The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1868-01-21
The New Reconstruction BIN.

We are passing, when the political atmos-
here was SO surcharged with electricity
IS at the present moment. Congress
cells that the bolt is about to fall upon
he structure it has been SO laboriously
earring, and it has abandoned sll ether
business in its haste to erect protecting
ightning-rods. The Supreme Court is
he quarter from which the expected
stroke is to descend, and besides the cou-
emplated bill for gagging that tribunal,
i bill was introduced in the House, the
18th inst, and is to be hurried through
BY unprecedented and unheard Of means,
for Withdrawing the Reconstruction laws
from the jurisdiction of she Court. Its
initial eection provides that the State
Governments of the excluded States
''shall not be recognized as valid either
BY the Executive or Judicial power or
authority of the United States" Not
only is two-thirds majority of the Court
to be required for pronounciug any act of
Congress unconstitutional, but the lead
ing feature Of the Reconstruction acts is
to be withheld from judicial considera-
ton. When Congress proceeds to such
an extremity, it must be in state OF
desperation. It's intended enactments
are as blind and futile as they are dssper-
ate. Suppose Congress should pass .
bill enacting that the State Government
of Ohio "shall not be recognized as valid
by the Executive or Judicial depart
ment," could our State Government be in
this way crushed without judicial rene.
dy2 Such Law is just as subject to Ju-
dicial revision as any other. If constitu.
tional rights are attempted to be subyert.
cd by an act Of Congress, the act is just
as void in one shape as in another. II
the State Government of Ohio cannot be
subverted by such bill, neither can the
GoyernmeBt Of any other State.
Such is the haste to push this bill
through in advance Of the decision Of
the Supreme Court on the Reconstruction
acts, tia, diseussionis to be gagged, and
arguments against it denied a hearing
We clip the following statement from .
dispatch in the My. Euening Post:
The resolution provides that when tht
previous question is called there shall be
no dilatory motions entertained by tht
Speaker, the rules of the House in rela
ton to such motions being suspended un'
til the bill is disposed Of"
Besides an attempt to dictate the de
cisions of the Supreme Court, the bill
proposes to divest the President of th,
command Of the army conferred upol
him BY the Constitution in the most ex
lplicit and unequivocal language. w
copy the second and third sections:
SEC. 2. Be Il further enacted, That fo
1.-The speedy enforcement Af -------s--et'', :.
ftied nm acr 70 provide for more eficien
government Of the rebel States, passet
March 2, 1867, and the several acts sup
Elementary thereto, the General Of th
Army Of the United States is hereby au
thorized and required to enjoin by spe
cial orders upon all officers in comman,
within the several military department
within said States the performance of tn
acts authorized by said several laws aboy
recited, and to remove by his order fror
command any or all of said commanders
and detail other officers of said army, no
below the rank Of Colonel. to perform al
the duties and exercise all the powers au
thorized by said several acts, to the en-
that the people of said several States ma
speedily reorganize civil Governments
Republican in form, in said several States
and be restored to political power in th
Union.
SEC. 8. Be Il further enacted, That th
General of the Army is authorized to re
move any or all civil officers now actin
under the several provisional govern
ments within said disorganized States, an
lappolnt others to discharge the dutie
pertaining to their respective Offices, an
may do any or all acts which by said sey
feral laws above mentioned are authorize
ito be done by the several commanders Q
military departments within said States
and SO much of said acts or of any &C
THAT authorizes the President to detail
military commanders TO said military de
lpartments, or to remove any officers whicl
imay be detailed as herein provided,
thereby repealed.
! If it be possible for any bill to be q
variance with the Constitution, this Isl
Hits self-evident proposition that if th
President has right to command, tn
loHicers Of the army are bound to obey
But here a law is proposed releasing the,
from the duty Of obedience. The Cor
stitution declares that they shall obey
land Congress- is about to declare BY la
that they shall not 10 case where th
conflict is SO clear, we do not see how th
President could be justified in paying th
slightest heed to the law. If Gen. Gl an
or any other officer refuses to obey b
orders, it will be bis duty to put him uu
der arrest and appoint court-martiai t
TRY him for insubordination and mutin,
s@- DAVID ID, the runt of the famil
of nine big brothers, who is local Editt
Of the Guernsey Times, is anxious f
some one to "pep the question. to u.s.
Sonny, your monkey antics and jackai
gambols, when in Woodsfeld last sun