North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1867-05-15
from the (Salen) Mass. Statesman.
Destroying States.

so determined are they to possess it at
all hazards, the real principles on which
our republican form of .goverDm ent rests
have almost entirely passed out of their
consideration. Nothing is sacred in their
eyes any longer, that obstructs their parti-
zan aggrandizement. The very cry of
encroachment and usurpation which they
raise against the Executive and Judiciary,
is tie draw off popular suspicion from prac-
tees in themselves which they appear to
condemn. Their conception of the Gov.
ernment seems to be, that it is lodged in
the hands Of Congressional majority
Whatever that majority may will in Sc
cret caucus, that shall the government per-
form. If it demands the deposition of
State Governments, then those govern
ments are doomed. IT. more republican
in its eyes to destroy them than it would
be to let them stand as the work of the
people themselves. If it sets up the au
thortv to invade the local sovereignty of
State, and the right to control and regu
late lis internal concerns, to dispute the
same is to draw down the charge of ''dis-
LOYALTY" 1t has come to that point where
loyalty is to be paid 10 the majority ofa
sectional party, instead of to the Constitu-
ton of the country. That sacred chart of
our liberties, IN truth, is not now referred
to save with scott OF a Sheer, and those
who profess to shapeand direct their opin-
ions by it are denounced as sympaihizers
with treason. Now, if there is treason at
all, it can only be committed against the
Constitution, which is accepted by the
people still as the law of the land and
this free bandying Of so opprobrious a
charge is but the terrorism invariably ex-
ercised by the fell spirit of revolution
Unless men have the fell spirit to defy it,
they pay the fearful penalty of parting
very soon with their freedom.
One of the latest illustrations of this
spirit of usurpation is presented in the
case of Maryland. The minority of the
Legislature of that State addressed me-
mortal to Congress praying for its inter.
ference to guarantee to them "a republi-
can form Of government.' Why they
do not live under such form already Is,
in the language of the mcmoIialiSts, be-
cause it is not a government ''in keeping
with the standard erected in the Consti.
tutional Amendment and the Civil Rights
bill, namely, recognition of manhood with
out regard to color, and the sacred princi-
pie of impartial suffrage" If all our
State governments are to be held up to
that standard. which was supposed only
10 be set up for the exceptional cases of
tbs ten Southern States, then there are few
but will come short of its. .mEequirements.
Michigan refuses. Connecticut a year
ago refused by majority Of six thousand
t. incorporate that sacred princip pie" into
its Constitution New York, Illinois, Del
aware, New Jersey, and other States of
tie North are i'll the same category. If the
majority in Congress propose 10 NEEDLE
N the affairs OF Maryland on that score.
they must, to be at all consistent, NEEDLE
il Connecticut, Michigan, and the other
States also.
Not quite assured Of the impression of
this appra! on Congress by the Radical
minority Of the legislature, the Radical
minority of the legislature, the Radicals Of
tie State hastily summoned convention
and preferred through tl.at channel a SIM
liar request, so as to make it appear that
the movement was p0pnfar one, in sup
port of the position OF the fragment of the
legislature. Mr.. Thomas presented their
memorial to the House Of Represents
tives, and demanded for it an immediate
hearing; radical paper at Washington
insisted that Congress ought not to ad-
iourn until it Lad seriously taken up the
matter aud disposed of it IN favor of the
netitinners What started the whole
thing was the calling of State Conven-
ton by the Legislature, 10 revise the Con
stitution--a matter perfectly Legitimate,
aud beyond the reach of any outside pow
er whatever. no more to be intertered with
by Congress than the King of Prussia. -
The radical party of Maryland were not
willing thus to have affairs managed over
their heads. but asked Congress to step in
and take sides with them. And lest the
simple request Of the legislative minority
should fail to produce that result, they
called Radical Convention in opposition
to the one legitimately summoned by the
majority of the legislature, designing to
frame State Constitution of their own,
and then to call in Congress to help them
establish and operate it iD the State, un-
der the recent Sherman-Stevens law. II
such an illegitimate and revolutionary
body of men meet, the expectation of the
managers is that it will provoke an out
break; which will be msgnifed to the ut
most, and induce Congress to extend the
provisions of the Military Reconstruction
bill over the State. And so fagrant an
outrage on the spirit and form of our gov
ernment is defended, nay demanded, by
the Washington Chronicle and the Phila
delphia North american. The former
said-"We call on Congress not to ad-
journ before settling this grave matter,
which, if not settled, may stqrtle them IN
their recess By something worse than the
-