Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-05-25
A Leading Characteristic Of the Repub.
- lican Party.

A contemptuous disregard for the
Constitution, and the official oath to
support it, has been a leading charac-
teristic of the so-called Republican par
ty This results from the fact that this
party came into power upon sectional
strife, and anlmosity, and fanatical ex-
element, in open disregard for the Con-
stitution, and the solemn pledges OF the
public faith upon which the Union was
founded. And by the same degrading
means and contempt of all restraints,
moral and political, it has held on to
power.
Hon. Boswell Horn, of Michigan, who
appears to be a representative man OF
this party in taste, style and sentiment,
made fair exhibition of himself in the
House of Representatives in Congress,
on the Utah contested election case. 1t
was conceded that Mr.. Cannon had
been elected by a large majority OF the
votes cast, and was eligible at the time
of his election. But since this session
of Congress began. law has been
passed abolishing polygamy, and impos-
ing disabilities on polygamists prospect
ice in its terms, and not retroactive.
As Mr.. Cannon had become entitled to
his seat by Uested right, it was claimed
that under the Constitution of the Unit
ed States that right could not be dirested
by subsequent enactment, and more
especially that such a thing could not
be claimed when that subsequent law
was not even in terms retroactive. On
this subject this great constitutional law
yer of the Michiganders said:
'Can any man afford to worry his
brain or waste his time investigating
and debating such caseP Far from it.
Life is too short and time too precious
to be thus wasted. Hence it is say,
Constitution or no Constitution, law or
no law, I will never vote to seat any
such man in this House. 1t seems to
me an insult to ask that such a thing be
done, and a waste of time to debate such
proposition"
Mr. Horr appears to be especially
careful about ''aCasting has tinae.' No
doubt his time is exceedingly precious!
And ''to a0orry his brain' would doubt
less be cruelty to animals. And he ap-
pears to have an adherence of ''inOesti-
eating or debating such CASE A
member of Congress refuse to q investi-
gate or debate question legitimately
before the House! Life is too short,
and time too precious! Wherefore
thl gassy politician concluded, 4" C07aSts-
tuition or no Constitution, l0oo or no ldaU,
he would never vote to seat any such
man in this House, etc. This is the
characteristic of the modern Republican
party. Where the Constitution or the
law conflicts with partisan interests or
partisan prejudice, they are held in the
utmost derision and contempt. And
the official oath to support the Constitu-
ton is utterly ignored and condemned.
With public men of sense and integrity,
the official oath imposes a high obliga-
ton, and disregard of it in official acts
is the crime of perjury. at least in a
moral, if not in legal, point OF view.
But crazed partisans like Mr.. Horr are
wholly incapable of any conception of
the obligation of an official oath, hence
they act independently of the restraints
of either the Constitution or the law
american Register. h'