The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1867-02-28
THE CONSTITUTIONAL AIeGU.
HaENT

Every written instrument that is plain,
and easily to be understood, must be
construed BY itself, and extrinsic explana-
tons cannot be admitted to change or
alter it. This is a well settled principle
of law. Now let us take the Constitu-
ton of the United States, and construe
it by itself. The preamble to that in
strument reads as follows:
WE, the people Of the United States. in order to
form more perfect union, establish Justice insure
dO'aestic udRgaiiitE provide for the common de-
fease, promote the general s0eldre and secure the
blessings OF liberty TO ourselves and our posteis do
ordaiR and estdblisk this CONSTITUTION, for the
United States of America. m.F
Our opponents would construe this to
read as follows: "We, the Sovereign
States, in order to destroy any permanent
union, establish injustice, insure domestic
strife, aCeaken The common defense, destroy
the general telfare, secure the curse Of
slaceiy 10 0rselves and the rebels OF the
South, &c" ~ '''.'.. '@ "
Article /, Section 10, provides as
follows: leu ,....
No State shall without the consent of Congress.
lay any duty Of tonnage keep troops or ships of
war IN time Of peace, enter into any agreement or
compact with another state. or with foreign
power, or engage in war. unless actually Invaded,
or In such Imminent danger as will not admit Of
delay. ''f 'A'i." At3 ni
The State Of Texas violated that Sec
ton, and thus forfeited all rights under
the constitution. an s a,.
Article 6, provides that q Re
This constitution and the laws Of the United
States which shall be made In pursuancs tbereof
and all treaties made or which shall be made un-
der the authority Of the United States shall be The
supreme law Of the land and the Judges In eve
ry state shall be bound thereby anything In the
constitution or laws OF any state TO the contrary
Notwithstanding 4Hl
This provision effectualIy destroys the
modern Democratic theory of the sover-
eighty Of the States, and renders every
act Of Texas, in the part she took in the
rebellion void. 9 lo.
We find the following in the amend
'ments to the constitution, proposed in
the year 1889, and afterwards adopted
t.... E,s. ARTICLE TX. . ..,
The enumeration In the constitution Of certain
rights, shall not be construed TO deny or dsparage
others retained by the people. ''HsN
-rtyue ARTICLE x. l5I.. .r..
The powers not delegated to the United States
by the constitution, nor prohibited by Il to the
states are reserved TO the states respectively or
to the people. Nit sf8 lTH' 7Ifv ir
Now mark, this is only reiteration
Of what is set out in the commencement,
that the constitution is the work of the
people Of the United States, aud not of the
States themselves, as sovereignties.
And the constitution was submitted to
vote Of the people, and was Of no
validity until ratified by the people.
In speaking of the powers of Con-
gress, Article !, Section 8, the constitu-
ton says that Congress shall have power
To make all laws which shall be necessary and
proper for carrying Into execution the foregoing
powers and oil other powers vested by this con-
stitution In the government of the United States,
or in any department or officer thereof
Now compare the sweeping power of
Congress with the declared objects of
the constitution--to establish justice,
secure the blessings of liberty, &c. and
we find ample power to take control of
the affairs Of Texas, provided justice,
liberty, domestic tranquility &c, are in
danger there. yr af fa,8p laa
Gentlemen ou the other side of the
question may say that Congress has no
right to destroy State Government.
The answer to that is, that Texas des-
troyed her State Government herself.
We find in Article S, of the constitu-
tion, that p 'i' sNllh"i
The senators and Representatives before men,
toned and the members of the several state leg
lslatnres, and all executive and judicial officers
both Of the United States and of the several states
shall be bound BY oath or affirmation, TO support
this constitution but no religious test shall ever
be required us q qualification to any Office or
public trust under the United States,
For more than four years, none Of
the pretended officers of the pretended
State of Texas took this oath, and con-
sequently there were no legal State Off
GERS when this territory was conquered
by the U.S.army, in the spring Of 1865,
The main question then recurs; have
the people Of Texas, by their conduct,
rendered IL necessary for Congress to
exercise their power, to carry into effect
the object Of the constitution, to wit;
to establish justice, domestic tranquility,
liberty, union DC What are the faCtsi
The Richmond, Va, Times, says when
speaking Of Texas: '', ''
There the negroes have not been demorallEed
| by the Freedmenb Bureau and the schOOlnmrma
| The climate, too, Of this magnificent State. al
| though salubrlons ln the extreme, has been found
unhealthy 10 the few Struggling Yankee letter.
| writer's and meddllng negrOphillsts who have
ventured thore In quest Of mischief They have
IN many, Instances when they have stirred up III.
| feeling between the acce, been mysteriuusly de-
voured BY wolves and bears, or scaped by the
| Camanchep. The settlers In Texas have bitterly
| deplored these accdents, but they have not been
| able 70 prevent them N ''I'i@ y. fI I.t
The following is the Oficial correspondence