Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-04-13

an We suspect. Principles are
cd, and like his own infinite at
5 in their possibility of
application to human
A new application OF
known principle, whether in
in science, or in the organic law
land, takes US by surprise. and we
en- prompted to distrust it as an
ton; and yet it is only what is
ID by the most logical consistency.
we first study the constitution of
country We think of its principles
sapplicable to that state of soci-
! to those needs of the people
then exist and with which we are
u. But, in time, new circum-
sarise, new social conditions ap-
nd minds will then be found who
oppose to include the phenomena
the old rule. This will startle
rs an innovation, as aviolation of
constitution, whereas it may be
n application of known and ad-
principles to new circumstances.
the natnre of things the field to
constitutional law may he applied
J constantly changed or enlarged,
e must not confound this natural
sion with u violation Of the in
ent itself.
3 history of most constitutional
nments is the history Of attempts
zone hand to apply familiar prin-
to the new wants of the people,
'tattempts on the other hand to re-
is as a violation of the fundamen-
v of the land. England is an ex-
of this. The statesmen of that
RI tell us that there has been no
e in the principles Of the English
Tuition since the time Of William
And yet, during the intervening
1, what 4 succession OF most i'm
Mt changes has taken place in the
alton of England-changes most
icent in their operation upon the
tion OF the people, and yet
,es which were successively OPP
as destructive to the constitution.
hin century the British Parlia-
has abolished the slave trade and
~; has given the people law re-
and Catholic emancipation; has
4 the first reform bill, the second
n bill, the Irish church bill, and
lucation bill; and has, in the mean
an immense number of
5 of various kinds by repeating or
ding the laws which sheltered
If one of the old Wing advisers
illiam of Orange could come back
5 world and hear Mr.. Gladstone
a speech upon proposed reforms,
ght suppose that the constitution
! time had been rent into a thou
fra gmemts; whereas those Eng
tatesman who have most carefully
ii the spirit of their constitution
'e that it is these successive new
cations of its principles to the
J of the people which have afforded
ill afford the strongest guarantee
preservation in its integrity.
, history of our own Constitution
cen very similar to that of the
sh constitution in this respect.
illustrations of this might be pre-
!. will speak only of two.
en- President Lincoln sent great |
5 into the Southern States to make |
the act was thought by a large
IN Of the people to be unconstitu-
!. 1t was said we had no right to
: a State. Leading men, leading |
IS, and representative party con-
,ns denounced his course on that
ID. Few men, however, could now
md who would not cheerfully ad-
nat what he did was only the nee
!. patriotic, and wise employment
wers which the Constitution had
ly conferred upon him to meet
extraordinary crisis. Was the
cipation proclamation of January
3, constitutional! Many promi-
men thought that it was not; many
platforms contained strong ex-
Ons of opinion against it; yet it is
'ery grenerally approved. |
en-, therefore, occasions arise in
life, liberty, and property require
for their security, men,
+ a Legislative body are not to be
ed by mere novelty In the details
ill like this from a candid examin-
OF it. 1t is important for us to
Ter whether this novelty consists in
warranted assumption of n new
tutional principle, or in the appli-
of old principles TO the exi-
+. Acting in the spirit Of the prin-
now discussed, We shall have no
llty in finding sufficient grants Of