Year: 1864


dains three departments of government-Executive,
Legislative and Judiciary. They are co ordinate in
dignity and authority, and each in Its sphere su-
preme as against the others. The successful at
tempt of one of these departments to subordinate
the others would be revolution. The combination
of two of them to destroy the other would be con-
spiracy. The Constitution would be overthrown
and the liberties of the people subverted if such
procedure were tolerated. Is there no occasion to
think of thS2 Let us


In our issue of yesterday we mentioned the pas
sage by an almost unanimous vote of the Senate Of
q bill repeating the exemption of those who have
placed substitutes in the service. This bill, having
been rushed through the House, where it originated
with most undigni6ed if not indecent precip ipitancy
requires now but the signature Of the President to
become an act OF the merits of the bill we have
already spoken. 1t may now be regarded as a law
We wish at this time only to make some passing
comments upon the tone manifested in Congress in
the debates upon this measure. A Senator (Air
Orr, of S. CO. among other objections to the pas
sage Of the bill grayely questioned its legality. "If
the pending bill becomes law" said Mr. O., There
will be great difficulty in executing it. by reason Of
the decisions of the courts in several of the States
We must acquesce in the decisions of the courts
or resort to measures which he was not prepared
for" A Senator from Missouri, OIr. Clark, repre-
sentng constituency wholly beyond the action and
control of laws, replied in urging its passage
that "in regard to the action of the courts steps
may and should be taken to remove the subject
beyond their Jurisdiction" The Senator from Mis-
sissippi (Mr. Brown goes further: We should
not defer our legislation to consult the views of
every State Judge-to ascertain whether he will
overthrow it or not by his judicial decision. We
have high duties to perform. Let US perform them
without reference to State Judges. There was
remedy against the interference of the courts in
the suspension of the writ of ha6eas corpus" The
vote of Congress upon this measure shows to what
extent the provisions of the Constitution are get
ting to be dsregarded in the Legislative branch
and how far revolutionary sentiment already prevails
in that body. The strength of the popular respect
for our government, and the good sense Of the
quiet Masses may for the moment allow such decla-
rations to pass without disturbance. The little
respect in which substitute men are held may ntu-
ence q temporary acquiescence in them. But the
intelligent and ardent lover of his country cannot
witness such proceedings with indifference, nor will
he with submission.


There Is as much patriotism and intelligence out
of the Halls of Congress in it. and the tendency
of the Legislative and Executive declaration so far
this session to subverson OF the liberties OF the
country and military despotism, is already sowing
the seeds of counter revolution Our people claim
it as their right the duty of the general govern
ment to ensure to them, the basis of the compact
by which they have associated together that the
Confederacy is but community Of sovereign States
ThaY look to the Constitution as the Supreme Law



blessings for which they indebted to their ances-
try, that they transmitted to a written Consti-
tuition 1t received the pghted faith of our fathers
1t is the hope of our posterIty. To argue questions
outside or above it is but to assa the cause of law
of right and order. The wise men who so recently
remodeled our present government may have doubt
ed its perpetuity when they saw wreck after wreck
floating the tide ftime of the short lived Repub
lies which had preceded tham. Remodeled, too,
after bitter experience from violation of the old
chart and at a time when clouds and darkness were
lowering u.s. they gave it to Us and we took it
the anchor ofhope to cling to in hS coming storm.
We took it as our reliance, as our ;uPrene law /;
and the Congress or Executive who would now
throw it aside would perlure their oath 10 abide by
It willingly in letter and spirit to renG.r 1t obe-
dence and to support and maintain it, and neither
in conscience conduct to ever transcend it.


Should the poison Of the doctrine to which we
have referred taint the reverence of our people for
this fundamental chart-should the insidious coun-
ellis of representatives corrupt the very stamina
of our goveTnment-what antdote can restore 1t to
health and honor Should our people be brought
to despise the weakness of their government, or
suspect its intentions of hostility to the general well
fare, the slightest irregularity, the exercise of any
unauthorized power, whether by principal or subor-
dinate officers will be sufficient to arouse their an
cry clamors, or almost to make them rise in arms
against it. There is a spirit Of resistance in tho
hearts of our countrymen. They value life not by
its conveniences, but by the independe nee and dig
nifty of its condition. At this nome Mt we appeal
only to the discretion of Congress, before they
arouse the jealous uadnesa Of our people.-Rlch
Rhi0.