and
De the judgement of the world. Su
e. monstrous wrongs as We are call
g. upon tamely to endure, cannot &