The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1869-03-19

1t is to be hoped that not until the
burdens now pressing upon us with
such fearful weight are removed will
Our people forget the lessons of the war,
and that, remembering them, from what
ever source, peace between sections and |
States may be perpetuatcd. The his |
tory of late events in our country, as
well as of the greatest governments of
ancient and modern times, teach us that
we have every thing to fear from de- |
parture from the letter and spirit of the
Constitution, and the undue asccndency
of men allowed to assume powers in
what are considered desperate emer-
gencics. -. .. t,...
| 1t has been cleafly demonstrated by G
recent occurrence that encroachments
upon the Constitution cannot be pre-
vented by the President, however de-
voted 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 to the nation is attended with too
much delay to meet the emergency. If
left free to act the people would correct
in time such evils as might follow legis-
lativc usurpation. There is danger that
The same power which disrcgards the
Constitution will deprive them of the
right to change their rulers except by
revolution. =, ....'..
We have already seen the jurisdic-
ton of the Judiciary circumscribed.
When it was asccrtained that the courts
would decide against the laws having
for. their sole object the supremacy Of
al x,,l,sl ln 1<,l -,
the Executive by the Constitution for
the interest and protection of the peo-
pie, and exercised by Washington and
his successors, has been rendered nuga-
tory by partisan majority of two
thirds in each branch of the national
Legislature. ......... ...
/, When the rebellion was being sup
pressed by the volunteered service Of
patriotic soldiers amid the dangers of
the battlefield, these men crept without
question into place and power in the
national councils. After all danger had
passed, when no armed Zoe remained.
when penitcnt people bowed their
heads to the flag and renewed their al
legiance to the government Of the Uni
ted States, then it was that the pretend
ed patriot appeared before the nation
and began to prate about the thousands
of lives and millions of treasure socri.
feed in the suppression of the rebellion.
They have since porsistently sought
Ito inflame the nreiuliro nnrnndornd Io-
tween the sections. TO retord thc restor-
ation of neacc and harmony. and bv ev-
ery means to Keen omen and eynosed to
the poisonous breath Of party passion
the terrible wounds of n four years
war. They have nrnvcntcd the roturn
of ncacc and thc restorotion of thc
Union in every wov rendered dclusive
the purposes. promises and pledges bv
which the army was marshallcd. freason
rebuked, and rebellion crushed. and
made the liberties of tbe noonIe and tho
rirhts and nownrs of tbo Prnsidont oh
iccts Of constant attack -
u,, , o.,a1 -. A. n.
Lev ..;t,,,;o, Mit ,,oni Wy ~ aos,-
uunS no oo..a ~ 4I poMo' VI 'no eu.
io,'I .o''i,ii',. VI III AZ. "l .i! "nu nay ,
tno! ny T9s.ioto ou .'io slionSln vi t,io
,Nrotti'o n1;ni Gopai '';ioiI y! inuNin9 sun
,0 III o,ioo -, uopot"ei. Tt.. ~ anu
~ ~ ~ w ~, t'iiIt isr,a't ;
Ivy n"1o at,o'np'on " pl'Ic tho ,os.-
I ooi' .h uluo. .io PoWIo Wa1, VI oosu, uonnn.,
i.ru .iCaLnS'u"s ii5 u C"o,t:o oln.1. a. Wv!
ma.o ioope'. an1 EAoIu.i1c VI tnu Pr,
tto?a'ikeo VI i,aiuon, Ifnuetc.. nun "i,i
tha nolu .iu .ots y. cieliienS. .ra,Ieo s "
non'anu' =. vi pois sons "ii"oi 'i' Pio'i
t1 toie w .ho oons.l'''.ipn' .:' anu .oail'ii.-
tou Stoss usurpa.iVUns ny lesi:ati.o a.e
,u"P's ~ oMc,eise ,, .nis poMrr II, i';vo ol ~ ~
TO-. ~, ,o'olta my nav Co"sp,'eu ~
Inuise .mG s!saGni vi our uo,Gii'1,,e,l' M n.sl
~ Ptoieriihs charses asnihsI 'ne l tes- res
,uoni ~ t"o urn -, ui,i.ies " III m
Poao:iiien', any IontciiLla'inS' peio'1
nualins VI 'Ii,'i' w. i,c snoulo W plnce.'
~ aiuoa a.lost iie'u ~ uu.a',oe' amu, Mncil
i;a H. oce'',ne .nclr picasore W pronounce
ms sei;.eIce, ari'el rom piaco anu
pomo' ~ III ~ 'mo; nnoG ~ LII ,i.'iH ol
p,I, peuoe iaioleaseu !nu i'asioilai ocu. u!
ooH.Iss i tt eAgeilut.uru Vi puD'Io iiiohcys
a,u 'i,us atutu W lhe ouruehS "mlch
nlrcuuy Wcisn upon tne people' they
;, nune peri'ii,.uu .ho "auon 10 suner tic
Io,is oa ucran?eu cniLG''cy a,I t 10 1ne Ell
ia,locliIis =; nv ~ prioe oi an lno lecessh-
ia Iirs " iiis, .hey iare M 'iii'l'italiieu 1n Il
,anS 't,,lins !i'a;s am. lot 'ne cnloloe.
inoh' VI tioil ihcasuicS VI IMPRESSION