The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1869-03-15

that tho Roman people had becom
cl'ungcd, discouraged, aud utterly broke
in spirit could have induced this DARN
ussuu p.ion? What but public indiffer
ence to consequences so terrible us t
eayc Rome iopen to every calamity wh,c
subsequently, besell her, could have jps,i
fed The conclusions Of the dictator an,
ityrantinahis startling experiment? 7? '''.'
- We find that in the time which ha
since elapsed human nature and cxigcn
cics in government have not great,
changed. Who, n few years past, in con
,emplatins our future, could have sup
posed that in brief period Of bitter cxpc
rrieacc! everything demanded in tic
name military emergency, or dictate,
by caprice, you'd comc to be consiicrc,
as mere matters Of course; that conscrip
tien, confiscntiou, loss Of personal lbcr
ly,'! the subjcc,ion Of States to,nilitar,
rule, ,and disfrancl.isenent. with the cx
tension Of the right Of suffrage mcrclyit'
accomplish party ends, would receive III,
passive submission, if'not ucquiesencc, o
tho people oFihe Republic? ' z W.T.
.ulthas been clearly demonstrated byre
cent occurrences, that .cncroachn,ent
upon the Constitution cannot be prevent
cd by tho Pre,ldcn, alone. however dcvo
ted or determined lie may be, and ,llal
nn'c:s tho p' o2's iptrrposc il,rre is nj
power. undcrlthc Constitution to check Il
downnnt M jori.y tof two,.hirdssin gtlle
Congress Of The United States. An ap.
peal TO the IL, however, is attended
willrtoo much delay to meet an cmcrgen.
icy. While, lflcft free t6act, the people
would correct. lin time, such evils rs
nigh. follow Legislative usurpa,iou. there
is danger that the same powcre which DIS.
regards the Constitution will deprive
them Of the right to change their rulers,
except by revolution. We lave already
Iscenthe jurisdiction ofa,lc judiciaryacir.
cnn'scrbcd when it was apprcl,rndcd that
the cou,s would decide agninst laws
l,aviHg for their sole objects supremacy. Of
rarty, while the veto: power, lodged in
tie Exrcu;irc.by tie Consultation 10. the
nte:est md protection of,he people, and
exercised by Washington and his success.
sofs, has been rendered nugs.ory l,y II
partisan minority Of two-tl,irds in eacl,
branch oftl,c National Legislature The
Constitution evidently contcmplaics i',lat
when q bill is, ,ireturncltrwilli the Prcsi.
dcrn''s objections. it will be, cal,nlyycou.
sidcrcd BY Congress. Such. however,
l'usno been The practice under prcscn,
pnlyrale.9 1t las bccemc evident tia,
men who pnss n bill under partisan ipGu.
enccs are not likely, ,hrougl, patriotic
motives. TO admit their, error and o,bcrcl;
weaken tl,oir own organizations by sol.
ien,nly confcssipg /, under an official oasll.
Pride Of opinion, ,if nothing else, has in.
,crvencd. aud prevented = calm, rnd dis.
passionate reconsidrraiiono nof II bill adisup.
proved by Tie Executive,
l Much Us | vcncralc tho Constitution, il
must be admitted that This condition Of
aI!ai's has developed dcIrc, wlicll, in.
dcrthn aggressive tendency Of the legis-
latiye department Of lhct Government, ,illay
readily work its overthrow. IT, may.
however, be rc,nedied. without disturb
ing the harmony Of The Instrument 'o'
i The veto power is generally exercised
upon Constitutional grounds. aud when.
ever il is SO applied. aud tic Lill returned
WITH tho Eyccr,iycs ,cnspns FOR Ni,l.
holding his SIGNATURE. il cdsh. u u I'M
nejliatc'y certified to tie Suptcmc Court
OF the United States for7its decision. ilIt
is ccnsiitutioualiiy shall be declared iy
that tribunal, it should then become il
law; BIT il the decision is otherwise, il
SHOULD fail, vi hcut power.in Congress to
re ennctsaudmakc itvalid.s 't'la''s
ueln cases in wllicrtlle vcto rests upon
l,asty and incol,sideraic legislation. and
il, wl,iel, no constitutional question is in.
vowed. ] would no. change tl,c funda-
.nent+i law; for in such cases no pcrina.
nent evil can be incorporated Into the
Federal system. yiglpo l,gr hifl tlHI
10 II is Obvious that without such on
amendment, the Gjyernlllcnt, asst exist
ID unaer uudcr lie Consiitution prior ia
thr rebellion, may be wlolly suJver,el
aud ovcr,llrown'by alwo.,!irds majority
i'll Congress. 1t is rot, therefore, did
cult TO scc how easily. aud how rapid,
tho paop.e may lose-shall I not say
liaya ldsiY-!leir liberties By an un.
checked and unco,rollat'c niajnrity in I'll,
law-,nnking power aud. whcn' oiiro dc.
prived Of their rights, how powerless the,
are to regain them. .a,. .i.-a gp, h
Let us turufor u moment 10 tic histo
rs Of tic minority ID Congress, wilicl, l,as
astcd i'll sucIl utter disregard of The Cons
ti,u,ion. . While public attention l,a
been carefully and constantly ,ulurncdj Il
the q / and expia,ed sins Of tho, South
the setvnn,s Of the people in high places
have boldly betrayed their rusl, broker
their oa.lis Of obcdieilce to the Col,stitu.
ton. nn'l undermined tic very founda
iiuns Of liberty, justice, and good govern
m.nt. Wien tho rebellion was being
suppressed by tie volunteered servi,cs .
patflot soldiers amid tic dangers VI 'tli
battlefield these men crept, witllou
qu sim. il.to place nnd rover in tho ,a
ii4hal councils. After all dnngers hue
| nnssrd wi,pu N, .,r,,,pl fon rc,n,incI ,rl,r,