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ttlktte
Office, 225 Washington Avenue, Democrat Hall ; Editorial Rooms, Ohio Levee, over Barclay's Drug Store.
DAILY EDITION.
FRIDAY EVENING, MAKOK 5, 1869.
JOHN II. OBERLY & CO.
AMOItfll '
lliifk, V
8
OFFICIAL PAPER OF COUNTVAXl) CITV
A llliMAIlKAHU-: OLA lit L
Mil.
llAh'KICS IMUtALF.
Mr Bnkor'a friends jiny lilm a very doubl
fal compliment when thoy usort ho fcliould
bo elected circuit judjjo "bocnuso hu I out of
employment I'' Wo can think of no moro
rri tn objection to lilm thnn this very fact.
It nrguo? strongly Against hU Jltncss for the
position to which ho aspires, beeuino lawyers
of ability are never nocoMurily idle, or with
ot,t a living patronage. Tliu fact, therefore,
(.f it is .1 fact) that ho is out of cmploymont,
rniiy 1j accepted" ns evidenco of one of three
thing that ho has not been successful as a
lawyer for the want of ability; that ho hns
n" g!c ted the husiiMK confldud to him, or
that ho ha abandoned the profession. Hit
jrcf. burial Inaotlvlty ciinnot be accounted
Ui .h.rwhw, because wo know of no lawyer
of 1 vi n nverngo ability in Cairo, who fulls, in
t.:e .rsuit of bis profession, to find constant
t .iployment, more or los lucrative. Either
of U.i explanation, would tel! against .Mr.
Baker, for, if ho luck ability, he should not
bejudg.-. if ho isu cnrelu, negligent pro
f.:.jnal man, he should not bo judgo; nor
V i1 1 he Ims judK'i if ho has abandoned Ills
Ikk ks and his uulling. Tho incumbont ot the
Ik. 'j 'X juld not only bo a good lawyer, but
a. nun -f well disciplined mind, a sound,
methodical thinker, and, if jnible, a person
of age and experience. If Mr. Baker is an
lib!- Nwvt. the fart that ho i professionally
unemployed, arguM, ns we havo olrcudy ob
served, thut ho hn Ixjca caroloM and negli
ge t, or has ubandoned his calling. If tho
f rr:.tr ho is lacking in a qualification scarce,
lylcis essential than legal learning; nnd if
thn latter, ho is looking to the judgshlp simply
f.r the dollars and mnts, unstimulated by
any desire to add to his legal lore, or to make
it "a stepping Hone to higher professional
cmlnmco. In any view of the case, as here
profited, Mr. Bakor is olearly not tho man
tl.o people should call upon to fill the vacant
juJgship
It will bo n sad day for the people when
t:y ignore tn'lent and general fitness in the
!tion of their public wrvants knd confer
tho cilia on men who sri out of employment,
Ik a. m they uro out of employment, upon
r!rv r mt-n because they are clever, or upon
tir.f )rt'inste men bcnue of their jnUfortunoi.
W. such co nsidern tions control, wo will
have fvinmencssd a degeneration that will be
fruitfj. in official Incomjmtency, confusion,
r r- ipti 'n. and conqHncw which all good
v n w '1 unceasingly deplore.
Wn do not wish to m undcustood as mak
ing any pssrsoosvl anlt upon Mr. Baker.
We c ."ild not. In trutb, bo provoked to a
r - cnal assault upsm him. Of his profes
. mil merits and pretention?, however, It Is
r d ,'y to speak; and what we have said
by v....-"f comment upon th omowhat re
xria'A.. claim st up in his behalf, that he
' uM elected to the exalt! and responsi
b' j "tion of circuit JudgoM'because ho is
( f f -n ploy m?n t," do not go beyond the
t it f leu'itimato criticism, or Invade, in
ay .. mure, tho cred precincts of his
pnvav iif. We hava dealt and shall con-tin;-
to deal with Mr. Uaker a a lawyer and
a ar ! and not a mm or a politician.
