Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1869-03-27

Of the uONcrnmehk 10 NihuieAto the
Constitution aud snYe the Union
aud i'll have erred in trying to
bring about a more speedy aud last
ing peace, TO eNlihguish heartburn
ings and enmilies, and lo prevent
troubles in the South which, re-
larding material prosperity in that
region, injuriously affected the whole
country, ! am quito content to rest
my case with tho moro deliberate
Judgment Of the people, and, Ms l
have already intimated, with tho
distant iaturc,
Tho war, all must remember, was
stupendOus and deplorablo mis-
take. Neither side understood the
other; and had this simple fact and
It's conclusions been kept in Wow,
all that was needed was accomplish
ed by tho acknowledgment OF tho
terrible wrong, and tho expressed
better feeling aud earnest endeavor
at atonement shown and felt in tho
prompt ratification Of constitution
al amendments by the Southern
States at the close Of the war. Not
accepting tho war rs confessed
false stop on the part Of those who
inaugurRtcd II, was an error which
now only time can cure, and which
even at this late date we should ell.
deayor to palliate. Experiencing,
moreover, as all have done, tho
frightiul cost of tho arbiiramcnt OF
the sword, let US, in tho future, cling
closer than ever TO the Constitution
as our only safeguard. 1t Is to bo
hoped that not until tho 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
whatever cause, peace between sec
tions and States may be perpetual.
The history of late events in our
country, MS well MS of tho greatest
Governments Of ancient and modern
times, teaches that wo have every
thing to fear from departure from
the letter and spirit of tho Consti-
tuition, and tho undue asccndency
of men allowed to assume power in
what arc considered desperate
emergencies. Sylla, on becoming
master of Rome, Mt once adopted
measures to crush his enemies, and
to consolidate tho power of his par
ty. lie established military colo
mics througout Italy; deprived of
the full Roman franchise the in
habitants Of the Italian towns who
had opposed his usurpations; con-
fiscated their lands, and gave them
to his soldiers; and conferred citi-
zcnship upon a great number Of
slaves belonging TO those who had
prescribed him, thus creating at
Rome kind of body-guard for his
protection. After having given
over to slaughter, and tyrannizcd
beyond all example over those op-
posed to him and the lcgions, his
terrible instruments of wrong, Sylla
could yet feel safe in laying down
tho ensigns of power so dreadfully
abused, and in mingling freely with
the families and friends of his
myriad victims. The fear which he
had inspired continued after his
voluntary abdication, and even in
retirement his will was law to q
people who had permitted them
solves to be cnslaved. What but Il
subtle knowledge and conviction
that tho Roman people had become
changed, discouraged, and utterly
broken in spirit could have induced
this daring assumption? What
but public indifference to conse-
quences so terrible as to leave Rome
open to every calamity which sub
sequently befcll her, could have JUS
titled the conclusions Of the dicta-
tor and tyrant in his startling cx-
pcriment2 .rs. INK.
We find that in tho time which
has since elapsed human nature and
eXigencies in government have not
greatly changed. Who, a few years
past, in contemplating our future,
could have supposed that in brief
period of bitter experience every
thing demanded in the name Of
military emergency, or dictated by
caprice, would como to be consider
cd as nero matters of course; that
conscription, confiscation, loss of
personal liberty, the subsection of
States to military rule, and disfran.
chiscmcnt, with the extension of
the right of suffrage merely to ac-
complish party ends, would receive
the passive submission, if not ac-
quiescence, of the people of the
Republic3
1t has been clearly demonstrated,
by recent occurrences that en-
croachments upon the Constitution
cannot be prevented by the Presi-
dent alone, however devoted or de-
terminod he may be, and that unless
the people interpose there is no
power under the Constitution to
check dominant majority of two
thirds in the Congress of the
Unitel States. An appeal to the
nation, however, is attended with
too much delay TO meet an emcrgen-
cy. While, if left free to net, the
people would correct, in time, such
evils as might follow legislative
usurpation, there is danger that the
same power which disrcgards the
Constitution will deprive them of
the right to change their rulers, ex-
cept BY revolution. We have al
ready seen the jurisdiction of the
Judiciary circumscribed when it
was apprehended that the courts
would decide against laws having
fer their sole object the supremacy
of party, while the veto power,
lodged in the Executive by the
Consultation for the interest and
protection Of the people, and exer-
cised by Washington and his sue