The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1851-02-19
Our Government.

present aspect OF affairs in this country. In
its emission Of the Is. instant it has long
article on "The Future" from which we
make the following extracts, which we com.
mend TO The attentive perusal Of our readers. (:
The Constitution lie not treaty or compact
among The States, as the enemies Of The Uni.
on pretend, but Government established BY
THE PEOPLE OF The States; BY the same PEG.
pie, in their sovereign capacity, which form.
ed the State Governments. And THE PEOPLE
gave to the Federal Government, within It's
sphere, powers paramount 10 those Of the
States, and the means Of carrying out those
powers.
Ii any one proposition could command
the universal assent Of mankind, says Chief
Justice Marshall on this subject, 1--WE might
expec, it would be this: that the Government
of the Union, though limited in lis powers. is
suprems within its sphere Of action. This
would seem to result necessarily from lis ma
ture. |, is the Government of all: its pow.
ers are delegated BY all: it represents all,
ard acts for all. Though any one State may
be willing TO control its operations, no State
is willing to allow others to control them
The Nation, on those subjects upon which ii
can act, must necessarily bind its component
parts. But this question is not left 10 mere
reason: THE PEOPLE have, in express terms,
decided it BY saying, This Constitution, aud
the Laws Of the United States which shall
be made in pursuance thereof, shall be the
Supreme Law Of the Land ! and BY requr.
ing that ,ae Members Of the State Legsla.
lures, and the officers of the Executive and
Judicial Departments Of the States, shall take
the oath Of fidelity 10 it. The Government
Of the United States, then, though limited in
its powers, is supreme; and lis laws, when
made in pursuance Of the Constitution, form
the supreme law Of the land, any thing in
the Constitution or Laws of any State 10 the
contrary notwithstanding.
! If, under any false impression OF State au.
thority coniravening this fundamental Law,
violence may be resorted 20 BY any portion
OF the People of any State, such as shall be
incompatible with the Constitution and laws
of the United States, it may be we'll to consl.
der the consequences which follow such VIC.
lations OF law. And, 10 referring TO the con.
sequences Of such Illegal resistance to the
laws, we include such resistance in the North
as well as in the South. Ii obstruction TO
the Federal laws shall be interposed in any
part Of the Union, the consequences must be
met. And we consider it our duty to warn
our fellow citizens of what the law is in sue
cases, that they may know, il they do not al.
ready know, under what responsibilities they
act; responsibilities which no excitement or
fana,icism can mitigate or avoid. The law
on his subject was laid down BY the Judicial
tribunals OF the country more than fifty years
ago, and some ten years later re. afhr med by
| the highest Court and by the most learned
Judges of our country. II is to be found in
the printed reports of the cases in which il
has been at different times delivered land is CT
course easily referred to. To save the read.
er the trouble Of searching The books for il,
however We CHE from them, 10 brief, as FOL.
lows
Under The Insutrecton in 1874, in Yves.
Tern Pennsylvania, Commonly called the
| Whiskey insufrectlon, Philip Wool and John
/ Mitchell were indicted for treason, consisting
! of levyng war against The United States, by
4
lion OF the laws which imposed a duty on
distilled spirits; and after full and sole mn
trial before the Circuit Cout, Of the United
States, held ty MIR. Justice Paterson and
/ Judge Perrs, they we're convicted aud sen
fenced TO death. The sentence was no. car.
ried into execution, President Washington
having thought the lesson Of the judgment
sufficient, and saved the lives Of the Grimm.
ais under the pardonlng power.]
In 1898 an act was passed by Congress
for the valuation Of lands and dwelling houses
and the enumeration Of slaves Throughout,
the United States; and in he succeeding yea
an insurreciion took place in the counties o
Bucks and Northampton, in Pennsy lvania
sgains, the execution of The law. In The SAINT
wear, John Fries was Indicted for treason
against the United States for resisting th,
execution Of that law, aud was convicted be
fore the Circuit Court Of The United State
held by Mr.. Justice iredell and Judge Peters
: new trial was granted on the ground tina
/. one Of the jurors, before be was sworn, mad
some declaration unfavorable TO the ptsoBe
Fries was afterwards tried on The same ia
q dictment before Mr.. Justice Chase and Judg
Peters, and, being found guilty BY The jury
: the Court passed on him the sentence Of death
; fIe was, after much hesitation, psrdoned b
President Adams. He was so near beio
: hung, after either his first or second cow,
ton, that the gaiows was actually erected @
: the skirts Of the city Of Philadelphia for b
execution.
Q In these cases the Court held "that if
J. body Of people conspire aud mediate an i,
surrection to resist OF oppose the execute
Of any statute of the United States by fore
~ they are only guilty Of high mlsdemeano
but if they proceed 10 carry such in,eniic
into execution By force, they are guilty Of tt
i. treason Of levying war, and the quanlum
d the force employ ed neither lessons nor ncfea