Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1849-02-12

sutuuon, they ORDAINED supreme Court to try
and determine all questions of right arising under
that Constitution; and it is part of the agreement
Of those who framed and of those who adopted that
Instrument, that the parties to 1.-THE States and
citizens Of these United States-should await ard
abide by the decisions of that Supreme Court And
it is little remarkable that in 1910, the Legislai
ture of Virginia soemnly voted against an amend
meat of the Constitution proposed by Pennsylva-,
MA, which was intended to ahrdge the powers OK
the Supreme Court. SO ,ha, BY the compact Of
our [ Lion, an act passed by Congress may ne ves
toed by the president-but if approved by hims
may bc.annulled by the Supreme Court, and will
be 50 annued if unconstitutional. Did you design
to delegate to us the power to organize resistance
10 a law Of Congress without pausing to wait for
Constitutional redress? We know you did not.
We admit, fellow citizens, that owing to the
short-sghedness and impereciion of human nature,
Constitution may be prepared and soletnnly "a
greed to, which in It's results may prove SO oppres-
slve to portion Of the parties to it as to Justify
lhen quietly if they can, forcbly If they must, in
Withdrawing themselves from its obligations and
and restraints. Such may proveto be the ease with
regard to ours. But submit to you whether the
movement to wsthdraw-to resist-is not the COM
nencement Of a revolution? and whether il does
not belong 10 the people, alone in their sovereign
capacity to begin ard carry ON that revolution 2?
Aud perIait Us here 10 Say, fellow citizens, that
should the dark hour ever come, which God in his
great mercy forbid when you, becoming satisfied
that your sacred rights longer safe under the
Constitution and Union Of these States resolve in
the exercise OF your sovereign power, to dissolve
the Union ana to grid yourselves with the arms Of
ifeemen 10 defend your homes and your properly
your wives and your children, we trust with Gods
good blessing, to be in your midst-perhaps with
as brave hearts and as much of the uncomfortable
wl-the courage never to submit or YIELD" as
those who now threaten oudest. But never, no
never. will we Of er accord and ia Advance of your
Iinstructlans--~of your settled and we'll expressed
wishes, iinpousiy siez2 the turch-rush recklesslv
forward and set fire TO a train which may blow up
the Union; lay low in the dust the fabric our faith
ers reared and cover beneath its ruins the hopes Of
cur Country-aye Of the world II this be recre-
ancy to the South, then recreant If, this be
treason against your interests, then do we deserve
your reprobation.
But, teow-cizene, consider well the price Of
dsunon--tiae gain, the advantage Of resistance to
the tFilmii provso should ii be passed? For arhat
DO men call on you to resist Let us soberly con-
s.der the rnatter--suHpose we were wrong in our
conscientious sc1uples about legislative acon in re-
slstanco to the Federal authority
wrong in thinking that you had not delegated to US
the power to make for you the pledge demanded Of
us ouglst we as mere matter Of expediencY 10
have made the pledge? The pledge 10 10 resist
your own Federal Government in it passes
law extending The sHInot proyiso to California
and Near .Nerieo There are certain conceded
facts in connection with This suhect.-First, that
by the laws in force in New Mexico and California,
slavery is now prohibited.
Second, that to introduce slavery, these laws
must be repealed. Third, that if these laws were
repealed and slavery authorized by law, such isthe
character Ct the soil, climate and population Of those
territories, that slavery could not exist use the
language Of Mr.. Buchanan, sit would be impossi-
BE to legislale slavery into existence there
And, fourth, that unless the laws prohibiting
slavery are first repealed, the practical effect Of the
Ssllmot proVso would bo to leave the subject Of
slavery just as it now is in The territories. Ws
refer you to Mr. Calhoun's Address to the South,
to show that there is wish on his part that of
the South ''lo extend slavery that is, to procure
the repeal Of those laws by Congress. His nutois
Glands oI let the territories aloneW To this
extent, We say hs is tight. We too say, "let the
territories al4ne" We too are opposed to any ac-
lion Of Congress on this sslject--either to extend
slavery CT to pass the SVila'ot proviso But sup
pose Congress and the President should think differ
entity, and, By stretch OF power and by the force
III prejudice and passion, should pass the Wilmot
proyiso. We then, as sober minded and rejecting
i9en, weud be called upon to submit or TO resist?
In making up your judgment you would first look
at the effect Of The NSn0t proviso as q lasc Sup
plse you were satisfied it wonid have no effect as
law, there being already in force aw Of the same
noe ,,o, ,,o[ i, -. H. ,, ut; ~ I ~ :, IT,,
ls'a" :; @ 80 s 1e i'lose usn s's
iaN1 H''eau5 III u'oe 2Npl,ese you were sa'lsheo
y i"e "su1Ec"Y 9, -1f. W a,he!' hlf' buchanan,
and Of all intelligent witnesses, that far as the
existence q slavery IN e , e, IS ooheerned'
1t hlaels to whether es " liiol rfoV'so De pass
ga OF no' tHa' slavery WIN not cannot exist
mere ~ cur you, lof sucI, an ac1' any more als
so'Ve 'ise GHol OF fess. 'ie feetFal aothofny'
llan ~ usu nnc.' 'iIe " 'ilo tov'so WsseA'end-
81 10 eieaon "a any rae are ho' CONSCIENTIOUS
noie fieSeh'tu s"aliceHt 10 nu,ee you 10 aeslre.
tx :" We lecsee 70 any Pali-e'af COURSE pu' ~
ga lel' tts 70 eeeoe an 10 ac' Mieh me emergency
as''' aS II a"y see'i pe7t ~ '"e s9sn. oi sioa ana