Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-03-05

| hhNo DtCu Nuutu W luC Nuu vi I'LL
thirteenth, fourteenth, and the fifteenth
articles of amendment. At the end o
the thirteenth amendment we read
Congress shall have power to en-
force this article by appropriate legis
lation."
And at the end Of the fourteenth the
same franc of words, and at the enc
of the fifteenth the same frame o
words. Now what did Mr.. Hamilton
say on that subject2 read from the
Federalist, page 203:
"The last clause of the eighth sec.
tion of the first article of the plan un.
der consideration authorizes the Ma,
tional Legislature TO make all laws
which shall be necessary and proper fos
carrying into execution the 2olCers by
that Constitution vested in tho Gov.
ernment OF the United States, or In
any department or officer thereof and
the second clause of the sixth article
declares that the Constitution and the
laws of the United States made in pur-
sudnce thereof, and the treaties made
by their authority, shall be the su.
preme iap OF the land anything IN the
constitution or laws OF any State to
the contrary notwithstanding
These two clauses have been the
source Of much virulent invective, and
petulant defamation, against the Con.
stitution. They have been held up to
the people in all the exaggerated col
ors Of Misrepresentation as the per-
nicious engines by which their local
governments were to be destroyed,
and their liberties exterminated as
the hideous monster whose devouring
jaws would spare neither sex nor age,
nor high nor low, nor sacred nor pro.
fame; and yet, strange as il may ap.
pear, after all this camor, TO those
who may not have happened to con-
template them in the same light, il
may be affirmed with perfect conf.
dence that the constitutional opera
ton OF the intended government would
be precisely the same, if these clauses
were entirely obliterated. as il they
were repeated in every article. They
are only declaratory of a truth, which
would have resulted by necessary and
unavoidable implication from the very
act OF constituting federal govern.
ment, and vesting II with certain spe-
Gifted powers. This is 80 clear a prop
osition that moderation itself can
scarcely listen to the railings which
have been so copiously vented against
this part OF the plan, without emo
tions that disturb its equanimity.'
But we have gavely heard in the
judicial forums from the counsel Of the
Federal Government, and in this
Chamber and by these resolutions
which are saturated icith the same idea,
and are intended to claim, that there
is substantive and distinct grant OF
power in the language which have
read and have best answered by
showing that the power was i'm
ported into the Constitution because il
grew from the very nature Of the Gov
ernment. That IS to say, where you
grant inc necessary means 10 eAe'
cute ~
1t Is true that we have witnessed
and are to-day witnessing, in defiance
oil the spirit and the letter OF these de-
cisions OF the Supreme Court and Of
the reasoning upon which they are
based, the continued prosecution and
punishment OF men in various courts
OF the United States for alleged viola
tion OF the civil rights, and among 9th.
ers the right OF suffrage OF citizens.
have understood that cases OF appeal
are on their way now for final adJudi
cation by the Supreme Court OF the
United States to test tho lawiulness oi
TINS action.
Slr, those cases cannot be heard and
decided 100 soon, because II the claim
oil power which has been made can be
sustained the people oil this country
are confronted directly with the iac'
that the poiitlcai party, whenever u
may be, yours today, mine tomorrow
which gets possession OF the govern
ment mas almost hmitiess ana crush
ing power 10 sustain itseli forever
Under such a power as claimed ane
exercised by these Judges OF the unl
leu o'atcS courts ,he rlgnis Oh 'n'
states are as naughti tney are grount
10 powder they are idie words anc
unless they can DC rehaDllltated anC