Year: 1866

CQIeI JUSTICE va
has written long essay to prove that the
new Constitution of the State, adopted by
the Convention assembled under the require
ments of the President of the United States
while the State was under Provisional
Government, is illegal andvoid. He declares
that the Convention was not legitimate
body, and that the act af the President in
suggestive or ordering tile call, as the case
may be, was an act " of despite usurpation."
He says that the Convention had no right
to make Constitution, or to alter that
which we had and hane." Brought down to
plain point this means that the old Consti-
tuition which existed before the Rebellion is
the only valid one; that the consent of the
Convention of 1865 to the abolition Of slave
ry, and the reputation OF the Rebel debt,
are all void The consequences of such a
doctrine would go so far as to revive slavery,
reaffirm the right of Secession and revoke the
reputation of the Rebel debt. In fact, Chief
Justice Ruffin affirms that affairs are in statu
quo unite bellum. With that principle, also,
will go the ratification of the Constitutional
Amendment abolislling slavery, because 1t
was adopted by a Legislature acting under
an illegal Constitution If Chief Justice
Ruffin isright, everything that has been done
towards restoration since the overthrow of
the Rebellion is wrong. All the Southern
States were reconstructed according to the
Presidents policy, in the same way as North
Carolina. If the proceedings in that State
have been illegal, they have been SO else
where. Slavery is not abolished; the right of
secession is not resigned and the Rebel debt
will have to be paid. We should not Won
der if the doctrines Chief Justice Ruffin
would Immediately become popular through:
out the South. The people Of that section
would willingly restore the old state of af-
fairs if they could, and now that they are
told by high judicial officer that they may
do so, they will exclaim "Oh, righteous
Judge Daniel come to Judgment; ayel
second Daniel. el.'-Philaaelphia Inquirer.


The Inquirer is in error in assuming that
Judge Ruffin is now the Chief Justice Of our
Supreme Court. That high place is at present
more worthily filled by Judge R. NJ. Pearson,
Union man. The writer of this. soon after
his appointment as Provisional Governor,
availed himself of the benefit of the opinions
and advice of Chief Justice Pearson as to the





best mode of recognizing the State govern
mert of orth-Carolina. ChiefJustice Pear
son then held, as he no doubt does still, that
the action of the President was legitimate
and constitutional and that the Convention
had authority to speak and act for the State.
But the opinions of Judge Ruffin, from his
advanced age, his great learning, and the
fact that he had long occupied seat on the
Supreme Court bench, are invested with
almost as much influence as if he were actual
ly in Office. His meie ipse DIRT is the law to
the great body of the secessionists and latter
day war men. -.,


Judge Ruffin was very careful not to hurl
defiance at the President of the United States
until he had obtained his pardon, and the
pardon of all his relatives. He did not COM
mence to preach sedition until he thought
himself secure He thinks the President can
pardon traitors before conviction, and restore
their estates to them, but that, when he at
tempts to enable people who have forfeited
all their rights to establish civil government,
he is an usurper and a despot. Under his
pardon, thus obtained from the President,
he proceeded to sell his lands and make
title. Is it certain that these titles are good
Who can tell what the next Congress will
do9 Suppose that body should sweep away
all that has been done. and declare it null
and void, where will the Judge be? This
question furnishes " food for reflection"