Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1868-07-21
Was Gen. Lees Surrender Constitution.
ALI

In the height of the war, the reb-
els preparing to invade Pennsylva-
MIA, call was made by draft for 200,,
900 men to resist the rebels,
Seymour was Governor of New
York. and he and his friends opposed
the CONSUMPTION. 1t will be remem>
bered that it was during this draft
call that oeymours friends got up
the great riots in N Y. city, in which
so many were killed.
GWell, Seymour wrote to President
Lincoln asking for Suspension of
the draft until case could be made
up and the validity of the draft law
tested-Seymour declaring that in
the opinion of many the law was un.
constitutional. His language was as
follows:
at is believed by at least one-half
the people of the loyal States that
the CONSUMPTION act, which they are
called upon to obey because it is on
the statute book, is in itself VIC
lation of the supreme constitutional
law"
Gov. Seymour then conversely
threatened President Lincoln that
the Democrats would rebel against
the draft, and threatened more riots.
He wrote
IL do not dwell upon what 1 believe
icoutd be the consequences of q violent
harsh policy before the constitution
atty OF the act is tested. You can
scan the immediate future as we'll as
|. The temper of the people to-day
you can learn"
The above was written immediate
ly after the New York riots. Mr..
Lincoln, however, declined as fol-
| lows
~ do not object to abide the de-
cision Of the United States Supreme
Court or Of the Judges thereof, on the
constitutionality of the Draft law -
In fact, shall be willing to facilitate
the obtaining of it, but cannot con-
sent to lose the time while it is being
obtained. We are contending with
an enemy who, as understand drives
avery able bodied man he can reach
into his ranks, very much as butch
or drives bullocks into a slaught err
pen. No time wasted, no argument
is needed.
"This produces an army which
will soon turn upon our now victori-
GUS soldiers, already in the field, if
they shall not besustained by recruits
as they should be.
at produces an army with a RAJ
pidity not to be matched on our side
if we waste time to re>experiment
With the volunteer system, already
deemed by Congress, and palpably
in fact, so far exhausted as to be in
adequate and then more time to OBJ
tain a court decision as to whether O
law is constitutional which requires
part of those not now in the SER
vice to 90 to the aid Of those who
are already in it; and still more time
to determine with absolute certainty
that we get those who are to go in
the legal proportion to those who
are not to 60.
MY purpose is to be in my action
just and constitutional, and yet prac>
teal, in performing the important
duty with which | am charged of
maintaining the unity, and the free
principles Of our common country"
Mr.. Lincoln, doubtless about this
! .. l. So l1hx
"there's no time for swapping horses
whilst crossing the river" when ev~
cry man has to be at work to safely
run the boat ashore.
But Seymour and the Copperhead
lawyers everywhere were making
their long winded speeches against
the constitutionality of the draft
laws-whilst Gen. Lee and tho rebel
armies were preparing to march on
Harrisburgh, Philadelphiaan and speed.
lily switch round by way of New
York. Soon after York town, Cham
bersburg and other places were
sacked by rebel bands, and Pennsyl-
vania and New York only saved by
by means which Seymour said were
unconstitutional
And has Seymour and his party
since changed? We answer, every
step taken since the war has been
challenged by them as unconsttu-
tionaI, and they have continued to
say, "hold, we must stop the wheels
of the government till the courts de,
eide its constitutionality.' They
would have stopped Lee upon his of.
fer to surrender, with the cry, "hold
let us see what the constitution says
about the right of rebels to surren-
der ~
These Copperheads, moreover,
have never admitted that any act OF
the rebels was unconstitutional. But
on the contrary, Gen. Lee was al
ways their gentleman and scholar
and Stonewall Jackson their chris
tan and model of man. Even John
Morgan, who raided through Indi,
ana and Ohio, found plenty of Cop
perheads to cheer him. AS he said
81 found men everywhere wild anc
willing for the cause of the south"
K6s-The Chicago Times tries to al