nir Mississippi ' 'ii VF.tt hail ic.i r
its pi:oani:ss asdjiealtuvcox
nmus. ( uro waited upon to-day by an iutelli
ent utiaen of Dyer county, Tennessee, who
n r ,f--ts ft partiullty for Cairo at tho source
of s , 4 'y for all contigU'-us jwrtions of Ken
tucky, Missouri and TcnnM. 1I is a
r a' fritnd of tho Misidppt river rail
v, jij utid arguen with grout forco nnd clear
ness, that Its succftM depend upon its direct
exf'Mun to Cairo, nnd its connection hero
with tho liiifs nortji and northeast. He as
sure us that the jMopl'u of the ditl'crent coun
Un travor.rtd by tho lino of the proposed
road are alive to the local uud general im
portance of the project, arid will chcorfuljy
a'd it in tho way of county and individual
inscriptions and donations to tho utmost ex
tent of their ability. According to his show
ir.f. thn rflimuii v liiviiiL' tlie undortakini: in
n 1 n
charge, havo already an assured capital of
. . 1 ft,, t..n .
nenny two anu a nan minions oi uunnr.i,
wliicli will fall but a littlo sh irt of tho amount
required to propnro the entire road bed bo
twoen Momphis and Cairo, for the super
structure. The stato of Tennessee has loaned
her faith to tho uinount or $10,000 per nillo,
which is equivalent to Jl.200,000, In bonds.
tJomo of tho counties interested havo ulready
Mihirilul COO.UQLl Lo ba nilid 111 annual ill-
Stulliiienta: find from others a stlbscrilltlon of
at least $200,000 moro is expected. Hero
men w tno sum or52,ooo,noo insured ueyonu
contingency, without n dollur from Momphis
or Cairo, or u dollar in tho way of individual
land or cah subscription. It is isortainly
not an extruvngant calculation to count upon
theso last nnmrd uoureos for a half million of
dollars. Thiwo mnns aggregated produce
$2,uQ0,000, which is corttiinly a very fair start
for a road that will probably ba self sustain,
ing from tho moment fifty milea of it is are put
in operation, forward.
Our informant could not Bay with any do
greo of certainty when the work will liu com
mencud, but cxprossod tho bolliif that as much
ns fifty inllto from Memphis out, would bo
placed under contract on or before the first
day of May ; und that boforo tbo close of tho
year tho wholo linn would allow mwl gratify,
ing ovldonuosof forw.irdnu.
Tito president of the Mississippi rivor rail
way company is Air A. H. ,M telioll, u resi
dent, wo boliove, of I'm o'tv of Msmphis Ho
ignpoken of us u nhnuv. tiiiiiei'i-, mii uuoom
pi Ulicd railroad hum .hi) u si'tillcn-in of
much pru l'.'ieo and forouast. II j Uvi ipiictly
nnd unostentatiously engineered this enter
prise to its present favornble footing, nnd has
given out, in doing so, tho most convincing
proof that ho is tho right mnn in tho right
place. AVhnt his notions arc concerning the
northern terminus of tho road, wo have not
been nblo to learn ; but, judging by tho wis
dom and discretion that havo characterized
his management thus fur, wo aro sufficiently
convinced that that terminus will bo fixed at
that point that may promise to contrlbuto
most to the success of his road. He will no
doubt act advisedly, and upon a full knowl
edgo of thu cntiro situation, und with such
.Action Cairo will havo occasion to bo abun
dantly satisfied.
FAREWELL ADDRESS OF
rjii:sii)j:NT johnson.
A REVIEW OF HIS POLICY.
KESPECT FOR TH E CONSTITUTION
HIS FIRMNESS AT HIS POST,
His Refusal of- Augmented rower.
EFFORTS TOWARD RECONCILIATION
AN INTERESTING RETROSPECT
"PUT YOURSELF IN HIS PLACE."
Vaf.iiingto.v, D.C., JIarch 3.
To the People of tho United States:
Thu roU of office, by constitutional litni
itation, this day falls from my shoulders, to
bo immediately assumed by my succe'sor. For
him the forbearance nnd co-operation of tho
American people in all his efforts to adminis
ter the Government within the pale of tho
Federal Constitution uro sincerely invoked.
