The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1867-07-31
Ths Pee sidaut's Vsto.
W AsuINoToT, july 10.

''.''' W NV pNS'iIHAIbl lllHl tne
State Governments ARE Illegal, he saws -
"'ngnIar contradiction is apparent hets.-
Congress declares these local State Gov.
er"m"nts to be Illegal Governments,
aud then provides that these Illegal
H"vernmen's shall he carried on 10y
Federal officers, whD are to perform the
very duties imposed on its own officers by
this illegal State authority. IL certaiuly
would be novel spectacle il Congress
should attempt To carry on legal State
GoVerumcnt 10y the agency OF its own
Officers. It is yet more sttan9e that Con
Gre$s attempts to snstain ard carry on An
Illegal State Government hv ;he same
novel agency" With regard TO title by
conquest, be says st is n new title, ac
qnred by war. II apu!ies only to terri
tory; for goods or movable items regular,
i cRptured in war are called booty or.
II taken by individual soldiers, pIuuder-
There is not foot Of ground of one Of
these ten States which the United States
holds by conquest. save only such land AS
did not belong tn either Of these States,
or 10 any individual Owner mean such
lands as did belong to the pretended Gov.
eminent called the Confederate S.ates.-
These lands we may claim to hold hv
conquest. As to AL other lands or terri
tory, whether hrIonrinc to the States or
TO individuals, the Federal Govprnmeo,
has now no more title or right to II than
it had before the rebellion" The message
concludes as follows: "Within period
less than year rhe legislation OF Con
%rrsS has attempted TO strip the executive
department Of the government of soma Of
is essential powers. The Constitution,
and the oatn provided in it, devove upon
the President the power and the duty to
see that the laws are faithfully executed
The Constitution, in order to carry out
this power, gives him the choice of the
agents, and makes them snhiec, to his
control and supervision but in the execu
ton o; these laws. the constitutional obi.
cation upon the President remains: bn,
N" power to exercise that constitutional
duty is ehectnaIiv. taken away. The
military commander is. as to the power
appointment, made to take the pace Of
the President, and The general Of the army
the place OF the SENATE; and any aitemp'
on the part Of the President TO assert his
own constitutional power may, under pre
tonca Of law, he met Nv official insuhord
nation. 1t is to lie feared that these
military officers, looking TO the authority
gwen wv these laws rather than to the
letter Of the Constitution, will recorniza
no authority hut the commander Of the
Il fstrtpt MI ,hn of, L.
there was no other objection than this 10
this proposed Legislation, it wouli be sutIi
cient. Whilst ho!l the chief executive
authority ofthe United States whilst the
obligation rests upon me 10 see that all
the laws are faithfully executed, I can
never wiifuIIy surrender that trust To the
powers gwen for its execution. | can
never give my assent to ha made respon
sJ'e fot the faithful execution Of the laws.
and at the same time surrender that trust
and the powers which accompany il To
any other executive officer. high or low,
or to any number OF executive officers. -
IT this executive trust. vested hy the Cor
stitutinn in the President, is 10 he taken
from Linn and vested in a subordinate
officer, the responsibility will be with
Congress, in clothing the subordinate with
unconstitutional power, and with the
officer who assumes it's exercise. This
interference with the constitutional an,
th9rity Of tho executive department "a an
EVIL that will inevitably sap the founla
tions Of our Federal system, but i, is no,
the worst evil Of this Legislation. It ia a
great public wrong to fake from the Pre-.
sideot powers conferred upon him alons
by the Constitution, hut the wrong is
more tlagrant and more dangerous when
the powers so taken from the President
are conferred upon subordinate execntive
officers, and especially upon military off
GERS. Over nearly one third of!he States
OF the Union military power, regp ated by
no fixed law, rules supreme. Each one
Of these five district commanders, thouUh
not chosen by the people or responsible
to them, have this hour more executive
power, military and civil, than the people
have ever been willing to confer upon the
head OF The executive department, though
chosen hv and responsible to themselves.
The remedy must come from the people
themselves. They know what il is and
now u - 10 De applied. At tie present
time they cannot, according to the Con
su'ption, repeal these laws; they cannot
remove or control this military. despo,ism
The, remedy, nevertheless, is in their
hands; il is to b. found in the ballot and
is a sure one. il not controlled by fraud.
overawed by arbitrary power, or. from
apathy on their part, too long delayed-
With ahilino, oNnG,Ianro T., ,ha;x p,,,;,>
tism, wisdom aua inteerity.f am still
hopeful Of the future. and that ~ the end
the rod Of despotism will he broken. the
armed rule Of power be lifted from the
necks of the people. and the principle OF
violated Constitution preserved"
JERUSALEM TO BIZ SoLD TO RUSSIA. -