The southern press., 1851-07-01

Acfl II cahhGt be ehf6fesdY A sosafhlnehs, sn
the contrary, Mways has eanction, express or
implied and in our case, it Is both necessarily
implied and expressly given. An attempt, by
force of arms, 10 destroy government, is an
offence, by whatever means the constitutional
compact may have been formed, and such gov
ernment has the right by the law OF fseltdefence,
TO pass acts for Furnishing the offender, unless
that right is modified, restrained, or resumed by
the constitutional act In our system, although
il is modified in the case of treason, yet authori-
ty is expressly given TO pass all laws necessary
to carry its powers into effect and, under this
grant, provision has 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 Union which con-
meets us but, as erroneous opinions on TINS
subject are the Foundation OF doctrines the most
destructive to our peace, ! must give some
further development to my views on this sub
ject. No one, fellow.citizens, has higher rev.
erence for the reserved rights OF the States than
the magistrate who now addresses you. No
one would make greater personal sacrifices or
official exertions to defend them from violation;
but equal care must be taken to prevent on their
part, an improper interference with, or resump-
tion Of the rights they have vested IN the nation.
The line has not been so distinctly drawn as to
avoid doubt in some cases OF the exercise OF
power. Men of the best intentions and sound
est views may differ in their construction Of
some parts of the Constitution; but there are
others on which dispassionate reflection can
leave no doubt OF this nature appears to be
the assumed right of secession. Ii treats, as we
have seen, on the alleged undivided sovereignty
Of the States, and on their having formed. in
this sovereign capacity, a compact which is called
the Constitution from which, because they made
| it, they have n right to secede. Both OF these
positions are erroneous, and some OF the argu-
ments to prove them so have been anticipated
The States seyerally have not retained their
entire sovereignty. 1t has been shown that, in
| becoming parts of nation, not members of
League. they surrendered many Of their essential
narts of sovereignty The right to make trea-
| ties--declare war--Ievv taxes-exercise exclu-
sive judicial and legislative powers-were all of
them functions of sovereign power. The States,
then, for all these purposes, were no longer
sovereign. The allegiance of their citizens was
transferred in the first instance, to the govern
ment of the United States they became Amer
lean citizens and owed obedience to the Coasti-
tuition of the United States, and the laws made
| in conformity with the powers it vested in Con-
UreSS. llt PuSlttull i'ob oCSH "uu Ss'i-
not be denied How, then, can that State be
said to be sovereign and independent whose cit
izens owe obedience to laws not made by it, and
whose magistrates are sworn to disregard those
laws when they come in conflict with those
passed by another! What shows concusively
that the States cannot be said to have reserved
an undivided sovereignty is, that they expressly
ceded tho right to punish treason, not treason
against their separate power, but treason against
the United States. Treason is an offence again:t
sovereignty, and sovereignty must reside with the
power to punish it, But the reserved rights Of
the States are not less sacred because they have,
for their common interest, made the general gov
ernment the depository of these powers.
The unity of our political character Gas has
been shown for another purpose) commenced
with its very existence. Under the royal gov
ernment we had no separate character; our OPP
position to its expressions began as UNITED
COLONIES We were the UNITED STATES under
the confederation, and the name was perpetuated
and the Union rendered more perfect by the
federal Constitution. In none of these stages
did we consider ourselves in any other light
than as forming one nation. Treaties and al
liances were made in the name Of all Troops
were raised for the joint defence How, then,
with all these proofs that under all changes of
our position, we had, for designated purposes
and defined powers, created national govern
ments--how is it, that the most perfect of those
several modes of union should now be considered
as mere league, that may be dissolved at
pleasure? 1t is from an abuse of terms. Com
pact is used as synonymous with league, al
though the true term is not employed, because
it would at once show the fallacy of the reason
ing. II would not do to say that our Constitu-
ton is only league, but II is abored to prove
it compact, (Which in one sense itis) and hen
to argue that, as a league is a compact, every
compact between nations must of course be a
league, and that from such an engagement every
sovereign power has right to secede. But it
has been shown that in this sense the States are
not sovereign, and that even if they were, and
the national Constitution had been formed by
compact, there would be no right iii any one
State to exonerate itself from its obligations.
So obvious are the reasons which forbid this
secession, that is necessary only to allude TO
them. The Union was formed for the benefit
of all. 1t was produced by mutual sacrifices of
interests and opinions. Can those sacrifices be
recalledl Can the States, who magnanimously
surrendered their titles to the territories of the
West, recall the grant Will the inhabitants Of
the inland States agree to pay the duties that
may be imposed without their assent, by those
on the Atlantic or the Gulf, for their own beue-
ftl Shall there be free port in one State, and
onerous duties in another! No one believes
that any right exists in single State to involve
all the others in these and countless other evils
contrary to the engagements solemnly made
Every one must see that the other States, in
selfdefence, must oppose it at all hazards
ANorHER DESPERATE GANG OF VlLLAISs.--
late number Of the Shawneetown Advocate,
gives an account Of the discovery and arrest of
gang of villains, who have carried on, for years
past, regularsystem of kidnapping slaves, forg-