Without ambition to gratify, pariy ends to
subservo, or personal quurreU to avenge to the
sacrifice of tho peace and tho welfare of the
country, mv earnest desire is to seo tho Con
stitution of" the Republic ngatn recognized
and obeyed as tho supremo law of the land,
and thowhole people, North, South, East and
West, prperous and happy under Its wiso
provisions.
In surrendering the high ofllco to which I
was called four years ago, in a memorable
and terrible crisis, It Is my privilege, I trust,
to say to the people of the United States a few
parting words in vindication of an official
courso so ceaselessly opposed by political
leaders to whoso plans and wishes my policy
to restore tho Union has been obnoxious. In
a period of difficulty and turmoil, almost
without precedent In tho history of any peo
ple, consequent upon tho closing scenes of n
great rebellion, und the assassination of the
President, it was, perhaps too much on my
part to expect of devoted partisans, who rode
on the waves of excitement, which at that
time swept all before them, that degree of
Ulnition nnd magnanimity which I sought
to nK-ommend nnd enforce," und which I be
lieve in good tlmo would havo ndvunced us
infinitely further on the road to permanent
jteucc and prosperity than wo have thus far
attained. Doubtless had I, ut the commence
ment of my term of office, unhesitatingly
lent its powers, or perverted them to purpose
and plans outside the Constitution, and be
como an instrument to schemes of con lhcMion,
und of general nnd opurojslvo disqualifica
tions, I would have been hailed ns nil that
was true and loyal, and deserving, as the reli
nblo head of a party, whatever I had been ns
the Kxecutlvo of it nation. Unwilling, how
ovor, to nccedo to tho propositions of extrem
ists, uud bound to obey at evcrv poronl ho
nrd my outh to defend the Constitution, I
need not perhaps be surprised nt having met
the fato of others whoso only rewards for up
holding constitutional rights and laws havo
been tho conscientiousness of having attempt
ed to do their duty, uud tho calmor judgment
of history and of limn.
A mysterious Providonce assigned mo tho
othV of President. I was by tho terms of
thu Constitution tho Commander-in-chief of
nearly a million of men under arms. One of
my first nets was to disband and to restore to
tho vocations of civil Ufa this-lmmonso host,
ond divest myself, as far I could, of the un
pnraltdlod powers then Incident to tho office
and tho times. "Whether or not in this step 1
was rijjht, nnd how far deserving of tho ap
probation of tho people, they can now, on re
flection, judge, when reminded of tho ruinous
condition of public afluirs that must have re
sulted from the continuance in the military
service of such a vast number of men. The
close of our domestic conflict found the army
onger to distinguish itself in it new field by an
effort to punish Kuropcau Intervention in
Moxlco. Uy ninny it was bcliovcd nnd urged
thut itsKlc from the assumed justice of tho pro
ceedings, a foreign war in which both sides
would cheorfully unito to vindicate tho honor
of thu national flag and further illustrate tho
national prowess, would be tho surest nnd
speedint way of awakening national onthusl
um, reviving devotion to the Union, und oc
cupying u forco concerning which gruvo
doubts existed a's to its willingness, nftor four
years of aetlvo campaigning, ut onco to return
to the pursuits of peace. Whether these
speculations woro true or falso, it will bo con
ceded that thuv existed, and that tho prode-
lictions of tho army were for tho timo in tho
direction indicated. Taking udvantugo of
that feeling, it would have boon easy, as tho
Comnmndor-in. Chief of tho army and navy,
with nil tho power and patronage of tho Pros
dt ntiul office at my disposal, to turn tho con
centrated strength of tno nation ngainst the
French interference in Mexico, nnd to inaug
urate n movement' which would havo bcon ro
eoived with favor by tho military und n largo
portion of tho people. It Is proper In this
('mii'dinn that I should refer to the almost
unlimited additional powers tendered to the
Hxeetnivi- by tlio measure relutivo to Civil
Hlghls und thu Frood.nen's llureau. Contra
ry I niot preci'donts In tho oxporienco of
of public .ion, tho powers thuy placed with-
I in oi y crush were declined, as being fn viola
tion of tin, Cotut'.tuti in. dungorous to the, lib
erties of tho pcojde, nnd tending to aggravate
rather than lessen this discords nuturally re
sulting from our civil war. "With n lnrgo ar
my und'nugmentcd utithorlty, It would hnve
been no difficult task to direct at pleasure tho
destinies of thu Republic, and to mjfko suro
my continunnco In tlio highest office known
to our laws. Let tlio people whom I am ad
dressing from tlio Presidential chair during
tho closing hours of a laborious term, consider
how ditferent would hnvo been tho present
condition had I yielded to tho ditr..lingliip
tation of foreign conquest?, of personal, ng-
1, . , .1. , i.i i 11
grunuizciiiciil, lino mu tioairu iu mviu uuui-
tional power. Let thorn with justice consider
that if I havo not undulv magnified mine
office, tho public burdens havo not boon in
creased by my net", ami other, and perhaps
thousands and tens of thousands oflivos sac
rificed to vision" of fHle glory. ,It cannot,
therefore, bo charged that my ambition has
been of that ordltury nnd criminal kind
which, to tho detriment of tho people's rights
nnd liberties, ever seeks to grasp moro and
unwarranted powers, und, to accomplish its
purpose, panders too often to popular preju
dico nnd pnrty aims.
