Year: 1879

These brigadiers want to rule the whole
Government rs they ruled the unholy G.
$. 4.
TIE CONSTITUTION OR REVOLUTION.


As often as once week, since the Demo-
Gratis determined TO inaugurate scheme of
coercion toward the President, and of revo-
luton, if needs be, TO render coercion efiec-
tive, the organ of the party, or rather, per-
haps, the trumptor for the Confederacy, has
put its brazen instrument to its lips and
blared TO the country that the Democrats
are thoroughly in earnest in the mischief
they have in hand. This is so often re-
peated that the people cannot fail to under
stand it. Then these piping notes of diabol-
ism are not unsupported. In the Senate
the reputed leader of the Confederate hosts,
Senator BECK, of Kentucky, made public
declaration of the programme which had
been invented in caucus, and which was the
Democratic ultimatum. His bugle blast of
revolution has been re-cchoed by his South
ern coadiutors in this great crime day by
day SINCE until the Senate on Friday fully
enlisted under the banner of King Caucus
for the consummation of their designs. In
the House, Mr.. BLACKBURN, who repre-
sents in part the dark and bloody ground of
Kentucky, proclaimed relentless war
against the laws Of Congress that had been
born rs the results of the rebellion, which
had been enacted in the interests of peace,
order, justice, and right, and which were
essential to good government and the future
harmony, prosperity, and happiness of the
country rs reconstructed and represented
in Congress. BLACKBURN had his followers
and claQuers in the House, as BECK had i'll
the Senate and the crusade against the war
measures, as the laws Of eighteen years are
termed, has been pushed with unremitting
vigor, until on Friday last, what the rcvo-
lutionsts term their first victory, was
achieved in the passage of the army appro-
priation bill, with revolutionary attach
ments, in the Senate by strict party vote.


On Saturday the pensioned trumpeter of
the Confedcracy attempted again to intimi-
date the country by fresh blast, in which
we find it announced with terrible empha-
sis that "the Democrats in Congress are
thoroughly in earnest in the matter Of the
political questions now before Congress"
| We suppose this is intended for the eye OF
the President, and TO serve to warn him how
terribly in earnest the Coniederates have
become under the banner of Democracy in
their determination to starve the Govern
ment if he presumes to assert his preroga'
tive against their caucus plans and purposes
While this is not said i'll so many distinct
words the inference is too plain to be lostu
the mind The President will have this pio
neer measure ofmischief before him perhap;
to-day for his approval OF objection. The oc
casion is seized to warn him that the De
though he has the right to veto lie must be
ware how he exercises that right, for it il
the right of Congress to pass bill
in such form as it desires or re
fuse to pass them at all !" and yet it in
sanely advises the President that mo coer
cion of the Executive can ensue from TIN
exercise of this power" and that if co
ercion comes at all, it must be from th
Executive" With this warning ringin,
in his ears the country expects that tn
President will SET the foot of his veto powe
down upon this measure with fatal force
1t not only expects such action on his part
but it has full confidence that this expecta
ton is not to be disappointed.


This Democratic oracle has either forgo
or is ignorant of the fact that the Consti
tuition requires of Congress that it shal
make appropriations for the support of tn
Government in the discharge of its func
tions. 1t cannot do this without the ap
proval of the Executive, for this is a re
quirement of the Constitution also. Then
if Congress shall pass an appropriation bill
so laden with extraneous political matte
that it raises insurmountable objections
and it is vetoed on that account, it become
the duty of Congress, if it has not the con
stitutional power to override the veto, t
pass another bill more in accord with Ex
ecutive sense Of right, and thus accomplis


what is constitutional duty. To neglec
this and leave the Government withou
appropriations isrevolutOn and nothing les
Hence Congress cannot divide this respOnsi
sibility with the President, for the Constitu
tion confers nopower upon the President, ex
cept that of approval or objection, and then
leaves Congress to act under the require
ment which explicitly demands of it tina
it shall make needed appropriations for th
support of the Government. To attempt
coerce the President to approve meNsur
which is inconsistent with his sense @
right and duty is revolutionary, and henc
it remains for Congress to determine 70


itself whether it will subordinate itself


the requirements of the Constitution in it
action, or enter upon the line Of reyolu


ton. Both doors are now open to it and


is for it to decide which one it will ente


Tho responsibility is all on the shoulders c
Congress and is placed there by the Con
stitutiOn.


THEY ARE GRIMLY MARCHING ON.


The degradation of our nation is complet


in the spectacle of men fleeing from tn
places of their nativity to seek peaceiu
| ox,o, Il, n utranoa land The nOlOred rae