Des Arc weekly citizen., 1869-03-16
eIdst ts aSswer lou :.s

StitutlUnui SoNtliiuituts ~ StiNSH 'h"r deeply wronged appeals to the Su- prcme Court for the protection guaran- teed him by the organic law of the land. At opce fierce and excited ma jority, by the ruthless hand of legisla- tive power, stripped the ermine from the Judges, transferred the sword oi | justice to the General, and f'emanded the oppressed citizentto degradation and bondage worse than death.
 It will also be recorded as one of the maryels of the times that a party claim l ing for itself monopoly of constitu- ency aud patriotism, and boosting os it's unlimited sway, endeavored by a costly and deliberate trial to impeach one who defended the Constitution and Union, not only throughout the war of the rebellion, but during the whole term of office as Chief NLtgis tratc, but at the same time could find no warrant or means at their command to bring to trial even the chief Of the rebellion. Indeed, the remarkable failures in the case were so often re- peaied that for propriety's sake, if for no other reason. it became at last necessary to extend to him an uncondi- ! tional pardon.
 What more plainly than this illus trates the extrcmitics of fparty manage ment and inconsistencies on the one hand, and of faction, vindictiveness, and intolerance on the other. Patrio- tism will hardly be encouraged when in such record it sees that it's instant reward may be the most virulent party abuse and obloquy, if not disgrace. | Instead of seeking to make treason odious, it would in truth seem to have been their purpose rather to make the defense of the Constitution and Union crime. and to punish fidelity to an oath of office. Happily for the peace of the country, tue war has determined against the assumed power of States to withdraw at pleasure rom the | Union. :, The institution of slavery also found it's destruction in rebellion commen- ced in it's interests. It should be borne in mind. however, that the war neither impaired nor destroyed the Constitution, but on the contrary pre- scrvedaits existence and made apparent its great power and enduring strength. All the rights granted to the States or reserved to the people are therefore intact. Among those rights is that of the people of each State to declare the qualification of their own State elec- tors. It is now assumed that Congress can control this vital right which can never be taken away from the States without ilnpairing the fundamental principal of the Government itself.
 1t is necessary to the existence of the States as well as to protection of the liberties of the people. For the rigbt to select the elector in whom the
 political power Of the State shall be l lodged, involves the right Of the State to govern itself. When deprived Of l this preroqatiye the States will have no power worth retaining. All will be gone and they will be subject to the arbitrary will of Congress. The Government will tben De centralized, if not by the passage of laws, by the adoption through partisan influence Of an amendment directly in oNfict with the original design ot the Constitution.
 This proves how necessary t is that the people should require the admin istration of the great departments Of i the Government to be strictly within the limits of the Constitution Their boundaries have been accurately de- I fined. and neither should be albwed to trespass on The other, nor abofe all, to 1 encroach upon the reserved tghts of ! the people and the States. Tie ssou-
 bic oi the past four years vii prove to the nation blessings ii they prsduce so
 desirable u result.
 1 Upon those who became young men amid the sound of cannon aud the din
 Of arms, and who quietiy returned to f the farms. the factories aud thpschools Of the land will principally dcsolve the solemn duty of pcrpetnating tic union Of the States, in defense ot which hun dreds of thousands of their comrades ! expired and hundreds or millions og 1 national obligations were incurcd. A manly people will not neglect inc train. ! jug necessary 10 resist oppression but 1 they should be jealous lest the civil be made subordinate to the milit5ry ele- ment.
 We need to encourage il every J legitimate way study ofthe tunstitu-
 ton for which the war was Haged, Il l knowledge of and reverence tdr whose
 wise checks by those so soon 10 occupy the places filed by their seriors will be the only hope of preserving the Republic. The young men of the nas ton not vet under the control otparty, must resist the tendency 10 cpntraliza- ton, an outgrowth oi the grsat rebel 1 lion, and be familiar with the fact that l the country consists of tie United States, and that wlaen the States surren- dered certain great rights tor the sake of n more perfect Union. they retained rights as valuable and important as those they reinquishcd fer the Com monwealth, is sound old doctrine, far different from the teachings that led to the attempt 10 secede and kindred theory that the States were taken out of the Union by the rash acts of con spirators that happened to dwell with in their borders. must be received and advocated with the enthusiasm of early manhood, or the people will be ruled by corrupt combinations. of the commercial centers, who. pfcthoric from wealth, annually emigrate to the capital of the nation to purchase special 1 legislation. Until the representatives of the people in Congress more fully exhibit the diverse views and interests Of the whole nation, laws cease to be made without full discussion at the belfcst of some party leader, and there will never be proper respect shown by the law-making power either to the Judicial or Executive branch of the l Government.
 1 The generation just beginning to use the ballot, it is believed, only need that their attention should be called to these considerations to indicate by l thot tbax, xu;eb fhair ranra