Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1832-12-26

tuition, acting through the state legislatures in making
the compact, to meet and discuss its provisions, aud
lacting III separate conventions when they ratified
these provisons but the terms used in its construc
ton, show it to be government in which the people
of all the states collectively represented We
one people in the choice Of the President and Vice.
President. Here the states have no other agency
than to direct the mode in which the votes shall be
given. The candidates havig the majority of all the
fvotes are chosen The electors of majority of states
may have given their votes for candidate, and
yet another may be chosen. The people then, and
not the states, are represented in the Executive
branch.
In the House Of Representatives there is this differ
ence, that the people of one State do not in the
case of President and Vice President all vote for the
same officers. The people of all the States do not
vote for all the MEMBERS each State eecting only its
own Representatives. But this creates no material
distinction. When chosen, they are all representa-
tves of the United States not representatives of the
particular State from which they come. They are
paid by the United States not by the State, nor are
they to for any act done in the perfor-
nance OF their legislative functions; and however
they may In practice, it is their duty to do con-
suit and prefer the interests of their particular con-
stltuents when they come in conflict with any
other partial or local interest, yet it is their first and
highest duty as representatives of the United States
| to promote the general good
The constitution of the United States, then, forms
government, not league; and whether it be form
ed by compact between the states, or in any other
manner, ITS character is the same. 1t is govern
mcnt in which all the people are represented which
operates directly the people individually, not IN
on the states they retained all the power they did
not grant. But each state having expressly parted
with SO many powers as to constitute Jointly with
the other states single nation, cannot from that ne
rlod possess any right TO secede because such seces
sion does not break league, but DESTROYS the unity
OF nations andany injury to that unity is not only
breach which ksuld result from the contrayention
OF compact, bit it is offence against the whole
Union. 10 say that any state may at pleasure Sc
cede from the Uhion is to say that the United States
are not nation; because it would be a solecsm to
contend that any part of nation might dissolve its
connection with the other parts, to their injury or m
In, without committing any offence.
Secession, like any other revolutionary act, NAV
be morally justified by the extremity of oppression
but to call it constitutional right, is confoundine
the meaning of terms; and only be done through
gross error, to deceive those who are willing to as
sert right, but would pause before they made rev.
oiutlon, or incur the penalties consequent failure
Because the Union was formed by compact, it is
said the parties to thatcompact may, when they feel
themselves aggrived, dpar from it but it is precise
ly because it is compict that they cannot. COM
pact is an agreement o. binding obligation. 1t may
by its terms have santon or penalty fo its breach
or 1t may not. If it ctntains sanction, it may be
broken with no other consequence than moral guilt
If 1t have sanction, ten the breach incurs the de-
signated or implied penalty. league between in
dependent nations generally, has sanction other
IL
as there is no common s,peror it cannot be eufrcea
government, on the contrary. always has a sane
ton, express or implied; and in our case. it is both
necessarily implied andexpressly given. An attempt
by force OF arms to destroy government, is an Of
fence, by whatever means the constitutional comnoct
may have been formet and such government has
the right, by the law d self Defence to pass acts for
Furnishing the offender unless that rpht is modified
restrained or resumed by the constitutional act In
SYSTEM although lis modified in the case of trea
son, yet authority is expressly given to pass all laws
necessary to carry its powers into effect. and under
this grant provision hal been made for furnishing acts
which obstruct the due administration of the laws
1t would seem superAuous TO add any thing to show
the nature of that Unbn which connects us but as
erroneous opinions on This subject are the foundaon
of doctrine the most destructive to orr peace must
give some further devslopement of INV views unon
this subject No one fellow citizens. has bieber
reverence for the reserved rights of the states ton
the Magistrate who now addresses you. No one
would make greater personal critce: or official ex
ertions, to defend them from violation; but equal
care must be taken to prevent their part an i'm
proper interference WITH resumption Of the rights
they have vested in the nation. The line has not
been so distinctly drawn as to avoid doubts in some
cases of the exercise of power. Men of the best in
tentions and soundest views may differ in their con-
structon of some parts of the constitutions but there
are others which dspassonate reflection can leave
no doubt. OF this nature appears to be the assumed
right Of secession. 1t rests, we have seen, on
the alleged undivided sovereignty of the states and
on their having formed in this sovereign capacity
compact which is called the constitution. from which,
because they made it, they have the right to secede
Both of these positions are erroneous and some of the
arguments to prove them so have been anticipated
The States severally have not retained their en-
tire sovereignty. 1t has been shown that in becom-
ing parts ola nation, not members of league they
surrendered many of their essential parts of sove
ruhf tn alxn treat -Hao1