Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1872-08-29
The Post and Butler.

u- Eyr:Ing i'4sf j. after General Butler
ior something hr -aid n q letter receutlv
written e. Hon. John II. Allry. BnIcr
taAr- ihe View 81 the theory OF the
national government presented To- H. bY
iia" Nj. bingham n his >IS.ch here
/ he I'..f takes the other side AMI the Pot
i- -tr""s Grant paper II Seems to a.
the i',H i right and Butler wrong.
Mr.. Builcr >ay- m
The question l. now To be settled by a
popular election. a. IL has been hy arms
and think ioreyer-whcther under our
form of government ii l. the duty aud
/ within the province Of the federal govern
meni 10 exert NIL lis great powers. II need
be-. for the protection Of American citizens
IN property, liberty amt life. upon Ameri-
can soil. whenever and wherever the state
and state laws. by their action or non-en-
forcrnent, imperil either. SO far as can
>t-'', this j. the most important issue OF the
campaign. and it, affirmation will bring
peace and quiet and liberty under law 10
every part OF the country. No one will
deny that on "a foreign soil all the force of
nation must be put forth 10 protect an
American citizen in every right OF person
and properly l. II not, then, wonderful
that great party should be organized and
hc canYa>>in- for the government of the
country when the main issue i thai the
same protection may not be Constitution
ally given by the nation on it, own soil. to
IT. own citizens. that it must afford them
ia foreign land:"
Whcreupon the Post SAYS -
That j. "A very remarkable passage
We, too advocate the Reelection of Gener-
al Grant. but We beg 10 dissent entirely
and emphatlcally from the above view Of
the significance OF that election. That re.
election, If il takes place, viii settle no
such thing, IN any such way. II il sh ould
the Constitution OF the United States
would never thereafter be worth printing,
except in books of history; If il should
everything that is original. distinctive and
marvellous ia our frame of government.
under which the people have thriyed for
eighty years. would come to an end. For
nine-tenths OF that long period the EVEN
ING POST has championed view OF the
nature and functions of the national gov
I crnment IN conjunction with the nature
/ aud functions OF the states. wholly oppos-
ed to what General Butler seems to deem
/ 80 desirable and il holds TO tina, view TO-
day with an undated strength of convic-
/ ton. The three late Constitutional amend
ments have not destroyed the basis and
and the balance Of our complex Coustitu-
/ ton. They have, indeed. enlarged the
/ sphere OF national powers, but they have
not abrogated the peculiar powers OF the
states, nor changed the nature of the gov
ernment Il, compound. Some people seem
TO think that the simpler the government
the better. They forget that the simplest
OF all governments is a despotism. and
| that liberty increases a checks and bal
ances multiply.
One iallacy ia the above-quoied passage
i found in the assumption that grave
| questions Of Constitutional power can b..
settled by popular election. The aues-
ton is now TO be settled by popular
election. says General Butler Just as if
popular election. votes cast for one can
dldate, In ali the indefiniteness and amid
I all the passion and corruption of a Presi-
DENTAL campaign. could properly or pos
I sibly elucidate points OF constitutional
law. The will OF the people as to the
1 principles and forms under which they are
10 be governed is to be determined not by
the sound and fury of a quadrennial can
l vass, but BY the deliberate and solemn
| methods of Constitutional convention
and Constitutional amendments. The
rough experience of the war has made
our public men too oblvious Of the funda-
I iHeltdl INSTRUCTIONS between legislation
/ and Constitution. between public opinion
as evidenced by chance election ard the
public will as outspoken in the settled
/ forms of the state.
| y second fallacy that pervades the pas
/ sage Is the quiet assumption that Congress
is a safer body to which to entrnst the
lives, liberty. and property of any group
OF the people, that is state legislature.
General Butler seems to have so high an
opinion OF the composition of Congress
that If any questions relating to liberty.
property and life can only be referred to
that body. they will certainly be decided
in such a way as will bring peace and
and quiet and liberty, under law, to every
part ofthe country" We beg to remind
this particular Congressman. who has such
an exalted opinion of the wisdom and vir-
tue of his colleagues, that good many of
the people do not share in his high opinion
of Congress. We know of some. at any
rate, who had rather take their chance Of
justice in any question relating to life lib
erty or propeaty. from any legitimate state
legislature ever convened on this CONT
nent, than from any Congress Of late years.