Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1869-03-17
NEW SERIES--V0L. 8, NO. "a.

Their course of usurpation has not
been limited TO inroads upon the Exec
utivc Department BY unconsiiu-
tional and oppressive cnactments the
people Of ten States Of the Union have
been reduced TO a condition more
intolcrable than that from which the
patriots Of the Revolution rebclled-
Millions Of American citizens can now
say Of their oppressors, with more
truth than our fathers said of British
tyrants, that they have forbidden the
State Governments to pass laws OF
immediate and pressing importance,
unless suspended until their assent
should be obtained that they have
refused TO pass other laws for the
accommodation of large districts Of
people, unless those people would re-
linquish the right OF representation IN
the Degisature--a right inestimable
to them and formidable 70 tyrants
only; that they have made judges
dependent upon their viii alone for
the tenure of their offices and the
amount and payment Of their salaries.
That they have erected a multitude
OF new offices, ard sent bithcr swarms |
of officers 10 harass our people and eat
out their substances That they have
affected TO render the military indie
pendent of and superior 70 the civil
powers, combined with others 70 sub.
ject us TO a Jurisdiction foreign TO our
Constitution and unacknoxledged by
our laws, quartered hinge bodies Of
armed troops among US, protected
them by a mock trial from punish
nent for any murders which they |
should commit on the inhabitants of
these States, imposed taxes on us
without our consent deprived us in
many cases Of the benefit of trial by
jury, taken away our charters, melted I
domestic instructions amongst us,
abolished our most valuable laws,
altered fundamentally the forms OF
our Government, suspended our own
legislatures, and declared themselves
invested with power TO legislate for US
in all cases whatsoever. M "A
This catalogue Of crimes, long as il
is, is not yet complete. The Constitu-
tion vests the judicial power Of tie
United States in one Supreme Court,
whose jurisdiction shall extend 70 all
cases arising under this Constitution
aud the laws of the United States.
Encouraged by this promise Of ref
uge from tyranny, a citizen Of the
United States, who, by the order OF
military commander, given under the
sanction of a cruel and deliberate edict
Of Congress had been denied the con-
stitutional rights of liberty Of con
science, freedom of the press, and Of
speech, personal freedom IRON military
arrest, Of being held TO answer for
crime only on presentment and indict.
ment, on trial of jury, Of the writ of
hdbeas corpus and protection Of civil
and constitutional government-a citi-
zen thus deeply wronged appeals TO
the Supreme Court for the protection
guaranteed him by the organic law Of
the land. At once fierce and excited
majority, by the ruthless hand of legis-
lativc power, stripped tho ermine from
the judges, transferred. the sword Of
justice to the general, and remanded
the oppressed citizen to degradation
and bondage worse than death
Ii will also be recorded as one Of the
marvels Of the times that a party
claiming for itself a monopoly of con
sistency and patriotism, and boasting,
too, Of its unlimited sway, endeavored
BY a costly aud deliberate trial to i'm
peach one who defended the Constitu-
tioh and the Union, not only through
out the war Of the rebellion, but during
his whole term Of Office as Chief
Magistrate, but az the samo time
could find no warrants or means at
their command 10 bringto trial oven
the chief OF the rebellion. Indeed, the
remarkable failures in his case werc
so often repeated that, for proprieiy
sake, if for no other reason, il became
at last necessary TO extend TO him an
unconditional pardon. What more
plainly than this illustrates the
extremity of party management and
inconsistency on the one hand, and of
faction, vindictiveness and intolerance
on the othcry Patriotism will hardly
be encouraged, when IN such . record
/ il sees that its instant reward nav be
the most virulent party abuse and
obloquy, II not attempted disgrace.
Instead of seeking TO make treason
odious, II would, IN truth, seem TO
have been their parpose rather 10
make the defense Of the Constitution
and Union a crime, and TO punish
fidelity to an oath OF Office, il counter
TO party dictatiou, by all the means at
their command. Happily for the
peace Of the country, the war has de-
termined against the assumed power
of the States to withdraw at pleasure
from the Union. The institution Of
slavery also found its destruction in a
rebellion commenced in its interests
II should be borne in mind, however,
that the war neither impaired nor
destroyed the Constitution; but, on
the contrary, preserved its existence
and made apparent It's real power and
enduring strength. All the rights
granted to the States, or reserved TO
the people, therefore, are intact
Among those rights is that Of the
people Of each State TO declare the
/ qualifications Of their own State
electors.
1t is now assumed that Congress can
control this right, which can never be
taken away from the States without
impairing the fundamental principles
of The government itself 1t 10 neces.
sary 10 the existence Of the States. as
well as to the protection of the liber.
ties of the pOoplc, for the right to
select the electors in whom the politi.
cal power Of the States shall be lodged
involves the right Of the State to gov
ern itself When deprived Of this pre-
q LH. 4