"What, then, have been tho aspirations
which havo guided me In my official acts?
Tlioe acts need notnt this time nn elnborate
explanation. They hiive elsewhere been com
prehensively and fully discussed, nnd become
a part of the nation's history. By them I
am ready to bo judged, knowing that, how
over Imperfect, they show, nt lcast; to tho
impartial mind that my sole ambition has
been to restorotlie union of tho States, faith
fully to oxecuto tho office of President and to
tho best of my ability to preserve, protect
and defend th'e Constitution. I cannot bo
censured if my olTorts have been impeded in
tho interests o'f party faction, nnd if a policv
which was intended to reasuro uud concili"
nto tbo people of both sections was mudo thu
occasion of inflaming, and dividing still
furthsr thoso who wero recently in arms
against each other, yet as individuals and cit
izens wore sincerely deslrou, ns I shall over
belioye, of burying all hostile feelings in tho
grave of tho past.
Tho bitter war was wnged on the part of
tbo Government to vindicate thu Constitu
tion and have tho Union, and if I havo erred
In trying to bring about a more speedy and
lasting peace, to extinguish licart-burninc
and enmities, and to prevent troublo in the
South, which, retarding material prosperity
In that region, injuriously nfTected tho whole
country, lam quite content to rest my case
with the more deliberate judgment of tho
people, and, as I havo already intimated,
with the distant future. The war, all must
remember, was a stupendous and deplorable
iiiisuthe. .ifiiucr iuc uiiuursioou iuu oiuur,
and had the simple fact and its conclusions
been kept In view, It would have been ditr
ent. AH that was needed was accomplished
by the acknowledgement of tho terrible
wrong and tho expressed bitter feelings and
enrncst endeavor at atonement shown and
felt in the prompt ratification of the Consti
tutional amendment by tho Southern States
at tho eloso of the war. Jsot accepting this
as a confessed fulsu step on tbo part of thoso
who inaugnrnted it, it wns an error which
now only time can euro, und which evuii ut
this date wo should endeavor to palliate. Ex
periencing, moreover, ns all havo done, the
frightful cost of tho arbitrament of the sword,
let us, in tho future, cling closer than ever to
the Constitution, as our only safeguard. It is
to bo hoped that not until the burdens, now
pressing upon us with such feurful weight,
are removed, will our people forgot tho les
sons of the war, and that, remembering them
as coming from whatever source, peace be
tween sections and State may bo perptual
The history of lute events in our country,
as well ns the greatest governments of ancient
and modern times. tcacho us thut wo have
everything to fear from a departure from tho
letter ami pirit of tho Constitution,
and tho undue ascendancy of men allowed
to assume powers in what are con'ld
ercd'despernto emergencies. Scylla, on be
coming master of Rome, at oil to adopted
measure to crush hit enemies mid to consoli
date the power of his party. Ho established
initiatory colonics throughout Itulv; deprived
of tho full Roman franchise tho inhabitants of
tho Itulian towns who hud opposed his usur
pation; confiscated their lands and giivolhem
to his soldier.4, und conferred citizenship uxm
a great nnmber of slaves belonging to thoso
who had proscribed him; thu creating ot
Rome a kind of body guard for his protection.
