The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-11-23
Is the Constitution a Nullitya

iuu sOdiclttieS verge upon lunacy. Inc !
very esscnsc OF our political Institutions is
Liberty regulated by Lava liberty that
contributes to the development Of the intel
lections of mankind. yet respects the rights
of persons and property, each recognizing
the equality of the other ir the munimcnts of
citizenship.
This cardinal rule IN The government OF So
ciety has been the boast OF our political sys
ten. It is the fruit OF the education of the
people for generations past. They were born
TO freedom. and had to encounter no conflict
ing system. or faction cssaying to inuaguratc
an antagonizing form. IT. no other govern
ment has such liberal indulgence OF personal
liberty stopped short Of anarchy.
The realization of this personal freedom,
has carried with it a conservative influence,
III that it draws strict the limit wherein it
-honld move without encroaching upon the
mmunities guaranteed to others.
These general propositions are the out
growth OF OIL, system of representative
Democracy. The people have heretofore chung
to them, and regarded as treason, or at least
as the evidence Of bad citizenship, any de-
parturc therefrom. The seyercst test that was
ever applied to people, waS the fugitive slave
law The Northern people had been ralica-
ted To believe human slavery moral blot
upon o,lr civilization, but so long IS the Con-
| sttuton Of their country recognized the IN
| stituiion. and guaranteed the right Of prop
! erty in human beings, the great mass OF Them
| submitted patiently to the supreme law In
the light OF rccent history. we can form some
| idea Of the deep devotion If the Northern
/ masses TO forms OF Law. when we consider the
! question OF slavery in IFS moral and religious
| aspect There are no influences which so ut
| terly subordinate reason rs those arising from
prcjutliccs instilled and encouraged by moral
aversons, and there could be no higher attes.
taton Of the paramount devotion Of the Nor
| thern people 10 the forms OF law, than their
submission to the constitution with the fugi-
tive Slave clause Incorporated in il. So long
as chattel slavery existed, the laws protect
ing it were recognized, with here and there
an exception. 1t was 4 barbarous legal pro-
vision, as the institution itself was an insult
and challenge thrown in tie face OF the civ
ilized world. 1t had nothing in morals or re-
ligion: Or public policy, to redeem it from the
b.ackest and most pestiiero,is tyranny that
ever inocnlated the body polite. 1t was 4
damnning sin in the eyes Of heaven, for
which, in all probability. sufficient atone
ment has not been made, in the dcsolation
that followed the current Of blood in its de-
tense. We believe in temporal as well as eter-
nal purishments, and that retributionq,
| mysterious and inexplicable, are visited with
terrible severity upon the children of men to
the third and fourth generations.
So long as slavcy existed, and the consti-
, tuition respected it, and guaranteed the right
to ownership in human flesh, all the powers OF
government were exercised to the enforce
ment Of the law, supplemented by the 10y
, al cndeavors Of men and communities who
despised the institution itself. Here was sig
miflcantly Illustrated that obedience to law
which accompanies patriotic devotion to free
f government. The law was recognized as SUI
preme over mental, moral and religious coli-
vctions, viewing the question of slavery ab-
T stractly. 1t was an evil that had to be toler-
ated and even protected because it had the
sanction of the law. and here was testi-
mony to a civilization that found its highest
attainment in the very act of submission.
The constitution as it now is, witt. the
misunderstanding slavery. and confer.
ring the rights of citizenship, including the
elective franchise. Isl binding asst was before
these engrafments were made. 1t presents
the same test OF civilization ard obedience
10 law, the same demand to subordinate pref
utlice to law, to conserve the common inter.
csts and peace, by observing law, to the
South, as did the constitution as it was, tc
the people of the North, and what result
confronts MS?
The amendments to the Constitution, al
though adopted under all the sanctions thai
could attend so grave matter, are practical
, utilities. It is true, cliattcl slavery il
:, rot claimed or demanded; but every other
= kind of slavery is substantially being inargi.
rated. Take the recent elections in the Cot
/
the startling fact, that the exercise OF the
rights conferred and guaranteed by the SUI
i. preme law of the land is attended With ths
peri! of life, and in many instances The sac
. rificc Of life. Freedom of thought and Tho
!, privilege OF expressing il at the ba:lo. box
one OF the most sacred immunities that at
taches TO citizenshp--is utterly denied, il
!. directed to the maintenance of national Laws
, and national authority. The highest attri
butcs Of mankind, andcr our political sys
muzzle OF the derringer or the heavy thut
OF the blmdgeon, to prejudices and hatred t6
the very Constitution that is the cardinal
law Of the country. The whole machinery
, OF government is sought to be operated, anC
the chief Executive of the nation chosen
through fragrant disregard Of the guarantees
of the Constitution. No rational man will
, contend that the election OF 4 President by
the votes of Alabama, Georgia, and Missis'
, sipp in the recent contest, would not he &C
assault upon and total subvcrsion OF the
Constitution. as amended. The guarantee
of suffrage was practically nulll1ed, anc
forcibly perverted to the elevation of those
who are arrayed against the consummations
of history. It will not do to say that the
negro Is no. capable of discharging this i'm
pcrtant function of citizenship. He has the
right under the Constitution TO do so, and te
interfere with that right, or seek to infiu
, ence it by force or fraud, is a direct assault
upon the Constitution itself; ard this i'm.
, rregnation Of fraud or force, vtiates the en-
, tire transaction aud the end aimed at. There
. are men who will present themselves at the
a bar OF Congress to take the obligation te
support the Constitution of the United
States, who have ruthlessly trodden upon the
: cardinal principle of that Constitution in
their march to Washington. They will b.
there in utter violation and subverscn OIL
the Constitution, and will have 10 Legal
,toI,t -, or IS, tI,, Conncf}c oft tho potfop