The Western Democrat

THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE RECONSTRUCTION LAW TO COME BEFORE THE U.S. SUPREME COURT.--A case is soon to come before the Supreme Court here that will decide as to the constitutionality of the reconstruction law. It is that of Colonel McArdle, an editor of Natchez, Miss., who, in his paper, recently indulged in some plain comments upon the practical working of the military governments. He designated General Ord as a military satrap, intimating that he would have to enforce his measures at the point of the bayonet, and that the people would not submit to his making a Poland of Mississippi. He was arrested by order of Gen. Ord, but before he could be tried by military commission a writ of habeas corpus was sued out, and on examination before Judge Hill. of the United States District Court of Mississippi, he held that the law was constitutional and remanded the prisoner to custody, fixing his bail at $10,000. The case is now to be sent here on a writ of error, with all the proofs and papers bearing upon it. The hearing before Chief Justice Chase and his associates will excite extraordinary interest, from the fact that it will be the first case that has come before this court involving the constitutionality of the reconstruction laws. It is expected that the necessary documents will be here with little delay, and that the case will be taken up out of its order.--Wash. Dispatch to the N. Y. Herald.