After having given Rome over to slaughter
and tyranny beyond all example over thoso
opposed to him and tho legions hit terrible
instrument of wrong Scylla could yet feol
safe in- laying down the ensigns of power so
dreadfully tibused' uud iu mingling freely
with tho families and friends of his mvriud
victims. Tho fear which he had lusplrctl con
tinued after his voluntary abdication, nnd
when In retirement his will was law to pcoplo
who had permitted themselves to be enslaved.
What but a subtle knowledge nnd conviction
thut thu Roman people had becomu changed,
discouraged and utterly broken in spirit,
could havo induced this during assumption I
What but public indifference to consequences
so terrible at to leave Romo open to every ca
lamity which eubsequently befell her, could
havo justified tho conclusions of tho dictator
und tvrnnt In his startling experiments. Wo
tlud tlmt in tho time which has Fince elapsed,
human nature nnd exigencies In governments
havo not greatly changed. Who a fow years
ago in contemplating our future, could "havo
supposed thut, in n brief psrlod of bitter oxpo
rienco every thing domanded in tho namo of
military emergency or dictated by caprico
could cuiue to bo considered as moro mutters
of course that conscription, contention, lo
of personal liberty, tho subjection of stutos to
military rule and disfranchisement, with tho
extension of tho right of suffrage merely to
I,.,-. i.i". .. -
nccouipii&u puny onus, ivouiu receive tno pas
sivo submission if not noiutoscenco of tho poo
pla oftho Republic? It lias been clearly de
monstrated by recent occurrences that en
croachments upon tho constitution cannot bo
prevented bj tho proslJeut, however elevated
or determined ho may bo; that iino-, tho
peoplu interpose thoro is no power under thu
constitution to check a dominant majority of
two-thirds of tho congress of the United
States. An nppual to tlio nation is nttended
with too much delay to meet tho omorgenoy,
whilo if left frco to net, tho people would cor
rect iu timo such evils us might follow legisla
tive usuaputlon. There is danger thut tho
same power which disregard thu constitution
will doprivo them of the right tochnngo their
rulers except by revolution.
Wo havo alroady seon tho jurisdiction of
tho judiciary circumscribed when it was ap
prohended thut tho courts would decido
against laws having for their solo object tho
supremacy of tho pnrty ; whilo tho veto pow
er, lodged in tho Executivo by tho Constltu
'tton for tho interest nnd protection of tho peo
jple, nnd exorcised by Washington and his
successors, has been rendered nugatory by a
partisan majority of two-thiribt in each branch
of tho National Legislature.
Tho Constitution evidently contcmnlntcs
that when a bill is returned with tho Prcsi
dcuXs objection it will bo calnlly reconsidered
CoWress. Such, however, has not been tho
prafv' under tho present party rules. It
lias become evident that men who pass n bill
under partisan influence are not likely through
patrlo'ir motives, to admit their error, and
thoreby weaken their own organization
by solemnly confessing it under tho official
oath.
Prido of opinion if nothing clso, has Inter
vened and prevented a calm and dispassionate
reconsideration of a bill disapproved by tho
oxecutive. Much as 1 venorate tho Constitu
tion, it tnttst ba admitted thut this condition
had developed a defect whlrh, under tho ng
grooslve tendency of thu Legislntivo depart
ment of tho Government, may reudily work
its overthrow. It may, howeve'r, bo remedied
without disturbing tlio harmony of tho instru
ment. Tho veto power Is generally exer
cised upon constitutional grounds, nnd when
ever it is so applied nnd the bill returned with
the Executive rontons for withholding his
signuture, it ought to bo certified to tho Su
premo Court of tho United States for Its de
cision. If its constitutionality shull be de
clared by that tribunal, it should then bo n
lnw; but if thodocisioa is otherwise, it should
full, without power in Congress to re-enact it.
