Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1867-12-06

case, the Judges of the supreme court hay
included the Southern states - tnear GU
cults. and they are constantly, II Nirglni
ianda elsewhere, exerclslngs JuIlsdlctlol
4 which does not belong TO them unless mes
Il States are States of the Union.
II If the Southern btates are, componeln
parts of the Union, the Constltutlon ls tn'
supreme law for them as IT Is LOT an tn !.
other States. They are Doundto 0pey ~
and so are we. The right OF the Fedora
Government. which is clear and unques
tionable to enforce the Constitution upor
them. implies the correlative obligation Oh
our part to observe its limitations and exc
cute its guarantees. Without the Constr
tuition, we are nothing. By, through, ane
under the Constitution, we are what i
makes us. We may doubt the wisdom O
the law; we may notsapprove of its pro
i yisions but we cannot violate 1t merely
because it seems to ,confne our powers
within limits narrower than we could wish
! Tt is not question of individual or class
4 or sectional interest, much less OF parry
predoninance,- of duty, OF hlgn ano
sacred duty, which we are all sworn 10
perform. If we cannot support the Con
stitution with the cheerful alacrlty OF tnose
who love and believe in it, we must give 10
it. at heart, the fidelity of the public ser,
| wants who aet-under- solemn @obllgaMons
and commands which they dare not disre-
| gard. lFit1Cl / 5lI + LA ~ II " I
Constitutional duty is not only one
which REQUIRES States to be restored; there
il another consideration, which, though OF
minor Importance, is yet of great weight.
4 On July22, 1851, Congress declared, BY an
almost unanimous vote OF both houses,
that the war should be conducted solely
for the purpose Of preserving the Unlpn
and maintaining the supremacy OF inc
Federal Constitution and laws, Wlthout
inpairing the dignity, equality and rights
of the States or individuals; ana that,
when this was done, the war should cease.
do not say that the declaration is person.
ally. binding on those who Joined In maxi
ing it, any more than individual members
yof Congress are personally bound TO pay
a public debt created under a law for
which, they, voted; Ebut, it was a solemn
public official pledge Of national honor,
and I,cannot imagine upon what grounds
population oft is ODE justified. v IF it be
said that we are not bound to keep faith
with rebels, letsit be remembered that this
promise was mot, made to, rebels = only.
Thousands Of true men in the South were
drawn to our, standard by it, and hundreds
of thousands in the north gave their lives
in the belief That it would be carried Jout.
It was made on the day after the first great
battle of the war had been fought and lost.
/ All patriotic and Intelligent men then saw
the necessity of giving such an assurance
-4belieying that, withoutit, the war would
end indisaster to our cause. Having given
that assurance In the extremity Of Jour
peril, the violation Of 1t now, in the day
of our power, would be alrude rending of
that good faith which holds the moral
bworld together Our country would cease
| to have any claim upon the. confidence OF
men. 1t would make the war not only a
| failure, but fraud.
Being sincerely com WINGED that these
| views are correct, would be unfaithful to
my duty if did not recommend the repeal
of the acts of Congress which place ten OF
| the Southern States under the domination
of military masters. If~calm reflection
shalpsatisfy majority Of your honorable
bodies that the acts referred to arenOt only
| violation Of national faith, but in direct
conflict with the Constitution, dare not
| permit myself to doubt that you will i'm
mediatelyn strike them from the statute
book. Todemonstrate the unconstitution.
| al character nof those acts, / need do no
| more than 9to refer to their general pro.
visions Itsmust be seen at once that they
are not authorized to dictate what altera'
lions shall be made in the constitutions oil
! the several States; to control the elections
of State Legislators and State officers,
members of. Congress and electors OF Pres
Iident and Vice President, by arbitrarily
declaringswho shall vote and who shall be
excluded from that privileges to dissolve
State Legislatures, or prevent them from
assembling; to dismiss judges and other
/ civil funotionaries Of States, and appoint
others without regard to State law to or;
game and operate allpolitical machinery
of States ITO regulate the whole admins
1 tration of their domestjcsand local affairs
4 according to the mere will of strange and
irresponsible agents, sent among them tol
! that purpose-these are powers not grant
ed to the Federal Government, or to any
| oneof rs branches Not being granted
we Yiola. our trust by assuming them, as
palpably as we would by acting in the face
| of apositive interdict; for the Constitution
forbids us to do whatever II does not affirm
atively authorize either bycxpress words
or by clear implication. If the authority
we desire to use does not come to us
through the Constitution, we can exercise
it only by usurpation, and usurpation is the
most dangerous of political crimes. ~
that crime the enemies OF free govern
ment, in all ages, have worked out then
4 designs against public liberty and iprivats
right. Itleads directly. and Immediately
to the establishment of absolute rule; To-
undelegated power is always Unlimited
and unrestrained. ..u75i q 7sisl jaga. IN
4 The acts of Congress in question are no
only Objectionable for their assumption o
ungranted power, but many of their pro
visions are in conflict with direct prohibi
tons of the constitution. 4 The COnstitu
, ton commands that republican form Q
| government shall be guaranteed to, al
States; that no. person shall be deprived
/ life, liberty or property without due pro
/: cess of law; arrested without a judicia
warrant, or punished without a fair tria
before an impartial jury; that the priv
/ ilege OF habedS corpus shall not be denies
} In time of peace ard that no bill Of at
tainder shall be passed, even against sin
gle individual !; yet the system of measures
3 established by these acts of Congress doe!
8, totally subYert and destroy the form a
r. well as, substance of republican govern
ment In the ten States to which they. ap
!, ply 1t binds then, hand and foot, in, alb
' solute slavery, and subjects them TO ,
0 strange and hostile power, more unlimit
g cd, and more likely to be abused, than am
E other now known among civilized men
. 1t tramples down all those rights in which
a the essence of liberty consists, and which
: free government is always most careful Il
81 protect It denies the sha6eas corpus AM
7 trial by jury. Y Personal freedom, propert!
a. al