Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1851-01-16

lhe agitation OF The slavery question
in the south, has assumed a much more
important character than can be ascri-
bed to il elsewhere. 1t has put 10 the
test the moral force and strength of
our Union, and forced the public mind
to consider the importance of its pre-
servatien, and TO review and fix the at.
tention upon the causes which induced
the fathers Of the revolution to enter
into that compact or agreement, which
resulted in its formation.
After our declaration of indepen.
dence, the necessity for league or con.
federation of the states, was so appar.
ent that the states, in their sovereign
capacity, adopted the articles of con
federation, which were supposed to
possess all the elements necessary TO
carry out and perpetua,e the principles
of self government, they had declared
it their intention TO set up.
1t was soon ascertained that the ar
ticles of confederation, in the working
of the system, constituted but a mere
league between the states formed, it is
true, for a common purpose, but each
state having the right to Judge for
itself-not by its members in The Con.
gress of the confederacy, but in its Sc
parate organization-of the prepriety
of any measure intended for the com.
mon benefit of all; and by the refusal
of one state, or combination of two
or more states, the most important act
of the Congress Of the confederacy,
could in cffec, be nulliGed. i, soon be-
came apparent that our system of gov
ernment was but the re production Of
one of those petty leagues which had
been often formed in the old world but
to perish.
The incompetency Of the confedera'
tion 10 provide for the credit and wants
Of the country, al once satisfied the
true patriots, who lived a, that even,ful
period Of our history, of the necessity
Of radical change in the system. A
change was accomplished in the adop.
tion Of the constitution of the United
States. And in order TO get rid of the
evil which grew out of the association
of sovereign states, under the articles
of confederation. it was declared in
the preamble to the constitution that
1--WE, the people of the United States
thus we see that il was "made in the
name and by the authority of the peo'
pie of the United States; whose dele.
gates framed, and whose conventions
approved it," Its legitimate objects
and purposes were declared 10 be, &c
form more perfect union-to establish
Justicc-insure domestic tranquility
provide for the common defence--pro
mote the general welfare, and secure
the blessings of liberty to the people
These. it was thought, could be best &C.
compished by the formation of three
separate and distinct departments oi
the government-the executive-leg
islative--and judicial. The powers ol
the two first, fixed and prescribed, anc
the latter invested with full power ic
Judge of the compatibility, with The
constitution, of The joint legislative acts
of the two former. Thus it was in,en
ded, that the fatal error so manifest ir
the articles of confederation, should b,
avoided, and that acts passed by the
legislative department and approved by
the executive, should not be subject tc
be nulli6ed or resisted by the separat,
} action of any one or more of the state
composing the Union, but their consti
J tutionality is TO be determined by tn
judicial department And as a rule b,
+ which to test all laws, the constitution
7 is made the supreme law Of the land
. and laws in conflict with it are only t,
!, be set at naught by the courts.
Ifa law is passed by Congress-ap
i proved by the President--and declar
: ed TO be in accordance with the const
tuition, by the courts, then all good ci,i
: zens will abide its mandates, howeve
d inconvenient and oppressive they ma
' be, until resort is had to another RENE
dy, constitutional in its charGc,er-cor
e servative in its purpose, and if the ev
J. be intolerable-certain in its accom-
# pishment. ! mean the remedy afforc
e ed by the ballot box. This is a REM
J, dy KNOWN Of the constitution, and wi,
:. which all good citizens will be satisfied
Is Any other remedy must be revolutions
!. ry in its character and subversive
S, our government.
e, A remarkable instance of the 81
'e cess Of this latter remedy occurre
lie shortly after the adoption of the CO
y stitutiop, and shows in striking maj
j. ner the working of our system
er government. During the administr
'e ton of John Adams, the alien and s
n. dition laws were passed by congre'
ne approved by the President and sustai
e. ed by the Judiciary. The membe
,g Of the Republican party of that ds
Ii. with MI Ieffarson al their head. d