The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1880-07-28

touching legislation on alienage,
sedition, the embargo, national
banks, our wars with England and
| Mexico. and cannot be ignorant Of
the fact, that for one party to as
sert that law or system Of legisla.
ton is unconstitutional: oppressive
and usurpative, is not new thing
in the United States. That the
people of Texas consider acts Of
Congress unconstitutional, oppres-
sive or insulting to them is of no
consequence to the matter in hand
The President of the United States
has announced his opinion, that
these acts Of Congress are uncon-
stitutional.
The Supreme Court, as you are
aware, not long ago decided un-
animously that certain military
commission was unconstitutional.
Our people everywhere, in every
State, without reference to the
side they took daring the re-
| bellion, differ as to the constitu-
tlonality Of these acts Of Con-
gress. How the matter really is,
neither you nor I may dogmati-
cally affirm. If you deem these
constitutional laws, and beneficial
to the country, you not only have
the rightto publish your opinions,
but it might be your bounden duty
as citizen to do so. Not less is
it the privilege and duty of any
and every citizen, wherever re-
siding, to publish his opinion free
ly and fearlessly on this and every
question which be thinks concerns
his interest. This is merely in
accordance with the principles of
our free government; and neither
you nor | would wish to live un-
der any other. It is time now, at
the end Of almost two years from
the close of the war, we should be-
gin to recollect what manner of
people we are, to tolerate again
free popular discussion, and ex-
tend some forbearance and con-
sideration to opposing views.
The maxims that in all intellec-
tual contests truth is mighty and
must prevail, and that error is
harmless when reason is left free
to combat it, arc not only sound
but salutary. It is a poor COM
pliment to the merits OF such
cause that it's advocates would 81.
lence opposition, by force, and gen:
orally those only who are in the
wrong will resort to this ungen-
erous means. | am confident you
will not commit your serious
judgment to the proposition that
any amount. of discussion Or any
sort of opinions, however un wise IN |
your judgment; or any assertion
or feeling however resentfnl or
bitter, not resulting in the breach
of law, can furnish justification to |
your denial that profound peace
exists in Texas. You might as
we'll deny that profouud peace
exists in New York, Pennsylvania,
Maryland, California, Ohio, and
Kentucky, where a majority Of
the people differ with minority 1
on these questions ;':or5 that pro
found peace exists N the House Of
Representatives, or in the Senate
at Washington, or in the Supreme
Court, where all these. questions |
bave been repeatedly discussed,
and parties respectfully and pal
tiently heard: - 80 '>',>' !.
You next complain that in parts /
of the State (Texas) II is. difficult
to enforce the criminal laws !; that
sheriffs fait to arrest; that:grand
Jurors will not always. :indict..;::
that in some eases the. military, il
acting in aid Of the civil ant a9thlorl-
ties, have not: been able to execute
the process of the Courts; that
the petit jurors have acquitted
persons adjudtged guilty BY. 70 :Xy3o'u'-
and that other. persons charged; ;
with offences have: broke: jail and
fed from prosecution. l .khoW
not how. these things are but 3D.
mitting your Representations Liter
any true, #. for such reasons |
should ses aside the, local tribu-.
nails aad order a military commits,
sion, there is no place in thu . nj,
ted States where it might not be
done with: equal propriety.. There,
is not a State in the Union, North
OF South, w here the like facts are
not continually happening" Per-
fection is not to be predicted OF,
! -. s...,.-kSA\. NJ