NP, SW 4/30/1862

From the Southern Watchman (Athens, Ga.)
 
April 30, 1862
 
"Military Necessity," Constitutions, &c.
   Heretofore it has been the prevalent idea of the world that written constitutions, rigidly adhered to, could alone preserve the public liberties. These old-fashioned notions, we are sorry to see, are about to give way to the doctrine of "military necessity." If the people quietly acquiesce in the usurpations practiced upon their rights and tolerate the violations of the Constitution lately perpetrated, this doctrine of "military necessary" will soon convert this land of liberty into a military despotism or something worse. Are the people ready for this?
   Read in connection with this subject the following article which we extract from a late number of the Chronicle & Sentinel:
   A Protest -- We are glad to see, from the protest of Messrs. Wright, of Georgia, and Foster, of Alabama, against the seizure of the Railroads by the Government, that there are some members of Congress that are willing to recognize the fact that there is such a thing as the Constitution of the Confederate States. So long a time had elapsed since that document has been mentioned, and so continually had its provisions been ignored and violated, that there existed some doubt if it had not been totally annulled by Congress in some of its secret sessions.
   In spite of the plain provisions of the Constitutions against internal improvements by the General Government which formed such valid ground of complaint against the old Government, we find the constitutional objection against building lines of Railroads in Louisiana and Texas and the Danville connection in North Carolina very feebly urged, and we believe it has been enacted that these roads shall be built in direct violation of the Constitution. Thus the latitudinarian principles of the old government are perpetuated.
   The same plea of military necessity which was used by the Federal Government to justify the building of the Pacific Railroad, which was so bitterly opposed by the strict-constructionists of the South, is used to excuse these violations of the plain provisions of the Confederate Constitution. This plea of military necessity has become to be the excuse for all sorts of usurpations -- not only for building Railroads, for taking private property for public uses without compensation, for abridging the liberty of the citizen, for interfering with trade, but even for repealing the laws of the State, and taking the command of its militia out of the hands of its Governor, or for his willingly and illegally yielding up his prerogatives. If military necessity is always to excuse every arbitrary act of the General Government, and every infringement of private rights, it is best no longer to deceive the people with the idea that they live under a government controlled by constitution and laws. No people in any age of the world have been more ready than ours to give up everything for the cause in which they are struggling, but they cannot see without a murmur all the barriers between their liberties and military despotism broken down, and they will therefore admire the manliness of those public men who have the courage to protest against any arbitrary assumption of power.
   We copy from the proceedings of Congress on Monday the following protest:
   Mr. Foster, of Alabama, offered the following protest, and asked that it be entered on the minutes:
   "We, the undersigned, members of the first session of the first permanent Congress, beg most respectfully to enter this, our most solemn protest against the passage of an act entitled, "An act to provide for the safe and expeditious transportation of troops and munitions of war by railroad," and in justification of the same, to lay before the House and the country the following as our reasons, viz:
"1. We believe that there is no power granted by the Constitution, either expressed or implied, that authorizes Congress in appropriating our seizing the property of States or persons, and placing the same, either for temporary or permanent purposes, in the hands of the executive, or any wise disposing of same without the consent of the owners thereof. On the contrary, we believe that the Constitution expressly prohibits and denies such power, for article 1, section 9, expressly declares that "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated."
   "2. We believe that this act, did it become a law, would be subversive of and in direct contravention to, the great and fundamental principles of State sovereignty; the right to regulate their own domestic institutions being one of those unalienable sacred rights reserved by the States composing our Confederacy, and the destruction of which would inevitably tend to the speedy destruction of our liberties.
   "3. e believe the act to be altogether inexpedient and uncalled for, and that the several railroads in the Confederate States -- all of which have been prompt and willing to aid the government to the very utmost of their capacity and at reduced charges -- have been, and will continue to be, far better managed by their presidents and directors, chosen by the stockholders, who are more conversant with all the minute and complicated details of their roads, and the proper and economical management of their means of transportation than the executive or his military subordinates could possibly do.
   "For these and other equally cogent reasons which must occur to every intelligent mind not unreasonably depressed by the exergencies and vicissitudes, through which Providence has decreed that we should pass in our progress to national independence, and which we hope and believe are but the precursors of victory and success, we protest against said act, and respectfully request that this our protest be entered on the journal.
Augustus R. Wright
Thomas J. Foster

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