American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-03-09

conduct a traffic in that business.
But am asked what propose to do
with the amendmentsf
l have already said that the a.
must stand or fall upon
the question whether they have been
proposed and ratified as required by
the fifth article Of the Constitution.
If they have not been so proposed
and ratified, then they are not bind
ing. use the language of the arti-
Gle itself, ''they are not binding
Not binding Oh the States; not bind
ing Oh the tilnctiOnaries of either the
State or Federal Governments; not
binding on the people, or any Of
the people. They are void; not
voidable but void. But if they have
been proposed and ratified as re-
quired by the fifth article aforesaid,
then they are binding, and as much
so as any other parts of the COnsti-
tuition. am one who believes they
were not proposed nor ratified pur-
suant to the requirements of the
fifth article, and in this l have the
concurrence Of the whole Democratic
party-the New Departure men and
alias well as large portion oil the
Radical party; and SO believing,
am not willing to stultify myself by
admitting that they are binding as
parts of the Constitution. l am not
willing to forestall an examination of
the question, even if it could be done,
by the resolutions or platforms. l
am for leaving it open freely to be
Investigated by any tribunal having
competent jurisdiction of the sub
ject. do not propose to set on foot
any lawless or revolutionary modes
of resistance to the enforcement of
the amendments.
That there are peaceable and legal
modes of determining the question
can scarcely he doubted. 1t seems
to me that this is the true position
for the Democracy to occupy. 1t is
consistent with their former views,
and avoids the humiliation of the
New Departure, which is a surren-
der of the whole subject to Radical
usurpation and revolution. 1t is
said, however, that the Radical par
ty will continue to enforce. as it is
now doing, the amendments, snd
that it is useless any longer to think
of resistance. or of corrections. That
is Responding, not to say coward
", view of the subject. So long as
the Radicals continue in the possess
ion of the Government, they will
not hesitate to do anything to per-
petuate their power. They have
already taken away the jurisdiction
of the Supreme Conrt to decide
upon the constitutiOnality of the re-
construction measures, but this can
and will be restored. l have great
confidence i'm the sober second
thought of the people. 1t was by
brute force that the amendments
we're carried through the forms Of
ratification, and it is by like force
that they are being executed. Sub
mission is the only alternative in
the presence of a superior force.
1t is the alternative Of a man who,
with a cooked pistol at his head, is
required to surrender his purse.
But it does not follow that the man
robbed shall not only part with his
money, but afterwards voluntarily
ratify the robbery. THIS is. however,
what the New Departurists substan-
TALLY propose to do.
But am regarded as Bourbon,
and am denounced as an old fOgy.
1 am accused of having formed my
ideas of the Constitution and of the
philosophy of the Government from
the teachings of Jefferson, Madison,
Jackson, Chief Justice Marshall and
Clay. 1 am suspected Of having
read the Federatist and the debates
in the Convention which formed the
Constitution Of the United States
Well, 1 might as well own up.
In my young days l was a Clay
man. followed the fortunes of that
great chieftain, until he succu1nbed
to the common enemy and went to
his rest. l heard him disband the
W hig party. that noble old party Of
which he was the accepted cham
pion. 1t was his thanatOrsis. / will
not say that he was inspired, but
will say that he seemed to look into
the future as if he had taken counsel
with something higher than reason
/ became Democrat because the
party was national, not sectional
because it held and taught the true
theory of the government; because
it acknowledged the dual nature o
our system, and insisted upon keep
ing the State and Federal Govern
ments within their respective orbits
They never could have cOilided if the
Democratic theory had been adhered
to. But it the noble old party is tt
become mere organized contes,a an,
for the spoils; if it is to be dis
mantled of everything but its name
1 don't know what am. Ifcunnine
is to take the place of craftsmanship
and principles are TO be made t.
yield to party policy: if ConstitutiOnI
are to be placed upon the footing o
mere statute, subject to be suspend
ed at the pleasure Of a dOminau
party, or to he amended by forcing
IA compliance with the forms .
amendment 10y the use of the baJo
net; if parties are no longer to b'
opponents of great political prin
ciples, but to become mere organized
rings to appropriate the offices ant
treasures of the nation to the us,
and benefit of its own members
then. indeed, it seems to me that, =,
far as the people are concerned, j
matters but little what party MA!