Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-03-12

| solidate inc power ot bis party. He estab
lishcd military colonies throughout Italy /.
deprived Of the full Roman franchise the;
inhabitants Of the Italian towns who had
opposed his usurpatlon, oOnhsCated their
lands, ana gave them to his soldiers, and
conferred citizenship upon a great number
OF slaves belonging TO those who had pro-
scribed him, thus creating at Romea kind
of body guard for his protection. After
having given Rome over TO slaughter, and
tyrannized beyond all example over those
opposed 10 him, and the legions, mis- terri.
BILE instruments of wrong, Sylla could yet
ieel safe in laying down the ensigns Of
power so dreadtully abused, and In ming.
ling freely with the families and friends of
his myriad victims The fear he had
inspired continued after his voluntary alb.
dication, and on retirement left his law,
to people who had permitted themselves
to be enslaved. What but a subtle knowl.
edge and conviction that tho Roman peo-
pie had become changed, discouraged, and
utterly broken in spirit, could have IN.
duced this daring assumption. What but
public indifference to consequences so ter.
rible, as 10 leave Rome open TO every ca
lamity, which subsequently visited her
could have justified the conclusions of the
dictator and tyrant In his startling expert.
has since elapsed human nature and
exigencies In governments have not
greatly changed. Who, few years ago,
In contemplating our future, could have
supposed that in a briet period of bitter
experience, everything demanded In the
name Of military emergency, or dictated
by caprice, would have come 90 be CON
sidered as mere matters of couraeY That
conscriptiOD, cOnfscation, loss of personal
liberty, the subjoction of States to mill.
tary rule and Acknowledgement, with the
extension Of the right of suffrage merely
TO accomplish party ends, would receive
the passive submission if not acQuiescence
of the people Of the,Republic II has been
clearly demonstrated by recent occur
rences, that cnoroachments upon the Con
stitutlon cannot he prevented by the Presi.
dent, however devoted or determined he
may be; that unless the people interpose,
there is no power under the Constitution
to check a dominant majority of two.
thirds of the Congress of the United
States An appeal 90 the nation is at
tended with too much delay 10 meet the
emergency, while, II left free 20 act, the
people would correct In time, such evils
rs might follow legislative usurpation.
There 10 Danger that the same power
which disregards the Constitution will de-
prive them of the right to change their
rulers, except by revolution. We have
already seen the Jurisdiction of the Judi
ciary circumsCribed, when II was appre.
hended that the courts would decide
against the laws having for their sole OBJ.
iect the supremacy of party, while the
veto power lodged in the Executive, by
the Constitution, for the interest and pro-
lection ot the people, and exercised by
Washington and his successors, has been
rendered nugatory by n partisan majority
OF two-thirds in each branch of the Ma.
tionsl Legislature
The Constitution evidently contem.
! plated that when bill is returned with
the Presidents objection, 1t will be calmly
reconsidered by Congress. Such, how
ever, has not been the practice under the
| present party rules II has become evi
dent that men who pass bills under par.
tisan influence arc not likely through patri
icmotives to admit their error, and there
by weaken their own organizations, by
solemnly contossing IL under official oath.
Pride of opinion, If nothing else, has pre-
vented calm and dispassionate reconsid.
Grafton of bill dlsapproved by the Ex-
ecutivo. Much AS | venerate the Consti-
tuition, 1t must be admitted this condition
of affairs has developed defect which,
under the aggressive tendency of the
Legislative Department of the Govern
ment, may readily work its overthrow. 1t
may, however, be remedied without dis.
turbing the harmony of the instrument.
Tho veto power is generally exercised
upon constitutional grounds, and, when.
ever 1t Is 30 applied and the bill returned
with the Executives reasons for withhold
ing his signature, II ought to be immedi.
ately certified to the Supreme Court of the
United States for its decision If Its CON
stitutiOnal,ty shall be declared by that
tribunal, IL should then become law, but
II the decision Is otherwise, II should fail,
without power in Congress to re.enact.
In cases where the veto rests upon hasty
and inconsiderate legislation, and in which
no constitutional question Is involved, |
would not change the fundamental law,
for in such cases no permanent evil can be
incorporated in the federal system II Is
obvious that without such amendment,
the Government Us it existed under the
Constitution, prior to the rebellion, may
be wholly subverted and overthrown by
a two-thirds majority in Congress. 1t Is
no. therefore difficult to see how
easily and rapidly the people may
lose, shall | not say have lost their
liberties by an unchecked and un-
comfortable majority in the law-ma King
power, and whenever deprived of their
rights, how powerless they are to regain
them. Let us turn for moment TO his.
tory oi the majority In Congress, which has
acted in such utter disregard of the Consti
tuition, while public attention has been
carefully and constantly turned TO the
past and expiated sins of the South, ant
the servants of the people in high places
have boldly outraged their trust, broker
| their oaths of obedience, and undermined
the very foundations of liberty, justice ant
good government When the rebellion
was being suppressed by the volunteer
services of patriotic soldiers, amid dangert
of the battle. field, these men crept withou
question into place and power In the Ma
J tional councils. After all danger haC
: passed when no armed foe remained, wheI
a penitent people lowered their heads Il
. the flag and renewed their allegiance to tn,
> Government of the United States, then /
= was that these pretended patriots appeared
/ before the nation and began TO pirate abou
4 the thousands of lives and millions o
treasure sacrificed In the suppression of tn,
rebellion, They have since persistentlN
, sOughtto intlamo the prejudice engendereC
between the sections 10 retRrd the restor
alton ofpeace and harmony, aud by every
means tn keep open and exposed to tn,
| poisonous breath of party passion, the ter
{ rible wounds of four years war. They
} have prevented the return OF peace, snC
the restoration ofthe Union In every way
! rendered delusive the purposes, promise
5 and pledges by which the army was mar
| shslled, and treason rebuked and rebellion
0 crushed, and made the liberties fthe peo
4. Pile, and the rights and powers of the Presl
A. dent, objects of constant attack. The,
have wrested from the President his con
A stitutional power of supreme comman
4 of the army and navy. They have dc
= stroyed the strength of the Executive De
o partment, by making subordinate officer
9 Independent OF and able TO defy thei
l. Chief Magistrate; they have attemp,e
n to place the President under the power {
e a hold, defiant and trcacherous Cabin,