Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-09-01
MISSOURI DEmOCRACy.

that state are to vote upon. In the
nam. the Democratic members of the
convention were once rebels. The
President of the convention was once
L. :. Senator. and afterwards a
senator of the Confederacy. The in
strument which this convention has
perfected. gives much light upon the
sentiments entertained by the Demo-
cratic party of Missouri. touching the
relations existing between the State
and Federal Government: in other
words. the instrument shows how
lame Is the acceptance of Missouri
Democracy of the results of the re-
bc'lion. II is vital to the welI-bcing.
to The very life of the nation. that the
people should know the real state of
feeling controlling the Democratic
party South. Flippant professions in
the press. on the stump. or gushing
words uttered at hand-shakings in
popular meetings. either North or
south. are one thing. and the action
OF Democracy in Constitutional Con-
vcntion. Is quite another.
The constitution of Missouri contains
in its hill of rights. II declaration of
the inalicnablc rights Of man. This is
| omitted in the new Constitution.
IN l.,.
| cn' one declares thai there shall be no
slavery or involuntary scrvitudc in
the State: in the new this is also
! omitted. The old one declares that
there shall be nocivil disqualification
of any person. white or black, en-
ccpt for crime: this, too. is omitted
in the new.
This shows clearly the animus Of
the minds doing the work of framing
new organic law for the State of
Missouri. This ought to be perfectly
satisfactory. but still further on in the
Bill of Rights, Il change is made, as
clearly suggestive of notification by
state authority Of Federal action. as
can be given in covert language
just rs pointed secession views as
can be needed to convince any honest
man of the intent of the Democratic
source from which it springs. This
| further action of the Convention to
which we refer, is as follows. Sec
tons and of the Bill of Rights of
| the present Constitution, are as fol-
| lows:
| That this State shall ever remain n
| member of the American Union; that
| The people thereof are part of the
nation, and that all attempts, from
| Whatever source. or upon whatever
prcteXi. To dissolve said Union. or to
sever said nation. ought to be resisted
| With the whole power of the State.
| That every citizen of this State owes
| paramount allegiance to the Constitu-
ton aud government of the United
states. and that no law or ordinance
of this State. in contravcntion or sub
version thereof. can have any binding
| force.
The above is omitted in the new
Constitution, and the following sub
slitutcd therefor:
That Missouri is free and indie
| pendent State. subject only to the
Constitution of the L. S.. and as the
preservation OF the States and the
unaintainance of their governments
are necessary TO an indestructible
Mon. and were intended to co-exist
with IL, the Legislature is not author
ICED I" adopt, nor will the people of
this State eNcr NssSn, to .,,As ,.,.,sua-
| mcnt or change of the Constitution of
| the L. =. which may in anywise inn
pair the right of local self-govern-
,ncnt belonging TO the people Of this
State.
That constitutional government is
intended to promote the general wei
fare OF the people: that all persons
have natural right to life. liberty.
and the enjoyment OF the gains Of
their own industry: that to give Sc
cnritr to these things. is the principal
Office at government, and that when
government does not confer this, il
fails of lis chief design.
/, is plainly observable in the see
tions quoted from the new ConStitu-
ton. that the Democracy seek to rem
der imperative the provision for
amcIdin" the Constitution Of the L.
>. by The action of the legislatures of
he States, because il declares that the
Legislature shall be powerless to bind
the State 10 any amendment which in
answisc impairs the right of local
government, belonging to the
State. They do not lodge anywhere.
however. except in the people, the
power 1" determine what would be
an impairment of their local rights.
The whole aim of Missouri Dcmoc-
racy is 10 c,nningly couch in this
language, an excuse for secession and
rebellion. These substituted articles
are in striking contrast TO those for
which they are substituted. If the
American people will not properly
take notice of. and guard against the
elevation TO power of the propaganda
ISIS OF such doctrines, then are they
unworthy OF national unity and uni
versal liberty. Such is really the cast
of the great majority of the Demo-
cratic party South, and just as sure
as Democracy North aided them by
their sympathy and their political ac-
tiou during the rebellion, so do they
Washington.
From Il Knoxville Qa.) JOly nal eX-
ira, we CLEAN that the Democracy of
NJ n riun ..o.r..A,. 1,.,ns,rol A hold q