Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1850-02-14

w
IT, o.. fte time arrived for separate, independent
Eate action nv wav of resistance TO the action
| Of Congress, call it rsurpation or what you
please No, sir, not yeL The constitution mas
provided its remedy the trainers OF thaI ihS'ru-
men,. foreseeing that there might be a difference
of onnop in defining precisely the powers con-
ferred by it, have provided peaceful tr'ouhai LOT
The adjustment of such controvers es-that tn
- which sits in the chamber below us, MIR.
President. the Supreme Court) 1t is tor them
IN mass on The validity OF these ofdinanccs.
Sir. we " ere told yesterday that we had noth-
inc 10 do with their declsion-that we are 10
follow our own opinion without REGARD 10 tieH
aoiudjcations, and are TO be guided solely by our
own judgmeut. All this nay be true to L Ger
tain extent. In civin- our votes here. we are
ended BIZ the dictates OF our own judgments,
and we form our own opinions of what Is tonsu-
tu,ional and nha, is not but, SIR, when ia"
comes 10 be enacted, and the qnes'loh whether
that Ia IL constitutional not is raised The DC
c,sion of that tribunal. whether Ii IS or Is not
constitutional, binds die Govrrnmen',and d. Clues
The Executive whether 10 put The law IN iofce VI
not. The law itself is abrugated virtually ana
in effect bv the decision Of This tribunal. Sir, is
not The path before pam: when the JncS-
ment of this body and Of the other House Is
passed mpon Tins subject, and The w iimoi pro'i
50 is adopted, If the consltu;Ionainy OF tnc IN
act,nent is 'ubted, here Is constitutional tn
bunal 10 settle the question.
Now. sir, will or Will not The North ard South
bolh submit TO It's decision: VIII eliler pry
atte,up, To decide on the consli;uiionalIy III the
law in anticipation of the decision of thus iribu-
nal. and set that decision at defiance: SIR, re-
peat, tina, even when these Measures, offensive
as they NAV be regarded IN some quarters, are
passed here, the tine for resistance IN any other
shane than IN following uut the remedies provl'
del by the constitution has not yet arrived
When the decision OF that tribunal Is prnnoun-
ced, shonl 1t establish The power for which We
al the North Contend, 1t wall then be fully IN sea-
son-esrly enough Tor the gentlemen OF the
South to begin t. calculate lie value OF the
Union and determine whether they can any
longer live under il, as expounded by the various
departments OF the government SIR, we have
many stages To pass through yet; many contln-
gences to encounter before we begin 1" talk oil
breaking up the iounJatiUns OF our political ieni-
pie.
Mr.. President, alluded, IN the commence
snert OF my remarks, 10 measure that was bot
beure ltis body some m ntns ago: measure
which was IN my judgment the only one which
could be iesortcd to with the slightest nope at
that time of an adjustment OF TINS quesliDn.-
Sir am free To saw was disappointed IN some
rcspec's IN finding gent enIen OF the South CIV
ing their assent Ia That proposition III Il mail er
That sppeal ell To me hardly consistent with i.,ell
proi,ssed opnons. Sir, give the gentlemen
credit Tor welding their asse to that instrument
with view OF cOnciliaiion and settlement
II Is very question I.csented tsclt IL Us when
we had under considerations tua b.li. IHcre lay |
under II, alter all, tie constitutional question,
whether you can regulate the suOlect al all
We were all conscious OF that. H. iiieHus OF
Tie bI one and all, were wiling To sG6n.i; rl,ai
constitutional question TO tie proper tT'auuaL-
We did n,l attempt TO settle i, bal proic.sed on |
all sides II Willingness t. submit The question 10
the tribunal created BY the cun,il uti,n tor the |
purpose OF deciding II. Has there ucen any /
Change OF scnli .cn. Oh this point: Are we not /
prepared now to submit II !: e rt4inlAt, sir.
Mr. lu.EE. Do | understand the gen lemln
to saw that The North Is preplred now 10 sub nit
the question 10 that tribunAl?
Mr.. PHELPS. cannot be responsible for the |
entire Moth; but what mean 10 say Is. trust
that all parties wiling al the present day be-
fore resortlus to measures not sanctioned by the
constitution. to submit he consIiiu;ionl ques-
ton, IN the FIRST instance al least, to the tribunal
created for the purpose Of deciding It. Sir when
Il decision Is had, the question viii assume very
dlti.re"' aspert SIR do not ike to AM lcIpale
AWcrican pcuple viii cit down satisfied with the
's,o' VI l''a' ou'a' upon 'ns question, let
A. - ~ ny
. w "' ''e""oi s'eiu me lhe
noof 'of one ,''hule Hesife tbit Senators
from ''e ,No''h s"ouiu oe testeu on TINS point
ne !e'''.e''''" sass ''a' Tue ->Ur'h Is c""iehted
'Ait '"e issue Vi un's q"eS'io', between lhe Two
SECTIONS oil ''ie coul'r! shou'd rest upon The de-
u's'o, Oh Tue supreme Cour. as to Tie consiiiu-
'io"a, n'eftS Oh ,he Issue. Vow, sir, ask hlm
W "he,iier ne leaks ior me North "hen he says
i norm Is "'iing 10 cone forward and meeI
,'e oo'th upon in's settlement oil Inc Issue. l
n'"iio "'""i's !" saying mat the South Is pre-
Pa,eo now CONSCIOUS aS sue Is mat she demands
o"y her Constitutional rights, 10 submit the ques
lion 10 'he Supreme Couf', and TO hold d ! action
and all legislation which may nifec. ii IN abey-
ace until that decision shall be had.
Mr.. BtTL | am bound 10 Interfere j.. This
matter, because the question pnr by the Sen,rnr
Ir,m Florida should not 90 wIIhout 50 no eypl,.
nation. At the tin e the bill relating 10 the Ter
rltorIes under consi lerariJn more than a year
40, the Souih would hive hid an opportunity 20
l1ve settled this Territorial queslien aud durlng
hat line must have had SO ne II hts within those.
Territories secured 10 her by Congress: but
10 not 20 So far as my friend IRON Florida in saw.
ing that | would altogether acqniesce in the