Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1872-04-26
a Retrospect,

led on by Jefferson and the elder Adams---the
broad and distinctive lines of demarcaton
WERE then marked out-~the one party, Repub-
licans, contenling for a strict construction Of
tho Constitution, the Other for q latitudinous
construction OF that Instrument. The one con-
tending that Congress had no power 10 legis-
late outside of the granted powers in which
were clearly stated what they had the right 10
DO, the other coihending that they had the
right to pass all laws necessary and proper TO
carry these granted powers into effect This
was the distinguishing features between the
two parties, who were led on by the brightest
:ntellects Of the day and whose lances were
poised in each qpadrennal contest for period
of more than half a century. During that time
the country was expanded by the acquisition
of territory and increase Of population, thus
enlarging the sphere of legislation, which
brought the great minds Of the day into col
lison as each pressed his views upon the con-
stitutional questions that arose. So fearful
were the Republicans that the Federalists
would override the barriers of the Constitution
and infringe upon the rights Of the States that
the Virginia Legislature passed the celebrated
Resolutions of 90 and 90, which were after
wards re-afirmed in the equally celebrated
kentucky Resolutions. These expounded the
true theory of the government and are only
referred to now to prove the character of the
government. The purchase Of Louisiana by
Mr Jefferson was resisted by the Federalists,
while the Alien and Sedition laws passed I'M
der the administration of the elder. was
resisted by the Republicans. The constitution
atty of the Louisiana purchase has never since
been questioned and to this day reflects the
wisdom aud the sagacity OF the statesman
President, and the repeal of the Sedition laws
proved the correctness of the opinions express
ed by the opponents of that measure.
And this principle of strict and latitudinous
construction ran through all the discussions
both in and out of Congress up to the break
ing out of the late disastrous war. Hence it
was that the Democrats opposed the establish-
ment of United States Bank and appropria-
tons to improvements by the General Govern
ment TO works that were not OF National i'm
porlance, the Federalists afterwards called
Whigs) always favoring their adoption But
since the war theae old landmarks have been
washed away by the best blood of the country
and the Radicals have run riot with constitu-
tonal law and held high carnival over their
enactments. 1t is TO bring the government
back 10 its ancient moorings that the Demo-
Gratis are now contending-for this purpose
tl,n, nil 4
grapple with the living issues of the day, al
ways, however, contending for the great Dem
ocratic principle Of strict construction, and for
this pnrpose they call upon all the friends Of
constitutional liberty everywhere to come TO
the rescue.
1t is no part of our purpose to enter into
political disqnisition or TO pursue this subject
through its historical surroundings but sim
ply to call TO mind the true theory n our GO
xernmen, and to show the reader that the ex-
ercise of all doubtful powers was resisted by
the Republicans (since called Democrats) in
the better days of the Republic, when the gov
eminent was administered by such men as
Madison, Monroe, and jackson, and the laws
expounded by Webster Marshall, and a
fancy, compared with which the Republicans
OF the present day are but as ''Hyperion to a
Satyr" while the Constitution under their
construction is mere rope Of sand, and from
their enactments made to mean any and every
thing. By it poor Mrs, Surrat was jjudicially
murdered-by it the unfortunate people of
South Carolina are hunted like wild beasts,
M; ho, al
der the infamous Ku-IIlux act--by it State
Legislature has been surrounded with Calling
guns and made to do its bidding-by it the
present Chief Magistrate would annex San Do
mingo TO the United States, and by it he would
centralize the powers of the Federal head, strip
the States of their rights, and make them mere
dependencies upon the government and place
them under the control of despot. To this
we are fast verging, aud ''to this complexion
it must come at last" unless the people arise
in their might, and assert their high preroga-
tiye--that of debating 10 their servants and
not permitting the servants TO become the
masters. There is too much toadyism, too
much sycophancy to Gen. Grant, whose brain
has been turned by the adulation heaped upon
him. His Sixty THOUSAND Office holders are
already in the field, urging the faithful 10
discharge Of their duty. Against these and
the money and bayouets of the government
have the homes. masses TO contend-the array
is formidable, it is true, but
'Truth crushed TO earth will rise again.
The eternal lears of God are hers;
While wcuaded error writhes in pain,
Aud dies among lis worshippers."
And error has received a wound-heen woun-
ded in the house of its friends, Greeley and
SchuTz, and Upton, Parker Trumbull, and
Gov. Palmer, and thousands Of others, have
given TO it death blow, and many OF these
will soon be on their way to Cincinnati, where,
doubtless, the unsiehtly corse viii be exposed
in all the stencil of its rottenness.
This Cincinnati movement is no iale affair
it is causing intense alarm in the Radical
ranks and every means is taken to belittle it
notwithstanding every mail brings the intelli-
gencc Of large and enthusiastic meetings of the
people being held all over the country endors.
rug the movement and appointing delegates IL
attend the Convention if the Radicals hug
this delusion TO their bosom they will be in as
bad condition as that old sinner who declin-
oa going into The Ark, telling Noah be didn't
think there would be much of a shower
Z" A bad excuse better than none" The
Baltimore Anefic4n admits that the Germans