Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-08-29


flag and keep steplto the music OF the
MON"
| believed then, as ! do now, that rev.
erence for the CCnstitution-the organic |
law of the nation-that holds In "Union"
the States and obedience to the laws"
COMPRISED all patriotsm-all 'loyalty.n
That without them national life was ex. |
tinct, and the Union "ajssOlpsa.
II cannot be doubtful to any reason
able man that the Republican party have
sought ard succeeded, Ia dislOdging
from the public mind that fealty, and
yeperatiou for these cardinal truths
which pervaded and inspired both the
Democratic and Wing parties, in the
days of Webster and jackson, The
imprisoned winds are now lOosed," aud
the restraints OF the Constitution are no
longer needed. States and people are
put under the iron heel of a military
despotism, under the passionate cry Of
"HOetty," with the same reckless dis
regard OF christian civilization, or Of the
restraint 0. constitutional law, as the
mongrel Indian-Spauiards murder pyis,
Oners Of war in Mexico, crying ".God
and Liberty" If this We're new thing
we might await the future with the
" reasonable hope that IN the couvul-
sion the evil would be crushed and con
sumed. and the good retained. But all
history teaches Us that liberty is not
born OF despetism, save in the revulsIou
when the latter is overthrown. Usurp-
alton will ever ind preteXt to retain
its power. Mr.. Fessendeu may talk of
an early return within the limits Of
the Constitution" but Chaudler-who
desired 3 little "bloOd letting de
nounces and dehes him as 3 "conserva.
tive republican" and weight upon the
party. Thaddeus Stevens, in the House,
COngratulates the Attorney General that
! he discusses the reconstruction law
outside tie Constitution" And Judge
Collamer, still respecting the judicial
ermine, and the sanCtity Of his oath, was
embarrassed when ne felt constrained to
interpose constitutional objections to
Congressional legislation, and declared
that he knew it was an RnylDulay sub.
Ject IN that Chamber" 1t has, Indeed be-
come with many ian unpopular subject"
But these unnatural aud trenZied con-
ditions Of men have their aims, and
their end. The disorder or the patient
dies. The great industrial interests Of
the country are deranged or suspended
! the resources of the country abridged
and taxation increased and if long con-
tinued anarchy and dishonest repudia-
ton would subvert constitutional law,
national dignity and good laitA. Partial
and vlndictive legislation, and a con-
slant tusilade Of scandalOus denunCia-
ton, will inspire mutual antagonism
and hate, and when we nave a settled
and abiding repulsion of the parts dissO-
! luton is mere question of time.
There are present indications that
many Republicans of the higher order Of
| talent and national tone are hesitating
! whether to drift further in the party
| current. Individually they freely eX-
press their repugnanCe to the acts and
aims Of the radical party, but they are
aware if they do not contribute fuel 10
the fire, or at least stand by and witness
! the CODtiagratiOn without protest, they
will be denounced by the Stevenses, the
Buffers, and Chambers, OF their party as
no better than 'copperheads," But in
my judgment the duty of the citizen is
obvious and plain.
The Constitution must be restored to
it's rightlul supremacy as the supreme
law of the land and the ahtctiOnate
trust and regard Of the people as 1.-The
palladium of their liberties" The tradj-
tional rights and immunities Of magma
charta and haJeQs corpus all ingTafted in
to our Constitution, must be enthrOned
to our lawful sovereign in this republic.
The reserved rights of the States and the
people, as defined by Madison, and res
pected by all parties for eighty years,
must not be molested. Equality of the
States under the Constitution is not only
simple justice, but fixed and defined by
fundamental law, and if the Constitution
is not authoritative then there is no
"UnOn," but discovered States"
The most extraordinary legislation by
a fractional Congress to enforce "ideas, -
as Mr.. Sumner would have it, is well de-
fined by Beecher as "a policy not only
uncongenial to our IDEAS and principles,
but pre- eminently dangerous to the
spirit Of our government" for "our the
DRY of government has no plea for a
State except in the Union"
Let us labor then faithfully to abate
sectional antagonism and hate-to re.
store all the States to their constitu-
tional equality in the Union-to main
tain national honor and national faith
and that we may do so distribute, the
burdens of taxation upon all the pro.
perty Of the country for when burdens
are great exemptions are odious. With
the conservatism of the Constitution
and the charities of the Christian, pros.
perity may be restored and national
) liberty regained.
Thanking you for your courtesy, and
= the Democratic party of the State for its
f partially
am, very truly, yours, &c,
JOHN L. EDWARDS.