The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-04-09
THE HIGHER LAW.

States rights men Of the South had
always denied the authority Of the
Supreme Federal Court to decide
the differences between the States
and the Government, while it very
earnestly urged, in behalf Of its own
party. that The decision Of the
Federal tribunals was the highest
power Of construction known TO
the law" We replied to the article
of the Republican Of the 3Oth Of March
and showed that the doctrine OF the
"bigher law" originated with the Re
publican party. and that that party had
uniformly repudiated the Constitution
and the DEGREES Of the Supreme Court,
whonever they FLASHED with its peculiar
views. At the same time we predicted
that before the expiration OF n week the
country would hear q tiger-like growl
from the leader of tho Republican party
against the decisions OF tho Supreme
Court i'm the Louisiana and Kentucky
cases, emasculating the Enforcement
act.
Our prediction has been literally full
/
printed before the telegraph brought us
tho denunciations of the decision Of
the court by Morton and Boutwell,. In
tho Senate Morton said. " ii the Su-
prcme Court gave tho construction TO
the constitutional amendment claimed
for it, !, for one repudiate ii and altGdys
shall" Mr.. Boutwell, was even more VIC
lent in his language. Unexpected this.
The origin and history OF the Rcpub-
lican party show it to be q party OPP
posed to the Constitution party OPP
posed to our whole theory Of govern
msnt; q higher law party; a party
Of rule or ruin. Before the
war it proclaimed the supremacy
OF the "higher law" or in other
words, the subordination OF the Consti-
tuition to the fanaticism and ambition Of
violent and revolutionary faction.
Before the war it damned the Constitu-
ton as q league with the devil and q
compact with 2hell it denounced the
solemn decisions of the Supreme Court,
and affirmed that the will OF the Wen
dell Phillips and John Browns was the
supreme law Of the land the higher
law" of the Union. But the earnest
affirmation OF the Republican, in its
article of tho 3Oth ult., that the Supreme
Court was ''the highest power of con
struction known to the law" was calcu-
lated to impress tho unsophisti-
Gated reader with tho belief that
it, and its party, had, in truth,
become the champions Of the Consti
tuition and the courts. The issue OF the
Republican Of yesterday morning, how
ever, dispels utterly this delusion. The
Republican has evidently hoard the
muttcrings Of Morton and Boutwell,
against the decision OF the court. 1t
spoke too hastily in appreciation Of the
determinations OF that high tribunal
The news has since come that the court
has not determined in accordance with
the views and wishes of Morton and
Boutwell,. and so the Republican tlops
over and becomes the loud and violent
denunciator OF the court, and the
blatent, barcfaced, shameless advocate
of the "higher law" Not ten days
ago this precious sheet could find
no words too strong with which
to denounce Democrats and Southern
men who, it assumed, had dared to
think for themselves in opposition to
tho decisions Of the courts. Now, how
ever, that the court of highest authority
in the Republic has determined against
its peculiar views and denounced the in
famous policy OF its infamous party, the
Republican has the effrontery to say
"No decision Of the Supreme or any
other court can bind q treemdn's UiH
to an obnorious principle" This is
about as audacious a piece OF impudence
as we have ever met with. If the
DEMOCRAT, or any other Democratic
paper, or any Democratic leader, had
uttered these words, the Republican
would have blazoned them to the world
as tho reasonable utterances of unre-
new rebellion as the lawlcss and in
cendiary sentiments Of men who should
be prescribed and put under the ban OF
the government. But this organ OF
carpetbag thieves this champion OF the
Packards and Beckwiths this hounder
on Of the prosecutors Of Southern citi-
liens; this apologist Of negro riots, or
ganized to violate white women,
murder white men and raw
age whole parishes with fire and
sword; this accuser of the motives
and principles of honest men who pre-
tend to entertain opinions hostile to the
Republican party, the moment the Su-
preme Court Of the United States, one
of the highest and most venerated tri-
bunals in Christendom, DEGREES that the
unjust, cowardly, and yindictiye legisla-
ton OF the Republican party is contrary
to the constitution and the theory of
the American Government, lifts up its
voice in denunciation Of that court, and
echoing the reasonable sentiments of
its masters, Morton and Boutwell,. af-
firms that the DEGREES of the court are
binding upon nobody who chooses to dis
agree with them. This is fair speci-
men of the reasoning of the Republican
party, and it shows plainly as possible
that its purpose is to hold possession Of
the Government and tyrannize over the
South in defiance OF the law, at any and
all hazards.
The Republican goes back to 1856, de-