Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1871-07-06

guarantees of the old constitution Wer
nullified by strict construction, or ratt
er by false construction. Hence th
necessity of the 18th amendment
i which defines who are citizens. Whs
are the rights of a citizens, and specif
caliy gives congress the power to en-
force them by appropriate legislation
If Calhoun's doctrine OF strict con
istruction is to be revived to defea
| the amendments, then nothing is sci
tied. What we mean is, that thes
amendments are the logical result of
great civil war, which brushed from
our atmosphere all taint of slavery, Sc
cessiOn and Calhounisn; that the,
shall have their full operation aceordin:
to the plain meaning of English WORDS
and that congress shall, from time tt
time, pass laws to enforce; and that the
president shall execute these law
faithfully and efficiently, subject onl,
TO the Judicial power of the courts O
the United States. If that is what
they mean by the new departure, it il
all right. IF not, it is a mere politica
trick too shallow to mislead or deceive
any one. eGHfcrl d Is x'll lLUe
Again, What do they mean by theil
fifth resolution? Is tlthe mere naked
axiom that acts passed by congress are
subject to repeal? If so, why pomp-
ously utter what all admit. But the
context shows that they mean a repeal
of all the acts passed to enforce the
amendments. The amendments with
out the appropriate legislation are mere
dogmas without inherent power of en-
fOrcement. The ten commandments
are laws of the highest sanction, but
what are they worth without penalties
and punishments? What good does it
do to say thou shalt not murder, unless
the law comes in and says, If thou dost
murder, thou shalt surely be put to
death or imprisoned? What use is it
to- say that all men shall have equal
political and civil rights, unless the
law Furnishes a violation of these rights.
What.does this new departure mean,
except TO say we recognize the amend
ments, but we will repeal the laws that
enforce them? We had many rights
secured by the constitution as it was
that were plainly and openly nallifed.
The citizens of any one ofthe states had
all the privileges and iInmunities of
in the several states, and vet for
years citizen of the north could not
ann did not enjoy his rights in the
south. ate5a - -1{fe l'taa., d. 2
Jlgde Hoar, of Massachusetts, was ex-
PEELED from South Carolina for the
mere effort to appeal to the Courts of
South Carolina for protection from the
illegal Imprisonment of a citizen of
Massachusetts,. The Democratic party.
by what they call strict construction
and by their refusal to pass appropriate
laws, stripped the Constitution Of half
its vitality. Do they wish in the same
way to emasculate these amendments !?
Does any sensible man believe that a
Democratic congress could or would
pass any law to enforce any of these
Every effort of ours to
enforce them has been met by the
most violent parliamentary opposition,
and the laws have been resisted by or
ganized violence. n n4ih 9ii5 zen te-
Now they tell as they will repeal the
laws, and yet they recognize the amend
Inents. They believe in the Maine
Liquor Law, but are opposed to its en-
forcement. They confess their sins;
out will surely repeat them. 9 li-'ilf.
The New Departure is good enough
ior Morgan until after the election, and
Ehen their platform is loose enough
ior them alto creep through and fol-
ow their old course of hate, persecu-
ion and violence. While these tricks
ire played upon us here, the mass of
Democratic voters in the south are
waiting and watching over the
in the heart of our country
20 restore the lost cause; to upset what
we have gained in all the last ten
years. '+s3t' i'e, 5o }e
TILE UNITY OF THE TWO DEMOCRATIC
WINGS. 4.gr.f.. Il
1t is only necessary to read the DEM
,cratic Journals both in Ohio and in
,ther States, to show that this new de-
,arture is only TO shield themselves be-
lind some jugglery about the construc-
ion of the amendments and the mode
If their enforcement. The essential
made in the Conven tion
If the Dayton resolutions give color to
his idea, and the whole, as it stands
u the platform, look like bad mix
ng of opposite ideas. Ts
They felt that the public voice de-
handed that these amendments must
,e ratified and endorsed by their party
md yet they did not want to do it.
They did it with an if, and a damn.
md slap, with several loop-holes of
,scape, with many antidotes, and in
,ad temper generally. The dose was
to many, but they took
and have not felt well since. And
low nothing could be more ludicrous
n political strategy--if it Were not
iangerous-than to trust the Demo-
ratio party with the enforcement of
hese amendments. Better give the
amb to the wolf--than either the
blacks of the South or the loyal people
If the South to the Democratic party !
If the North or South. The Demo-
ratio party of the North would be
)owerless to execute their pledge. |
The same men who broke that party
It Charleston, the same who sacrificed
Douglas, the same men who covered
,ur land with tine graves of soldiers;
would, by virtue of their. majority +; |
eize the power ofthe Democratic Or
and where then would be
he amendments, or the protection OF
oval people, white or black, or the
public honor as represented by the PEN
ion lists, and the public creditors.
From the logical affinities and the as
of names and events it is evil
lent that no sincere movement to en-
Orce the amendments can ever be exc
,uted by. the Democratic party. The
loisy crowds that hail with enthusi-
ISM the reasonable utterances OF jeff.
bands of midnight Demo-
,ratic outlaws who make night hide
BUS in the South by murder and name-
less crimes, without danger or fear of
punishment - clearly show that the
democratic party of the south cannot
yet be trusted with political power;
while the uncertain and evasiye power
Of the democratic party of the south
with principle pulling one way and
policy the Other--with the politicians
preaching the new departure gospel OF
the instincts and prejudices ofthe mass