Year: 1863

why appropriations Were not Made.


The Journal in an article over column in
length attempts to exculpate the minority in the
Legislature for not permitting the passage of the
appropriation bills and other necessary legsla-
ton. Ii charges the majority with the design of
establishing Provisional Government and de-
posing the Governor of the State" through the
agency of the military bill. Is there sane man
in the State who Sill give credence to such
ridiculous statement That measure did not
contemplate depriving the Governor of single
constitutional prerogatve, but its only purpose
was to place the direction of the State military
affairs under the control Of the people as far as
possible and to prevent the distribution of the
arms OF the State exclusively to political par
tsans. This policy is strictly in accordance with
the theory o. our democratic or republican form
of government, aud if the people cannot be
trusted with the direction of their own affairs,
constitutional government, government of the
people. such as the citizens of the United States
thought they enjoyed before the advent of .he
present Administration into power. is a failure.


The Journal says the stand taken by the Re
publican conspirators in TIE House arerted the
horrors of civil war How? There was no
intention whatever among the Democrats to bring
such calamity upon the State. and they pro-
posed no measures which were not constitutional
and to which the minority should not have cheer
fully submitted. In what way then did the seces
sionists avert civil war? The only answer we
can divine is. by employing revolutionary meas
ures to defeat the will of the maority in legisla-
tion-or resistance to constitutional laws enacted
bv the representatives of majority of the people.
Could there have been. or can there be, IA more
infamous conspiracy against the Government than
this? If min0rities have the constitutional right
to defeat legislation by revolutionary means, as
the Republican leader of the House declared in
his place they had, then what right has the Ma
tional Administration TO attempt the enforcement
of the national authority the States which
shave seeded from the Union? The minority
has no more right to refuse to submit to the will
of the majority in than in the other.


The sole reason why appropriations were not
made was, that factous minority in the House
conspred to defeat legislation. The Republican
consprators treasonably absented themselves
from their seats lett the city in fact so that the
House was without il quorum for ten days. and
thus was unable to legislate according to the
requirements of the Constitution. Every bill
which the Journal saws should have been passed,
and which the good of the State demanded,
would have been, If the Republican minority in
the House had not prevented. In doing the
conspirators violated the Constitution their oaths
Of office and dshonored the State. The Repub
lican members of the Legislature are solely
responsible for the failure of necessary legislation
They stad away even after they had the power
to control legislation, to defeat any measure
obnoxious TO them and TO have adopted the
legislation which was necessary to maintain the
honor and good faith of the State.


The Republicans now attempting to do the
very thing which they falsely charged upon the
Democrats-the establishment of Provisional
Government. Ii is given out that the Governor
intends to administer the State Government upon
his own responsibility, and we understand he re-
Gently advised Director of one of the Prisons
that he would furnish the means necessary to
carry it on if thev would retain the o.d officers!
Where does His Excellency tiud authority for the
exercise of such extraordinary powers? Does
the Constitution invest him with the right to
borrow and disbur,e money upon his own
responsibility? Is not this attempt to play the
Dictator upon small scaleY The outgivings OF
the Governors friends furnish the evidence that the
bolt of the Republican conspirators of the House
the commencement of vile conspiracy
against the Constitution and Government, which
will result in "A ridiculous failure. The people
will never submit to such petty dictation. Again
we say. the sole reason why appropriations were
not made by the Legislature can he briefly stated:
the Republicans would not permit it to be done.
They successfully and wickedy conspired to de
feat them