The national Republican., 1869-02-11
THE CONSTITUTION.

THE CONSTITUTION.
The Constitution Of the United States Is
to be held sacred, and to be reverenced by
the whole people, and We yield TO none In
our reverence and respect for the great prin-
ciples Of that instrument. But we have no
such blind reverence for II as can lead us to
oppose amendments to II when the wants
and the welfare Of the people demand a
change.
There are some people who are constantly
shouting and making themselves hoarsc by |
their vociferations In regard to what they |
assume to he the sacred guarantees OF the |
Constitution. Ono would suppose, on list
enlng to these people, that this instrument
was even so sacred aud SO perfect that 1t Is
but little less than sacriegious to talk OF
amending Ii in any particular. We have
observed, however, that those who prate
the most and talk the loudest in favor
OF preserving the Constitution as 1t Is arc
especially vehement only when ii Is proposed
to amend the organic law so as to secure the
best interests of man, the progress Of civili-
zation and to promote human liberty aud
the civil and political rights Of the people.
Then 1t is that We are treated to long
speeches by certain members OF Congress,
and tedious columns Of stately platitudes
and unmeaning generalltles In newspapers.
Let 1t be proposed to enlarge human rights
and to extend the blessings of civil and polit-
ical liberty, and the Constitution, we are
grayely told, is too sacred to he tampered
with.
All the Democratic newspapers in the
country, as well ne the members Of Congress
OF that persuasion, have, since the PROPOSE
tion to amend the Constitution has been be-
fore Congress, agonized over the subject with
intensified ardor. Indeed, If we may be-
lieve these sages, the very fabric of our Gov
ernment from foundation to capstone is
shaken, and is now fast totteriug to Its fall.
Our neighbors OF the IntelligeHesr have
given us some fine writing upon this subject
while the amendment was pending; but un
fortunately for their argument-if they made
one-the following admission upsets theil
logic and spoils all their rhetorical flourish
ing. Our neighbor says
"we admit the force of the plea that the
condition and circumstances of the country
had greatly changed since the time the Fed
eral Constitution was made. We admit that
scanty agricultural population, people
simple in their habits, communities widel.
severed by distance, the ideas of local gov
ernment and individual freedom sprung from
the old Saxon root, firmly entrenched, nigh
require different government from tina
which is demanded by the eXigencles Of
dense and wealthy population, brought nea
to each other by all the agencies Of modcr
civilization, with large additions OF nationa
territory and far wider range of topics; W
do not shut our eyes to facts, and still les
do we deny that institutions must be adopte
from time to time to the changed habits an
conditions Of people"
Precisely SO, neighbor. But these admls
sions are fatal to your theory, for our countr
has made just this progress which you S,
plainly indicate since the formation of tn
Government; and just here We find the ncccl
sity for a change In the organic law. Tn
constitutional amendment Is now throug
both branches OF Congress, and when thre
fourths of the State Legislatures shall hay
adopted it it will be part of the Constit
tion itself A large majority Of the leadiI
men of the country favor this amendmen
and we have reason to know that the Pres
dent elect has, within a short time, spok
strongly in favor Of this proposition, al
when this generally silent man speaks
means what he says.
The North American RerieW, in speaking
Gen. Grant, says, and says truthfully, til
he "has an almost heroic gin Of silcnc
which prevents him from allowing himself
be dragged from his moornss by the strol
current of cloqucncc, and afterwards fceli
bound to sacrifice his sense of what is pr
dent to the tyranny of his own consistency
Still, this reticent man did not hesitate
step forward at this time, when word fro
him was so potential, aud to give that ear
est word in favor Of the cnfranchiscment
large class of American citizens. Than
to this silent man that he can hear the plea
ings of humanity for its rights and respoi
in its behalf, however reticcnt he may
when approached by ofiicc-sceEcrs and del
agOCues.