In casus In which tho veto rests upon hu'tv
and Inronsldurnto legislation, nnd in which
no consideruto question Is Involved, 1 would
not chungo tho fundamental law, for iu such
cases no permanent evil can bu incorporated
in the led oral system. It is obvious that
without such un amendment tho Government,
as it existed tinder tho Constitution prior to
tho rebellion, muy bo wholly subverted and
overthrown by n two-thirds majority in Con
gress. It is mit, therefore, difficult to see how
oa-ily uud rapidly the peoplo may lose shall
I not sny havo lost thoir liberties by an un
checked "and uncontrollable majority us tho
law. making power, nnd whenever deprived
of thoir rights, how powcrles they nro to
regain them,
Let us turn for a moment to tho history of
the majority in Congress, which ha ncted in
such utter" disregard of tho Constitution.
While public attention has been carefully
nnd constantly turned I tho past nnd exposed
the sins of tho South, tho servunts of the peo
ple in lilifli places havo boldly outraged thoir
trust, broken their oaths of obedience,
und undermined tho very foundations
of liberty, justice and good govern
ment. When tho rebellion was being
suppressed by tbo volunteered services
of putriotic soldiers, umld thu dangers of the
battle-field, theso men crept without question
into place nnd power in tho national councils,
after all danger had passed, when no armed
foo remained, when a penitent peoplo bowed
their bead to tho flag and renewed their alle
giance to the government of tho United States.
Thca it was that pretended patriots appeared
before tho nation and began to prate about
thu thousands of lives and millions of treasure
sacrificed in tho suppression of tho rebellion.
They havo sinro persistently sought to In
flame tho prejudice engendered between tho
Sections, to retard tho restoration of peace
and harmony nnd by every meuns to keep
open und exposed to thu poisonous breuth of,
party passion tho terrible wounds of a four'
jvarV war. They havo prevented the return
of pcuco and the restoration of tho Union in
eery way, rendered delusive thu purposes,
promises "nnd pledges by which tho army wn
mafrhullod, treason rebuked and rebellion
crushed and mudo tho libertios of thu peoplo
and th rights nnd powers of the president
object of constunt attack. They have wrest
ed from tho president his constitutional power
of supremo command of tho army and navy.
Thoy have destroyed tho strength of tlio ex
ecutivo department by making subordinate
officers independent und able to defy their
chief magistrate. They havo ntteuiited to
place tho president under tlio power of a bold
defiant und treacherous cabinet officer. Tliey
havo robbed tho executivo of tho prerogatives
of pardon, rendered null aud void acts of
clcmuucy granted to thousands of pcri-on
under the provision! of tho constitution, aud
committed gross usurpation by legislative at
tempts to exercisothl power in favor of party
adherents. They have conspired to cbango
the system of our government by preferring
charges ngainst the president in thu form of
articles of impeachment, nnd contemplating
beforo hearing ortrial thut ho should be placed
under arrest, held in durance, uud, when it
became their pleasure, to pronounce his sen
tence, driven frolu plnco and power in dis
grace. They huvo in timo of pom increased
the national debt by n reckless expenditure of
public moneys, nnd thus added to thu bur
dens which already wolgh upon tho people.
Thoy have permitted tho nation to suffer tho
evils of u degraded currency to th- enhance
ment in prico of nil necessaries of life. Thoy
have maintained a largo stundiug tinny for
tho enforcement of their measures of oppres
sion. They havo engaged in clur legislation,
built nnd encouraged monopolies, that tho
few might bo enriched at tho expose of tho
many. They have failed to act u, u impor
tant 'treaties, endangering our frb n Uy rela
tions with foreign powers.
Their courso of usurpation bus not been
limited to inroads upon In oxoeiith e depart
ment by unconstitutional and oppi ivo en
actments. Tho peoplo of ten St.i'. of thu
Union have been reduced to acondl' n more
intolerable than that from which tt patriot
of tho revolution rebelled. Millions of
American citizens can now sny of (lo ir op
pressors, with more truth than our :.lhor'
did of British tyrants, "that tho u..i. for
bidden tiio ntuto governments to p,t - .s of
Immediate and pressing importanc .. " thoir
assent bo obtained; that they hnv r " d to
pass other laws for tho aecomm 1 m of
largo districts of people unless t'i plo
would relinquish tlio right of ropr. mon
in tlio legislature a right inei.i... to
to them and formidable to tyrants ui.', , i'mt
they havo mado judges dependent ielr
will alono for thoir tenure of nine v ' tho
amount or payment of their sulnn. 'but
thoy huvo ci rated a multitude of new ,
and sent hither swarms of officers U ,.. ..us
our pcoplo and tako out their subsist, m-i-;
that thoy havo affected to render lb -y
Independent and superior to tho civ" r,
comblnod with others to subject us to g.
