The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-06-25

cal In principle with the act of 18th Febru-
ary, 1893, made by Congress, several of
whose members had been distinguished in
the Convention that framed the Constitution
and which was passed at the earnest rec
concentrations of the Governors Of Pcnnsyt-
rania and Virginia, between whose States
difficulty had arisen in the surrender of
fugitive slave !" and thus the law woIld ap-
pear TO be not only proper, but necessary
to both North and South, in order to reg
ulate the proceedings Of those who were
TO have occasion 10 act under the provision
of the Constitution in question.
Now this former law, thus identical with
the new one in principle, has been tested by
the only legitimate test, an appeal to the Su-
preme Court of the United States, anl has
received the confirmation Of that Court in
the case Of Prigg rs. the State of Pennsyl>
vania and is thus virtually made part OF the
Constitution Of the country, no more to be
denied than the existence OF the original ar
ticlc itself This most obvious view OF the
case, so plain 10 :he common sense of any
one who will simply look at tue matter. MIR.
Seward and Mr.. John Van Buren, have seen
fit TO deny in their recent letters. We re-
grct this most profoundly, both for their own
sakes and the quiet Of the country. For
they have surely committed themselves to a
position utterly untenable, destroying all
their moral force as legislators or expounders
Of law, and involving themselves perhaps for
ever with lisorganizing factions. Without
going into more detail respecting the laws, or
expressing any opinion as to its abstract JUS
tice or expediency, we would simply state
that Judge Nelson, in the. charge to which
we have referred, minutely examines all the
provisions Of the law, and pronounces the
| opinion that no guaranteed right, are in
fringed by its details. The North of course
must be consulted in such an enactment
les, some Of its provisions should infringe
upon some Of their "pecular institutions; :
but within this Limitation, whatever was nee
essary to carry into practice the provision o.
the Constitution the Sou.h hsve right tS
demand. To deny them this right is to breal
the compact ourselves. Seeding would b,
a misnorner, tor they would be virtually IRE,
from the bond of the Union. Such, then
is the law. And now to the other question
Is obedience 10 1t compatible with tho sound
est principles of politics and the mos, ah
stracl rights?
This question of course could not arise il
reference to a law so legitima,ely and clear
" enacted as We have shown the ono il
question TO be, were it not that the subject o
the law was a matter opposed to the mora
convictions Of some portion of the commu
nifty.
But does difference Of opinion as to tb,
thing enjoined by law justify resistance
Assuredly not for the person opposed to
law, and against whose will it has been en-
acted, should consider himself, IL called up
on 10 act on the subject at all, as acting b.
compulsion, and therefore not morally re
sponsble; whereas resistance TO regularl,
enacted law is undoubtedly, in Republic
the highest Of crimes, except in such extrem,
cases as no one can pretend this is for in al
cases, as Burke says, The spec ulative lin,
of demarcaton, where obedience ought Il
end and resistance must begin, is faint, OBJ
scufe, and not easily defnable. It is not
single act, or a eingle event which deter
mines it. Government must be abused ant
deranged. indeed, before it can be though
Of and the prospect of the future must b,
as bad as the experience of the past WheI
things arc in that lumentable condition, th,
nature of the disease is to indicate the rem
ed. 10 those whom nature has qualified I,
administer in extremities this critical, ambic
uous, and bitter poiion TO a 'distemperet
State. Times and occasions and provoca
tions will teach theirown lessons. The wist
will determine from .he gravity of the case
the high-minded from disdnin and indicna
ton at abusive power in unworthy hands
the brave and bold from the love of honora
bic danger in generous cause but with O,
without right. revolution will be the very
las, resource of the thinking and the good.
This most wise and eloquent sentence, the
earnest uiterance of the most philosophical
statesman Of modern times, had reference ia
resistance to the DEGREES Of monarchy. It's
truths were the aclualins principles of the
venerated founders of this Republic, as wit.
ness their long circumstances and their final
Declaration" Yes, these, the wisest, purest,
sternest asserlers and defenders of human
rights and individual freedom, feI, the lin,
i'aticns of their individual judgments, felt
che almost sacredness OF existing authority,
anu the tremendous responsibility of con-
structing anew power, whose authoritative
mandate was to be the guide and defender
of individual liberty and security, and the
final arbiter, even in cases Of conscience op.
Grating on the public veal And by the
Providential flor il must be considered il. a
no less solemn lighD existence among them
Of the purest heart anil wsest head that ev-
er. in the annals of mankind, appeared up.
or the stage Of military and political action,
they established in the stead of the govern
ment overturned, this, the ideal of all sages,
the goal of all political endeavor that was
ever animated by intelligent and sincere
desire for the highest good of the spc-
cies. They substituted for The monarchical,
a government totally different in principle,
that WAS for over 10 Avnill Ihn 1nhnrnnt Ia