The Portland daily press., 1869-12-03

The Soldier as n Citizen.
80 -~--r,;-.nntary dim
ner recently given to Gov. Chamberlain bv
Post Sheridan G. A. r. at Biddeford Jrdco
Tapley of Saco, in response to a sentiment
made some remarks upon the 'Sola;ar as a
citizen" which were received with great favor.
After speaking of the cause of the rebellion, of
the alacrity with which men of all callings
and professions sprung to arms when the in
tegrity of the country was threatened, of their
patriotism patience and sufferings, of the
termination of the strife, the disbanding of
the army and the return of its legions to pri-
vate life, he continued substantially as fol-
lows:
Our national government is one of dele
gated powers conferred by written Consti-
tuition, made by a people jealous of great
central powers, and at time when they had
first emerged from a war to relieve them
selves of the exactions of monarchical dicta-
ton. 1t was in some measure the result OF a
compromise between the adherents of con-
ficting opinions. 1t is not surprising there
fore that in an internal warfare growing out
of claims under that constitution, the dele
gated powers of theFederal government may
have been found too restricted for all the
emergencies presente! - such conflict; nor
is il any more o.. prlsnS thaI - rreservins
tbe noi;ticsi unity of the country against tI,e
assanT Of enemies within the government
soInd it necessary 10 pursue at times course
which some might deem not warranted by
the constitution.
"Inter arma silent leges" is a maxim Of
long standing, but departure from written
constitutions and laws is warranted only by
necessity and self-defence. Convenience car
not justify it.
The infraction of the written law in one
respect TO meet a supposed necessity encour-
ages its infractiOn for another, less pressing.
The assumption of a power to meet sup
posed eXigency encourages an assumption for
another, and we may find ourselves travelling
away from those ancient, well-tried rules OF
law and government in which alone the secu-
rity of the subject lies.
1t is the duty of the citizen now to bring
back all department of the government to
their legitimate spheres of action. The laws
are no longer silent. The federal government
should be held to the exercise of the powers
granted with their necessary incidents, and to
those only they should be limited. II want
ing in power to accomplish useful ends, let it
be conferred, but not assumed. Let not en-
croachments become precedents and the rights
of the people in the States lost. Let each
perform its functions under the charter of its
existence.
To accomplish this end must also be the
work of time, and none should be more will
ing to aid in the work than those for whose
immediate benefit the departure was made.
Every conflict Of this kind deranges the or
dinary current of commerce among men. Ex-
traordnary needs make extraordinary require
ments. The producer became consumer.
Consumption was greatly increased. Great
means were required to meet it. The cur
rency of peace became insufficient for war and
was increased. Prices changed, and we find
ourselves yet travelling in paths made of
these unusual occurrences.
Here, too this citizen has duty. He
should establish at the earliest practical mo-
ment the true relation between the producer
and consumer, by stimulating the arm of in
dustry to increased productions of material
wealth.
Let the draft for revenue bear as lightly
upon the necessities of life as possible and let
tho luxuries bear the burden.
Let the amount of currency be such as the
creative powers of the country needs and the
| true relation it holds to material matter will
as inevitably follow as Ii ght follows darkness
| Sell all we can spare and buy only what W.
need is rule if followed that will soon place
us above care in this respect.
The ready means of communication now
| enjoyed will always enable great capital
whether attained by combinations or other
wise to temporarily choke some of the chan
| nels of trade. These are not so much the re
| suit of defective laws as defefective morals
| and the remedy in no small degree lies in th,
| stamp and character the citizen shall give tt
| commerce among men. .t p
| When gambling, whether in high places oI
low, shall be regarded as gambling neverthe
less, and receive its deserts in commercial
| circles, much will be accomplished towart
restoring the laws of trade to their primeva
| excellence.
The fruits of this appeal to arms has no
been simply the restoration of civil govern
ment among the insurgents. New relation
have been formed with large population ex
isting in the Southern States. The act whicl
was designed TO nationaliZe system O
bondage has resulted in comforting freedom
upon the bondmen and according to them tn
civil rights of freemen.
A large debt has been increased in th
prosecution of the war for which the homo
and resources of the country are pledget
Its ultimate extinction must be provided fol
The attitude of foreign powers during tn
rebellion, their acts of commission and omis
sion demand attention and must be the sub
ject of treaty.
Not few are found who urge the exten
sion Of the elective franchise to every inhab
liant of lawful age, male or female.
These are some Of the many subjects no
requiring the consideration of the ctize
We should not look alone to present neet
and present difficulties. Our country cannc
stand still. An important future lies befor
us. The two oceans are now Joined by iro
bands, and continents even are linked togetl
er by cables; intolerance is fleeing before pro:
ress; the lines of government jurisdiction car
not check the great laws of intercourse whic
result from similarity of habit and production
the lakes are our frontiers only by force
natural law. 1t cannot long override natur
law, and the day is not far distant when tn
citizen of whom we have been speaking will fin
as his neighbor on the st. Lawrence his fello
citizen, and we shall find questions of extr;
ordinary moment pressing upon the citize
for the next quarter of century.
Gentlemen of the Grand Army of the Re
public, indulge not in the idea for a momer
that only those who met the enemy in I'll
field were soldiers in the contest for the pre-
ervation of the unity of our country. This
too narrow view. Thousands beside enga:
ed in its labor.
Those who gave sons, fathers and husband
to the army; those who at home guarded I'll
soldiers interets and encouraged his heart an
hand; those who furnished the sinews OF wa
and poured upon you subsistence in the fiel
are your comrades.
They gave that, without which all yol
efforts would have been fruitless.
Those angels of mercy who hovered ov
your sick and dying comrades in field, can
and hospital, carrying light and hope to Il
fallen hero were soldiers indeed, and L kno
will never be forgotten by you. In all life
duties recognize all these as your comrades.
That the soldiers who have thus preserve
the glorious institutions of this country fror
the perils incident to the rebellion throug
which we have passed, will as patriotica
guard its future, is the hope and guarant
we have that 1t shall rival every other natio
ON all that exalts the condition of man..
Ogdensburg v. Rutland.