New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-11-07
THE POPULAR WILL.

fourth time condemned the old Democratic
aristocratic, sectional policy. with its one
sided construction Of the constitution, ant
selfish craftsmanship. The competence
and Jurisdiction Of the tribunal 20 whom
the appea! has just been made. and by
whom it has been decided. can not be
| questioned. It is composed Of the people
Of . great nation, acting in their individual
and collective sovereign capacity. This
! power is superior 60 all statute law, 20 the
constitution itself. FOR Shese latter are
megeIy the creatures 0! the popular VIII,
| framed for the guidance Of pubic se:vants.
and for the protection Of ind!viIDa! rights
against the exactionS and expressions Of
the strong hand, whether o1-ic..a! o. prie
yateo The constitution, whether w.ittep
or traditional, depends solely upon this
same popular will for its existence, tor
without tilt could not endure :oE q day. 4
! constitution is defined TO be 3 system Of
laws adopted by q community for its own
guidance 1t is NOT sacramen:aI or IN"
changeabIe in its character. bu! may be
altered, amended or abolished altogether
| by the power that gave it being as readily
and properly as may an ordinance or
statute founded upon it. The !egis-
lative, executive and ju1icia! dc.
| partments of the government: are
strictly bound by its mandates: but the
people rise superior TO it and control it.
Even political parties are not bound by i:
In their platform they may propose meas.
ures without limit, even though they strike
at the essential features Of the written in
stEument, which is justly regarded as su.
premeiy binding upon all anti! repealed.
For the popular will Is merely mandatory.
but in no respect executive or ministerial
in its character. The people. when repre-.
sented in their conventions BY delegates
duly chosen and clothed with the proper
authority. OF at The polls, speaking through
the baliot-boS. address themselves &c Con-
gyess, 70 the President. 20 the States and
TO the Legislatures Of States in the
language Of paramount authority Their
"oice is the utteyance Of sovereign power,
and establishes the rules for the guidance Of
all. As the popular will thus expressed
is supreme. j: is despotic. and that is all
the .lespotism we can have in this country.
for despotism is nothing more nor less
than irresponsible power. It is the priYi-
lege Of every citizen TO assist in directing
this popular will; to instruc: the people,
and to argue before them any cause that
the advocate may deem for the best in. f,
terGsf Of all, or without limitation. But |
to rail against adverse decisions and az.
raign the free voters Of America as
despots. because they rejec: villa: they
do not like and adopt measures that APP.
pear to them to be wise is 20 DEFY Lawful!
and stir up seiitioro
The constitution is our highest written
law. but yet is subject to mutations when
it fails to satisfy the popular expectations.
The amendments TO that instrument; and
the reconstruction laws enacted to enforce
them. being the latest expressions Of the
popular will upon vital points. are well
lefped charts for our guidance. Pgac:i-
ally. they are paramount. and tos The
present. at least, no! likely to BE changed.
They are to be obeyed in !e:te. and in
;pirit, and should he respected By every
veil disposed citizen o. accoun: os the
!igh source from. whence they e:aanate.
It IS idle TO indulge il post norton re.
To say 20 eight millions Of
,oters that they have departed from the
':rgnia and Kentucky resolutions Of $
$ to subject ones sell % .ilicqIe: for
hree.ftths Of them are unacgiain:e! with
be profound emanatious 50 long and
early cherished by the friends Of oil.
archy. while half Of the remainder IN.
ecst"nd and repudi0to them. What was
one by the old statesmen eighty years
80 vas we'll enough at the time, and per. ,
APPS wisely done. but their sons and
randsons Of the present day are entitled {
, the same privileges they enjoyed. It
III not be possible that all the political
isdom persisted from the earth with the ,
st of our revolutionary fathers. And it !
more than doubtful whether they could, +
alive at this day. organize a better sys. 4
IA Of government than their posterity >
we built up. If the viii Of the Amer. +
Il people be really despotisn, 50 be it. >,
is one that must be submitted TO GntiI r
9se who do not like it can have it ;.
anged by common consent. There is :,
appeal to any other tribdna! no re 4
sorry power to listen to complaints and !
verse the high DEGREES. !,
But we deny that there has Been any
ridgment Of personal liberty since the
r. That is, no person has been de-
we'd Of natural right. There has been S
extensive leyeling Of inequalities. The Ct
slave has been elevated to in
. same political plane with his former Of
ster. The tongue Of his philanthropic re
end has been ioosened 70 speak il his 81
lalf whenever and wherever he may 4
nix proper. Thought has been Sc: free ?;
the war for the fgst time il the history til
the nation. There IS 10 penalty even o.
assailing the government: in the most N
ust and unreasonable terms. Special 70
class privileges have been abolished. vi
the road to preferment and prosper. pr