Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1867-09-04

street, distinguished rebel officer, in
"a recent published letter from New
Orleans, Expresses himself as follows
Il shall set out by assuming propo-
sition that | hold to be self evident,
viz: The highest of human laws is the
law that is established by appeal to
arms The great principles that divi-
ded political parties prior to the war
were thoroughly discussed by our
wlsest statesmen When argument |
was exhausted resort was had TO COM |
promise. When compromise was un
avalling, discussion was renewed and /
expedients were sought, but none
could be found TO suit the emergency. |
Appeal was finally made to the sword, /
to determine which of the claims was
the true construction of constitutional
law. The sword has decided in favor
Of the North, and what they claimed as
Pr'nclpIes, cease to be principles, and
are become idW. The views that ace
hold cease to be principles because
they are opposed to law II is, there
fore, our 8uty to obundon ideas that are
obsotete, and c0nforne 10 the requirements
.of' law. The military bill and amend
n1e"ts arc peocc cferinys. Ue shou1d ac.
crpt thene as such, and place ourseioes upon
them as tie startt"g point fro0s schjch to !
meet future Pottttcat issues as they arise
Jeff. Thompson, another rebel Gen
eral, in letter to George d. Prentice,
Esq, endorses the reconstruction laws
of Congress thus:
The confederate government wiped
out States rights the first year of its
existence, a bloody war wiped out
slavery, and wiped out the confedcra-
cy, so they are obsolete ideas; and the
| plain question now presented is, will
you accept citizenship under our terms,
as contained in this law I? and l en-
pjs"ticotty n"S,ccr, yes p
| 1t is greatly to be regretted that
terms which are so acceptable to the
fighting rebels of the South, should be
so distastefu, and causc so much clam,
or, from their non-combatant sympa-
thizers in the North.
The enemies of the United States
having been finally defeated in battle,
united their efforts to elect sympathi-
zers from the North, and to procure
the admission of enough rebels from
the South, to enable them, through Con-
greSs, to attain what they had lost in
the field. This programme was frus
tratcd by the loyal people at the ballot
box, in the election of the Fortieth
Congress. Defeated in open war, and
again in Congress, the baf1ied conspir-
atOrs, as last resort, are endeavoring
to save 'the lost cause through tie courts
They deny that anything has been set
tied by the war; and boldly proclaim
that 'aIl these grave pending questions
must he decided, J@st IN fact, as they
,oould hare been decided had they arisen
eight gears ago or had no WAR TAKEN
PLACE philadelphia Age, July Sth)
They not only deny the constitutional
power Of Congress to impose terms on
the rebel States or people, but deny
that Congress itself is a lawful body,
because the rebel States are unrepre
sented. Hence, the recent application
to the Supreme Court of the United
States for iniunctions, to nuIlify the
Reconstruction laws of Congress in
Mississippi, Georgia, and other rebel
States. In the same interest and OF
the same character, is tho nomination
of George Sharswood, we'll known
and life long State rights man, for the
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. He
Ijudicially denies the power of Congress,
to issue paper money, or to give i
value by making it a legal tender
/ (Borie VS. Trott, Legal Intelligencer,
of March 18, 1864, page 92) Judges
Thompson and Woodward, OF the same
court, not only announce these same
doctrines in the case of Mervine vs.
Sailor ct al. illegal Intelligoncer OF
June l6 and 80, 1850, pages lS8 and
205) but the cases Of Kneedler ct al
vs.. Lane ct al. g Wright's) reports,
page 238,) denied the power of Con
gress, in time of war to draft men in
to the military service. The principles
declared in these decisions were as
hostile to the national existence and
perpetuity as any assault ever made
by General Lee and his armed legions
, at Gettysburg, or elsewhere. 1t re
quires no argument to demonstrate
f that if these decisions on currency and
the draft had prevailed, and become
} the established Iaw.of the land, success
in the war would have been more i'm
, possible than if the rebel army al
Richmond had been reinforced with
half a million of men! Is it safe
/ therefore, to place another man, en-.
tertaining these opinions, on the Su.
preme Bench of the State?
Forewarned should be forearmed.-
; These Superior Courts are now the
last ditch of the rebellion; and the