diction foreign to our constitution c.
knowlcdged by our laws; quartuiuu ....go
bodies of armed troops among us j i . d
them by a mock trial front punishmont for
any murders which they should cdmmit on
tho inhabitants; imposed taxes on us without
our consent; deprived us in many cases of
trial by jury; taken away our ohurtcrs; ox
cited domestic Insurrection among us; abol
ished most valuable law; altered fundament
ally tho tho forms of our government;
suspended our legislatures, nnd declared
themselves Invested with power to legislate
for us in all cases whatsoever."
This cntalogui- of crimes, long ns it is, is
not complete Tho con,tituon vesta tho ju
dicial power of thn United States in ono
supremo court, whoso jurldictlon shall oxtend
to all enses nrlsing under thu constitution nnd
law of tho United States. Encouraged by
this promise, a refugo from tyranny, a citizen
of tho United States also, by tho order of a
military commander, given under tho sanction
of a cruel nnd deliberate edict of congress,
had been denied the constitutionnl rights of
conscience nnd freedom of tho press, and of
speech, personal freedom from military nr
rost, of being hold to answer for crime only
upon presentment of an indictment, of trial
by jury, of civil nnd constitutional govern
ment a citizen thus deeply wronged appeal
to tho jupremo court for tho protection guar
anteed him by tlio organic law of tho land;
at onco a fierce and excited mujtftlty, by the;
ruthless hand of legislative power, stripped
tho ermino from tho judges, transferred tho
sword of justico to tho general, nnd nwarded
tho oppressed citizen to a degradation worse
than death.
It will nlo bo recorded ns ono of tho mnr
vels of the times, that a party olaimlug for IU
self a monopoly of consistency and patriotism,
nnd boasting o'f its unlimited sway, endeav
ored by a cotly nnd deliberate trinl to Im
peach ono who"dofeudcd the constitution and
union not only throughout tho war of rebel
lion, but during tho whole term of ofllco as
chief magistrate, blit nt tho snmo tlmo could
find no warrant or means at their command
to bring to trial even tho chief of the rebellion.
Indeed, tho remarkable failures in tho caso
wero co often repented that for propriety
sake, if for no other 'reason, li becamo at last
necosary to extend to him an unconditional
pardon. What mora plainly than this illus
trates tho extremities of party management
nnd inconsistency on ono bund nnd factious;
vlndlctivcncM and intolerance on tho other.
