The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1869-03-12

liberate Judgment OF the people, and as
have already intimated, with the distant
| future.
The war, all must remember, was stu
| pendOus and deplorable mistake. Neither
side understood the other and, had this
simple fact, land Its conclusions been kept IN
view, all that was needed was accomplished
by acknowledging the terrible wrong,
and the expressed better feeling and earn
| est endeavor at atonement, shown and felt
IN the prompt ratification OF the constitu-
tional amendments by the southern states
at the close of the war. Not accepting the
war as confessed false step on the part OF
those who inaugurated it, was an error
which now only time can cure, and which
even at this late date, we should endeavor
to pslliate. Experiencing, moreover, as
we have done at the frightful cost of arbi-
trament of the sword, let US, in the future
cling closer to the constitution as our
only safeguard. 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 lesson of the war
and that remembering them, from whatev~
er cause, peace between sections and states
may be perpetuated.
The history of late events in our country,
as well as of the greatest governments OF
ancient and modern times, teaches that we
have everything to fear from departure
from the letter and spirit of the constitu
ton, and the undue ascendancy of men al
lowed to assume powers in what are con-
sldeled desperate emergencies. Sylla, on
becoming master of Rome, at once adopted
measures to crush his enemies and 20 con
sOl0date the power OF his party. He es-
| fah li .b oH IL 40 thro,rba,t
ally, deprived of the full Roman franchise
the inhabitants of the Italian towns who
had opposed his ursrpation, con6scated
their lands and gave them to his soldiers,
and conferred citizenship upon number OF
slaves belonging to those who had pro
scrlbed hlm-thrs creating at Rome kind
OF body guard for bis protection. After
! having given Rome over to slaughter, ard
| tyrannized beyond all example, over those
opposed to him and the legions his terri
BILE instrument Of wrong, Sylla could yet
Feel safe In laying down the ensigns of pew
err, SO dredfully abused, and in mingIing
| freely with the families and friends of his
myriad victims The fear which he had
inspired continued after his voluntary abb
| dlcatlOn, and on retirement, was law to O
| people who had permitted themselves to be
ensiaved What but a subtle kn,w Hedge
and conviction that the Roman people had
become changed, discouraged and utterly
broken, could have induced this daring as
sumption What but public Indifference
to consequences SO terrible as to leave
open to every calamity which subsequently
betel her, could have justified the concus
ions of the dictator and tyrant in his start
ling experiment?
We find that, in the time which 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
brief period of bitter experience, every
thing demanded in the name of mi tary
emergency, or dictated by caprice, would
have come to be considered mere matter
of course that emancipation, confscatior
loss of personal liberty, the subsection oil
states to military rule, and disfranchse-
ment, with the extension of the right Of
suffrage merely to accomplish
party ends, would receive the pas
sive submission, if not aquiesence
of the people of the Republic. 1t has
been clearly demonstrated by recent occur,
rences that encroachmentS upon the Con.
stitution cannot be prevented by the Pres
ident, however devoted and determined he
may be that, unless the people interpose,
there is no power under the Constitution
to check dominant majority of two third,
of the Congress of the United States. An
appeal to the nation Is attended with toe
much delay to meet the emergency while,
if left free to act, the people would correct
in time, such evils as might follow legisla
tive usurpation. There is danger that the
same power which disregards the Constitn
ton will deprive them of the right to
change their rulers, except by revolution
We have already seen the jurisdiction Of
the judiciary circumscribed, when it was
apprehended that the courts would decide
against laws having for their sole object the
supremacy of a party; while the veto pow
err, lodged in the Executive by the Consti,
tuition, for the interest and protection oil
the people, and exercised by Washington
and his successors, has been rendered nuga
tory by partisan majority of two thirds il
each branch of the National Legislature
The Constitution evidently contempates
that, when bill is returned with the Pres.
ident's objections, it will calmly be recon
| sldered by Congress. Such, however, has
not been the practice under the present
party rule. 1t has become evident that
men who pass bills under partisan inhu
ences, are not likely, through patriotic mo.
tlves, to admit their error, and thereby
weaken their own organization by solemnly
confessing it under official oath Pride Of
opinion, if nothing else, has prevented
calm aud dispassionate reconsideration of &
bill disapproved by the Executive. Much
as | venerate the Constitution, it must be
admitted that this condition of affairs ha:
developed defect which, under the agres
sive tendency of the legislative department
of the Government, may readily work it,
overthrow. 1t may, however, be remediec
without disturbing the harmony Of the in
strument. The veto power is generally ex
ercised upon constitutional grounds and
! whenever 1t is so applied, and the bill i
Seturned with the Executive reasons fo
Athholding his signature, 1t ought to n
| imN ediately certified to the Supreme
Court of the United States for its decision
If itAconstitutionaity shall be declared by
that tribunal, It should then be be deee llayeG
law; but, if the decision is otherwise, i
should fail, without power IN Congress tt
re-enact. In eases in which the veto rest,
upon hasty and inconsiderate legislation
and il which no constitutional question /:
involved, would not change the funda-