The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1868-10-07
Patriotic Address.

Patriotic Address.
The calm, temperate and sensible ad.
dress of the Central Executive Committee
Of Democratic party of Georgia, which
is herewith appended, reflects the true SEN
timents of every thinking man in this
emergency:
ATLANTA, Ga, Sept. &c, 1868.
The position of the Democratic party of
Georgia in relation to the Reconstruction
measures of Congress for the establish
ment Of governments in the Southern
States being misunderstood, it is believed
that an authoritative declaration Of what
the party holds in regard to those meas
ures will not be deemed inappropriate in
the present juncture of political affairs
Tie Central Executive Committee in
thefollowing declaration of principles, DO
not hesitate to say, that they speak truly
the sentiments and feelings ofthe party
they represent, and they desire to speak
for themselves and their,party, that their
true position may be known.
The Democratic party South is charged
with still being rebelious i'll spirit, and in
the event of the election of the Democratic
candidates TO the Presidency and Vice
Presidency of the United States, with an
.intention-t to arrest tie further enforcement
OF the Reconstruction Acts of Congress,
without awaiting the action Of the Judicial
Department Of the Government upon the
question of their unconstitutionaiity, and
thus to inaugurate another civil war
This charge places ms in position we
do not occupy, and we meet itzwitb de-
nial OF its truth.
We claim the right to dcfno our true
position.
We hold the Reconstruction Acts, Of
Congress to be unconstitutional. that is to
say, they arc unauthorized BY any grant
of power in the Constitution. To believe
mn act of Congress unconstitutional, does
not imply an intonlion to resist its en-
forcement by violence, or tc get rid Of it
by revolutionary measures. Different
views. of the constitutionality of Con-
gressional legislation will necessarily eX
list, but the sword is not the arbitrator of
such disputes, else the country would be
in state OF continual war.
There is tribunal for the settlement
of all such questions. and when its adjudi.
cations arc pronoul ced, acquicsconce be-
comes the duty Of all the people. lndi:
viiual opinions must yieldsto official and
authoritative decisions. of t! G judiciary.
notwithstanding, we hold tl.at tho Re-
construction Actsof Congress were en-.
enacted tontside Of the Constitution
and without constitutions authority, VIC
do not propose, orintcnd, to maintainonr
position by Il resort to force. The consti-
tutiunalitv Of these acts is a question to
be decided by tl.c Federal Judiciary upon
u proper case made. Ii their decision
should he adverse to the conslitutionality
of that legislation, we will claim all the
consequences VIII ch will leSitimatcly TO
suit from such q decision, and it will not
be unreasonable in US to expect that those
who hold opposite views will acquiesce in
the decision, and accord to. us all the
rights to which it may legally entitlc us.
On tlec ,ntrary, if the conslitutionality
of tho Reconstruction measures should be
sustained by the Supreme Federal Judi
ciary, as peaceable, law-abiding citizens
wo will yield obedience to that decision,
and cease alffurther opposition to those
measures.
And in another contingency, if the Su-
.preme Court should refuse to entertain.
jurisd G ion of cases presented under these
gets, tho ouly alternative left will be to
yield them obedience, as laws obligatory
and binding, or to. resist them by revolu-
tion, and tile latter we unhcsitalingly re
ject. We desire peaceable solution of
the complications arising under these acts,
AMI tinality TO the agitation which they
have produced.
In our own State we recognize the gov
ernment which has been organized by
authority of these acts, and will recognise
it now and henceforth, if itshould not bc
superseded by authority Of law. If our
State shall be rcmanded to the govern
ment existing prior to the enactment of
tho Reconstruction Acts, it must be done
by operation OF law, and not by revou-
tion.
We hold, then, that the question of the
constitutionality OF the acts referred to, is
Il question for the judiciary, and not for
an appeal to arms, or any violent rcvou-
tionary measures to be initiated by the
President OF the United States to set up,
or set aside those measures by his own
mere will.
Whichever of the present candidates
fortbe Presidency of the United States
may be elected to that office, neither
should use his arbitrary will either in
enforcing these measures against dcci.
sion of the Supreme Court; declaring
them unconstitutional, or in superceding
them and setting them aside before tic
action of the judiciary can be had.
Ifthe Republican candidate should be