Patriotism will hardly be encouraged when,
in such a record it fees that its instant reward
may bo most virulent party nbuso nnd oblo
quy, If not attempted disgrace. Instead of
looking to make treni-on odious It would iu
truth seem to havo been their purposo rather
to make tho defenso of tho constitution and
union u crime, and to punish fidelity to nn
o i of office, a counter to party dicta
tion by nil their means at their command,
Hupplly for tho peace of tho country tlio war
has determined against the assumed power
of the State to withdraw ut pleasure from
tho Union. Tho institution of slavery also
found its destruction in a rebellion commen
ced in. its interest. It tdiould bo borne In
mind, however, that tho war neither impair
ed or destroyed tho Constitution, but, on the
contrary, preserved It existence and mado
apparent its real power and enduring strength
All thu rights granted to tho States or resurv
ed to the peoplo aro therefore intact. Among
tho.-o rights 1 that of the peoplo of each Stato
to decluro tho qualification of their own Statu
elector. It i now ui-sumod that Congrer-s
run control this vital right, which ran never
be taken uwuy from the Stales without im
pniring the fundamental principle of the gov
ernment itself. It is neces.-ury to tho exist
ence of tho States us well us to tho protection
of tno liberties or too people; tor tlio right to
select thu elector in whom the political power
of the Stato shull be lodged, iuvolvus thu right
of tho Stato to govern itself. When duprived
of tho prerogative tho State will have no
power worth retaining; all will bo gone', aud
they will he subjected to the urliitrarv
will of Congress. Tho Government will
then bo centralized, if not by the passage of
luwi., then by tin-adoption through partisan
influence of an amendment diroitlv iu con
flict with tho original de!gn of tho Constitu
tion. This proves how necessary it is that
tlio people should res u ire tho administration
of tho turco great departments of thu Govern
ment to bu strictly within the limit of tin
Constitution; thel'-boundaries havo been ac
curately dotliwd and neither should bo allow
ed to trcspay. on the other, nor ahovo all to
encroach upon tho reserved rights of tho peo
plo and thu States. Tho trouble of tho past
four years will prove to tho nation blessings,
if they produce so deiriib!o n roult. Upon
thoso who became young muii amid tho sound
of cannon uud din of arms, aud who quietly
returned to tho farms, factories aud th'e
school of tho land, will principally devolve
tho solemn duty of perputuitting thu Union
of tho State, in defeucu of wiiich hundreds of
thousand of their comrades expired, and hun
dreds of millions of nutiounl obligations woro
Incurred. A manly people will' not neglect
tho training necessary to resist uggrossion.
but they should be jealous, lest the eiyil bo
mado subordinate to thu military elemont
W need to encourage in ovory legiti
mate way a study of tho Constitution,
for which tho war was waged, a knowledge of
nnd reverence for whoso wise checks, by tnoo
so soon to occupy thu phicus tilled by their
seniors, will bo tno only hopo of preserving
tho republic, tlio young men of tho nation nut
yet under thu control of party, must resist tho
tendency to centralization, iin outgrowth of
tho great rubullion, nnd bu familiar with th
fact thut tho country consists of the United
States, and that when tho static surrendered
certain groat rights for tho snl;o of more per
fect union, they retained rigliU a vahmblo
aud important us thoso thoy relinquished for
tlio commonwealth, Is found old doctrine, far
different from tho teaching that led to tho at
tempt to scccdo. And a kindred theory that
tno mines wero iai;en out oi mo union liy the
rash nuts of conspirator that happunud to
dwull within their border must bo received
aud advocated with tlio enthusiasm of
early manhood,' or tho peoplo will be
ruled by corrupt combination of the com
moreliil centre, who, pluthoriq from
ei.iltli,anmi.illy em'KmU' to ti k i-.iital of llio UA'Inn
lo pun'iuoyiH'ci&l U'xiltin. I mil tho u'pnvM'iil
tivi'H of lliu poojilo in i ongiim in ie fully cxli.l'il ttie
ilucrs viowa ami iu erocu v( the uliuln iiaiinn, unJ
Ijiimuw in bo ni.t lo n.lliuui full Uxomsion, n tlio
Mifwtof soma party ): 1st, in-rowil! ne'r lift
liropor rnsHct timtn liy lln ln.inlilni riMnr
either to the Jitilie-.ul ur w ut bunch of Iho kT
eminent, The koiipmiioh ii-t ' irwnmi! to iun the
liillot-box, It is TkU'VixI, iiny ni-.v) h:it their atten
tion hou. I bo cull ' I ' Ih''" '' '"I'lomtumk I,, nidi,
eato hy thoir vote tl' the) -h 'holrrejireiimiiiilvt'
tuotiU'i vo all the rmtrunit mo peoplo in wlopt
11115 the oonsHiit.'in Mitt-ii'li' ' " nipuio upon intly
e.vt. liihnly r'.''W'i's' '.v I'liiiiiilstntlon of h
K'lveriunriil, I feel ilwt 1,1 ofiwoouii' i Illy
to (io.l, lum iiiasou'iilmu ly iMliuvorol 11.
elwKO iy wholo duly, 1 I hum nothing to iryrct.
Kvent luo proved ihonori-' 'ot of tlio put. aet
forth iiuuy lirstan! subseipi' i Message' Th ivov
Soo secon .mgo.
