New-York tribune., 1868-02-15
TIE WILL OF THE PEOPLE.

The Aeir- YORK IlmeS OF yesteruuy nNkcs lhe
following misrepresentation
Hitherto our theory Of republican government
has Assumed that the will of the people was supreme
when eypressed according to the forms prescribed
and exercised within the limitations OF the Constitu
ton. The adherence OF successive ADMINISTRATIONS
To this theory ia the practical working OF the Gov
ernment has saved from the unbridled tyranny OF
absolute, unchecked, and unregnated democratic rule
which has always been regarded by political pDii-
Osophers as the great danger wnch IepuDncah lnsti
tutiOns must always encounter . ,
"The action Of Congress since the war has tended
60 reverse this rule of conduct and to make tho pup
c will of the hour represented in Congress abso
lute and supreme-tbrowinR OH all tho checks ana
safeguards of the Constitution, and making Congress
substantally sovereign in the Government Inc
nurpose OF those engaged in this movement is to con-
vert our Government from what the Constitution
makes it-a regulated republic acting under ana
through constitutional fOrms--into an absolute de-
mocracy in which constitutions are set aside at as
creton. and everything is made to yield to the will
of the people as represented IN IN Congress .. ;u
portant question not, viii depend mainly on the
manner in which the issue may be presented by the
two parties.'
If The Times were not always ready to deny
to-day the opinions it uttered yesterday, there
would be some hope that the above paragraph
was designed to announce its intention to sup
port the Democratic Presidential candidate at
the next election. But The Times has neither
the stamina to hear n fatal charge made against
the party it pretends TO support without as
sentipe 20 il as n reed yields to the foot of a
hippopotamus, nor has it the integrity to sup
port the candidates and platform of the Demo-
cratic party. whose principles and men 1t in
dorses in such paragraphs rs the above. Ihe
above extract contains all the misconceptions
and all the ignorance that are necessary to In
duce man to vote for George Ill. Pendleton
for President. But The Times, after bush
whacking and picket-fringlat the Republican
nrinciples and candidates until it finds it can
not resist their current, will at last join the
ranks of those whom il has misrepresented, and
claim share in the victory it did its
utmost 10 prevent. Most of the acts
passed by Congress since the war, the
Editor of The Times opposed in speeches
and through his paper, voted for on
their passage, and has maligned and abused
as unconstitutional and wicked ever since. His
vote in such cases was right, but his previous
and subsequent opposition to his vote is ground
of complaint Though he may have believed
them otherwise, the acts for which he so voted
we're, in spite Of his former arguments and
present admission to the contrary, perfectly
constitutional. lie may have suffered under
the guilty intent to commit wrong, but he
was guilty only in intent. The will Of the
people may seem to Mr. Raymond TO have
been expressed according to the forms and
within the limits of the Constitution, in the
years prior to the war-in the Fugitive Slave
law, in the war on Mexico, In the Dred Scott
decision, in the crimes against Kansas, and in
the other unconstitutional usurpations OF Dem
ocratic Congresses, Presidents, and Supreme
Courts. But we assure him that IL be SO be-
lieved, his writings, vote, and action were faI
better than bis judgment. In opposing all
sbese things as unconstitutional he seemed as
sensible as il he had believed them so. On the
other hand, Congress has performed no uncon'
sttutional act in its policy Of Reconstruction
The forms through which the will OF the
people has been expressed have been as con-
stitutional as they ever were. Mr.. Raymond's
graceful concession of a point SO important is
| of no moro value than would be his quit-clan
| deed for the City Hall.