The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-01-29
CHAR L ES TON.

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CHARLESTON.
TUESDAY MORNING, JANUARY 29, 1867.
THE NEW FRIENDS OF THE CONsTl-
TUITION.
The Constitution Of tho United States, declared
not ,n,nv wears ago as ga league with bell anu
covenant with DEATH" by WILLIAM LLOYD eARhI-
aoN and his coagitators, is now called III 10 SUI
serve the purpose Of sppeasing thelr 1ur'ous
nessions But five years ago the Constitution was
condemned and spurned, q "higher law onec'lls
the conduct of the elect; the written Statues lou
l short of the requirements Of the times Doeh III ~
1,ion and in politics: the sshigher law was pro
/ claimed from tho pulpit the press, inc roS'r un'
and the forum, Nor oven yet is thore any greater
! reverence for the fundamental instrument Oh oui
| government. When the Constitution comes IN as
!, barrier between the party, now IN power, ana
+be attainment of th4ir object, it is at once SET
aside without the least hesitation or scrnPle.
This has been abundant1y proven during the last
sir years. but never in such open, Palpable, ana
/ sbamelss manner, as during the sessions OF the
/ present Congress. :,
But Notwithstanding all this, the very mon that
have set tho Constitution at defiance, again ana
| again. now have the assurance tn rest upon that
/ instrument in justification Of t. : impeachment
schem Before us is an article on this subject IN
the New York Independent, by WM. LLOYD GARR1-
SON, in which the whole subject is reviewed. Fe
is yerv much surprised at the timidity OF even
many Of the s1oyal !" and quotes Article IL, Sec
ton 4, of the Constitution of the United States,
nroyidinc for the impeachment Of the President
seHere," he says, is safe anchorage; all areln the
same category, and each is to be treated according
to his DESERTS without fear Of station or regard to
persons" ssAny violent or faotious resistance to
it's exercise is anti-republcan." He then goes on
to say, like the Now York Herald, we quoted few
days since:
clad Congress been composed of the right ma
terials at the time neither James \. folk nor
! James Buchanan would have gone unWhlpEed ol
IS oniuently loyal and patriotic, and represents no
political party in the old sense Of party-on!y and
/ grandly the people, lifted above all selfish cor
1 siderations, aud intent on saving the hepu0l-
to discharge. II has attempted nothing in the
right direction which the people have not power
/ fnIy sustained It has neither evinced nor cher
ished toward the rebeious sections OF the country
any vindctive feelings but, on the contrary, has
carried magnanimity to q questionable limit.
. suThe people," it will bo seen, in Mr. GARR1soNs
sense, means the Radical majority in the North.
That the millions Of people, constituting the real
majority, though for tho time being in forced
ninority,-that they SHOULD have any rights,
guaranteed by the Constitution, never seemed to
E enter MIR. GARn1soS's mind. Yet, If not for the
protection Of the minority, what constitutions
for 2 The Executive, Congress- and the Judiciary,
ali three have their existence by virtue of the Con-
stitution; and their several powers and preroga-
tiyes are defined By that instrument. The three
branches Of the Government coordina te; equal;
neither being greater than the others. 1t is not
for one of them to say what is the power or pro-
vince Of the others. But the present Congress, al
most from the very commencement cf its exis-
tence has been acting in constant violation Of this
$. provision.
The Supreme Court is now found barrier to
any further progress of Congressional usurpation.
Immediately loud howl is set up, "Away with
! It'll We want not these old fogies. CoIgress is
quite competent to decide on the constitutionaity
Of its own acts;;" in other words, Congress is the
first and last authority of the land-solc, supreme
andirresponsible. The Supreme Court is to be re
organized Already the meddlesome busybodies
| in Congress have passed an act prescribing the
qualifications for attorneys in order to practice in
that Court and this in direct contrayention to the
pronounced decision Of o majority Of that tri-
bunal.
The powers o. The Executive have been limited
and iessencd almost every day during the preaent
session, till he cannot ever appoint Postmaster
in an obscure country neighborhood without the
concurrence of the Senate; and this approval Of
the Senate is not ss was formerly the case, mere
matter OF form. In other days a rejection, in Ex-
ecutive session, was of rare occurrence; it is
the rule. But in order to deprive the President of
even the shadow Of patronage, md prevent him
from making temporary appointments, Congress
has voted itself into perpetual session.
IF the hands Of the Executive are thus fettered,
why impeachment? Why risk the credit and the
peace Of the country on doubtful party measure?
because" says GARR1soN if he continues to oc-
| cupy the Presidential chair, cit will be in his
power-reto or no veto-as it is in his heart to
render null and void all legislation for the South
providing for justice and equality. There he sits,
grasping unconstitutional power, bidding defiance
to The popular will, rocreant to his oath OF Office,
determined to rule or ruin, contemptuous and hos
tile toward Congress, applauded and upheld. by all
that is REASONABLE in tho land dstested aid feared
by all that is loyal, and with vast powers in his
hands to carry out his desperate purposes. Given
two years more Of official life, and what magina-
tion is equal to the task of pertraying the contu
sion and wretchednoss the violence and blood he
= -s~bt
constitutional amendments he will laugh to scorn.
So will tho whole body Of rebels, of whom he is
now leader and chief. His guilt is patent to the
whole country. His removal is called for by every
consideration of justice, humanity, patriotism,
and constitutional guardianship. There is no lack
of loyal strength in eth er house of Congress to
effect it, and there should be none Of courage"
This is the language of the same fanatic, and in
the same spirit, we have been so long familiar
with. Mr. GARRISON finds no difficulty in trans
terrng the Walls of his wrath from the late slave
holders to the President and tho sRebels."
One circumstance, however, we must confess,
surprises us not ittlo. Mr. GARRISON has al
ways been known as o stern, uncomp-omising Re-
publican, and nc doubt very much whether the
term loyalty ever came into his mind before Radi-
calsm had an ascendancy in the Government Of
tae United States. Now his newspaper articles,
and, it is to bo presumed, his speeches, briste
with :loyal' and 'loyaly." Whct constitutes this
loyalty2 Not, surely, attachment to the Constitu-
ton, or the Union, or the Flag. Thcre are many
who profess all this and yet are not considered
"loyar" by HIr. GARRISON Loyalty appears to bo
synonymous with Radicalism. Mr. G. says that
it will e1tort menace and howl from the tactious
partisans of the President is to be expected; but
who would expect this on the part of any claiming
to be loyal?"
But we will now take our leave of Mr. GARRISON;
having only boon beguiled into passing notice of
Lis ragaries BY seeing him cito the Constitution