New-York tribune., 1868-10-21

pie who all became soldiers. with valOr aud drVOol
inventive genius, reckless aud amazing gchetoeiy
Of treasure and of bcod surpassed IN the history
Of mankind The world has found out at last whrtnet
this IL nation or not: whether tho central
can protect itself or not against serious tort 10 uuy ~
1t; whether The American people VIII acqcsee Wlic u
their political dSSoution: whether tho great tpno"
will lie down to die like lamb as sooh az tnc ko 10
ourishGd at ITS throat Perhaps ~ sTueu 1n reveal 10 the
people the depth of their national sentiment % .u r,ons
than the great Rebellion is likely to he made again to de-
strOy the central governments yet .ne VIZ q q." or
Sow citizens have manifested in the cause of slavery
give the right TO hope Tor piouuer n,u no,r ptpca
Gus future than has ever Deon grahted " any po'"
community.
TUE FUTURE or THH REPUBLIC.
The growth Of great empires, whether republics or
mannrch,es is slow. Years are much to the indi-
viua mortal. but man is the master of time II not
IN our assuredy ut distant epoch te
race which has been foremost destroy this Union Will
he eager 10 defend IT, should 1t ever unusy assacd
So long is to It's natal principle aud TO the law
Of IFS being-tat ali men created free and equal and
Endowed by their Creator with inalenable rghtssO
long Will this Union protect itself IL Is almost omnpo p
npon its arm and ma Ike II pOweress 1t cannot 0ppress
so long the general diffusion of education and hel-
Scrutiny Of ali its proceedings. Nor do depreeate the
cry OF danger from OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES nave no
that branch OF the General Government Eternal vigil
ance." said Jefferson, the price OF liberty Let us
continue to watch carefully tho course or the Generai
Government. We have all of eyes ana voices
and votes and If the administration becomes really ty-
rinnical in its tendencies, let us choose better one
THE TWO PARTIEs-THE RECONSTRUCTION LAWS
And now let Is look at preonsons and principles OF
the parties aud their candidates. In favor OF one or
are the issues this Presidential election We are called
10 decide: !. Whether the will OF the American
IT, Whether In the United States. all men endowed
with equal righsi Ill Whether just and reasonable
To pay our debts, to repudate themf Nv. whether
ECONOMY and purity OF administration WILL
the whole. be best secured 10y the election OF Mr. Sey
there stand the statute book certain acts finiay
called the reconstruction laws. For anything III my
uIi
the good people Of the country. from the PRESIDENT
down to the humblest daylaborer, as any other
beginning OF last at the end OF last century we
are all OF less familiar with the genesis of
those statutes aud know that they the
Of fierce dispute between the Executive and Legislative
branches Of the General ana ta, tney were
the Presidents Veto But at any rate tey are tue law OF
the land by the will OF majority OF the American people
know way of learning that will, or Of discovering
whether there has been change IN that WILL except
through the votes OF this Congress its successor
Meantime they have been passed according to constitu
uOnal fors aud have not yet been repealed But we are
Informed the high authority of Convention chosen
by very large portion OF the voters Of this country that
these laws Unconstitutional revolutionary ana vod
| and that they proceed from hagrant usuipalon
of "A power which can find warrant In the Constitution
| We can all read the Constitution We can all read tho
statueboUk aud for one have done my best 70 Under
stand why those laws in violation OF the Constitution
certainly the Constitution prescrbes n9t members
OF the national House OF Representatives shall be elected
in several States by those qualified TO vote for mem
bers Of the most numerous branch OF the State Legs
ture. But the dencuneers OF the Reconstruction Ass.
the stern defenders Of the Constitution seem TO have Tor
gotten little fact-a mere trie which has naturally
slipped their memory-namey, that there has been
war-that the States, 50 cruelty oppressed as u Is
IS ha cost rS Saf non Of lives and exactly four thou
millions of dollars TO subdne and that is the spe
Rebellion desisted from Organized hostities to lay
its discretion wishes to 1t believes be
sary security for the future in order that all this bloody
and expensive work be not renewed at some convenient
aileled oppression - of having established milf |
to1 called negro supremacy. Now the National Legs
latuTe had right To prescribe the conditions on wheh
snne those practical relations with the Union which they
had scornfuly broken of ss they Intended foreysr
OF the Rebellion has been carried on to ts soncn,on
1t said, authoauve !, not wisely AZ tue outnrsas
government did not exist and that nothing was more
strictly aeGofds 70 w 'nan nam 1I bs acconr 70
pleasure is claimed that 1t has the night 10 come
United states found in the Constitution ali that ne
cessary TO give practical refutaton OF the doofne 0i
and collectively, by speech by vote and on the battle
field. stood shoulder to shoulder, proving IN the
their conyictions--by dying Tor them-ihat they
believed this Union To be Governments that u bad de-
peoplethe only legitimate source OF goyernment-sl
the powers necessary for its existence and 10 protect
IL expanded, by force OF that Constitution from the
chrysalis OF coniederacy into an Organized common.
veatL-a nation among the nstiOnSt stepped at once
into the full fruon OF all tho necessary functions OF
nation The night and the means were found IN the Con
stutOn to raise great armies 10 levy enormous sums
s The action Of The laws when defined necessary
by those to whom authority was f,ee deesaed 70 set
cupied. 10 make laws for the whole country through
ses we Know that by the c Of hoss who hated the
Uulon and the Constitution and were doing their best TO
an abnormal condition TO suppose that in such
diuary the action Of GOyOrnen could
as In time OF profound peace, doctrine believed Ia by
few who we're not at heart with the Rebellion This
ordinary machinery-nueh of u very hateful no DOUBT
necessary for the national existence The eon-t'
fnfio nsfcu
and all the incidents thereof The laws OF nature and OF
nations undere all written codes constitutions and
are the common property mankind. That great low
OF civilization tho safety OF tho people is the
liable 10 abuse YET never abused In appcs
during this rebeionbolongs to our body ol avs a.
much II had been formally enacted and bound up In
the statute book It's part Of our constitution and
constitution aud be no more taken from ns than
living mans heart can be taken from his body III the
legislation in regard 70 the securities taken from the
seeding States previous TO the resumption OF their
ancient relations with the Unioo be unconstitutional ana
usurpatory, cannot understand how we are 10 Jusufy
Of the Sy Tnc @ e the e. avs ws'
cumbed 1t was not necessary to 90 ouside the constr
outside il 70 nnd the right to take proper
against its renewal Until force sucient 10 overthrow
power Of the nation to exist remain and itsef sole
Judge Of the 70 make that right valid The legal
States and the Union has been broken BY their revolt
As they triumpbed in the struggle b not for
its Legislature 10 prescribe the terms Of renewal Upon
the general principle that the may suppress
auce after its military power has been broken In the
field the reGstabshment OF something much resembling
Slavery of laws and the denial 10 freed
Of civil rights and the repudiaton OF tho national
debt by the assistance OF those by whose rebellion has
been created Not TO do this would be puerle lenity.
derehction of duty the generations yet unborn
well as criminal injustice toward the freedmen for
winch we should deserve signal punishment To listen,
on the other hand. 70 ignobe desire Of vengcance
upon those who have fought bravey In defense Of
cause 80 bad would be dgrace TO the American name
We an ali be ali Americans again future day. and
the citizens Of the lately rebeous States WILL In tho next
generation perhaps be inspired by the same naughty but
legitimate pride Of nationality which now swelb tho
breasts those who dwell in the free and loyal states
and the same energy which has done ts best 10 destroy
may help 10 preserve the life Of the Republic for ono
.lipnut IN the egln of a