Year: 1866

The Supremacy Of the COHsfifu-


fsOis the only Safeguard for the


Country.


In reply to q writer in one OF the
leading Now England dailios, Of the
Radical faith, who speaks of the trial
of Jefferson Davis by court and jury,
und offsets thereto, saying that "1o
my mind the sovereign and victorious
majority Of the people Of the United
States are superior to the Constitu-
ton" the New York Journal Of Com
meroe argues that:


This notion is one Of the fundamen-
tai errors of the Radical mind. 1t is
Impossible TO reach the reason of men
who believe in this doctrine by any
argument derived from the origin Of
the Constitution II Is no use to tell
them that the Constitution was not
made by the people of one State or
county, but was made by various
States, the ratification by the people
Of each separate sovereignty being
necessary. 1t is ofno use TO tell them
that there is no right in any majority
Of the States to take away from a mi
nority, even of one single State, the
reserved powers which that State has
never voluntarily parted with. 1t is
Of no avail to show them by history
by the records of State and United
States action, that the Constitution IL
self is not subject to, nor the exponent
of the will of the populace


There is nothing whatever in our
national structure which establishes
the majority as the principle Of our
government. Were il so, what would
be the fate of the Radical party? No
one pretonds that it is a majority par
ty. 1t is long since even a President
of the United States has been elected
by a majority Of the people governed.
1t is beyond question that Of the tax
paying, native-born citizens of the
United States there is to-day a MAORI
ty of more than a million against the
Radical party. If our Radical politi-
clans succeed in impressing on the
popular mind the idea that the major.
| ity of the people of the United States
have a right to rule tho United States
without regard to the Constitution
they will soon find that disabilities
created by the will Of a minority in
temporary power, will be swept to
the winds. 1t is a curious blundeT
for sensible men TO make, this doctrine
that a minority may make laws dis
franchising a large portion Of the peo'
pie, and then claim that they rule by
virtue Of being majority. Such an
absurdity will not stand the test of a
moments examination nor could the
power of a minority be sustained
against the majority on any such
grounds.


There is no security for a popular
form of government like ours when
the people become so demoralized as
to teach disregard of constitutional
guarantees As soon as the doctrine
is accepted that the will of the major.
ity is superior to the agreements
grants, stipulations, law-whatever it
be called-of the Constitution, just SO
soon the way is opened for anarchy
and tyranny. If it comes, it will
come like a thunderbolt Nor will il
be the tyranny of that party now in
power. That party could not hold
power for a day in the tempest that
would burst upon it. 1t holds power
now only by virtue of the forms OF
our law, through the processes OF
State and national elections, which
are prescribed by State and national
law. Two Senators from Rhode Island
help to give it the power it exercises
equallng in their votes the force, else


where located, of ten times the popu


lation Of that State. Remove from
the popular mind the respect for thes'
forms of law, these constitutions
agreements for State as well as popu
lar representation in the government
convince the people that the majority
have a right to rule, and the present
r power of Radical Congress woulc
not last through the next days sun
= shine


We beseech Radical men, however
sincere, to look camly at this subject
and recognize the danger to them
selves, if they will not see the peril 4
the country, in this doctrine that
victorious majority have a right 4
override the Constitution