Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-11-12

executive mansion an the Governor of your State
invncibe than hosl with which the thirty yrsnts of
Athens surrounded Themselves. In word, it secures
every enjoyment projects every right edresses every
wrong Bring this lay into contempt teach men to set
light estimate upon umandates and when it runs coun
ter to their interest OF their passion set il aside and
annul It, and you brek down all the barriers by which
society IS maintained ecure from aggression put the
weak at the mercy of he strong you sacrifice the rights
OF the few at the bddhg of the many Let the State her
self be foremost in seng this example, and she inicts
the deepest stab into dc very heart Of the social fabric
and covers herself viii ignomny far beyond any that
the mere rep1diaton disputed however JUST debt
could possibly nfict UPON her, Without rigid observ-
ance and enforcement of law there be liberty.
True liberty consists the existence and enforcement of
just laws; and he is bad man, unworthy of public con-
hdenee or private trust who would teach the people that
the laws of the land may be safely violated.
But you may ask whit constitutes the laws, and how is
II violation of them torefuse to abide by the decision
of the High Court Of Errors and Appeals9 The question
is pertinent one and proceed to ii. The laws
which each man. at hisperi is bound to obey and sub
NIT to are the constitution of the State the acts of the
Legislature the common law Of the country and the de-
cisions OF the courts Of justice These constitute the as
Of the lard; and each is equal obligation and force
The decisions Of the courts OF justice binding on
the people, and it is much their duty to obey them as
the positive enactments Of the Legislature Each is but
The wH 81 the people coistutonally expressed, but in
different way; and each when ascerained has all the
authority OF that will, and is tits great mis-
take which many fall into TO suppose that the c Of The
people Is 10 De FOUND popular asSembageS 1t
equally great mistake I'd suppose that it is to be found
only in the enactments of the Legislature. The very
ment Government is established like ours, having
tive legislative and judicial functions which be
exercised by coordinate but Independent departments
the wn of people only be gathered from the actions
of these departments Masses people, however large
and respectable, do not and cannt express the U Of he
people, they ut the most but e1,ress their private
personal sentiments but the will of the people can be
ascertaned only in the mode they themselves have desg
mated An act Of the Legislature is the will of the peo
ple SO is the judgment Of the courts is Executive
proclamation other Executive act within the scope of
his powers There is and there be no other arH Of
The people, until you break down the constitution and re-
solve society and government into aborigqal wildness
when the might of the strong arm can maintn and
cute the dictates of the determined WILL No who will
argue from admitted and established principles politi-
cal science deny successfully dispute heseuropo-
sons 1t is, therefore, at this time, the settled aid
tabshed THE PEOPLE, ascertained and deciaed
in the only lawful and constitutional mode in which that
be ascerained and declared z by the decision
and decree of the peoples courts Of justice established
by the people themselves that heJonds Of the State issued
bsha Of the Mississippi Union Baak unconstitutional and
raid obligations Of the State and ought TO be paid
Democracy processes to abide by and perform the will
of the peoples and yet it is at this time moving all the
machinery of party and laboring with zeal worthy of
better to overthrow and annul that deliberately
corded and expressed will.
It is true these bonds cannot be paid without kgisla
u The people, when they gave to the courts
the power to adudge claims against the State did not
confer the further power upon them to coerce from the
treasury of the State their payment They never con-
templated the possibility Of department of the Gov
eminent refusing to carry out by every means in its
err the declared and rghtfu decree of another depart
ment Such refusal would be the division Of the Gov
eminent against ITSELF and would be almost presage Of
its downfall. Such refusal wond be, though within
the naked power Of the Legislature moral wrong which
reasoning sophisry could wipe out or justify
Let each man make the his The suit of john
is not the only that has been brought against the
State Parrish after twelve years of litigation, OBJ
tanned heavy judgment against the State, founded on
the failure of the State to comply with contract made
with him. Moody did the same thing. These claims
were hotly tgated by the State and yet the Legisla
ture did not hesitate promptly to pay them both Sup
pose 1t had refused to pay either would not the indignant
voice of the people have been heard in tones of thunder
against body of representatives who would refuse after
the highest courts had adjudged his right award
Of their fellow citizens the hardly fruits of his
tolls Especially how clamorous and justly So would
each citizen be thus hardly dealt by And does the mag
nde of the claim against the State make the moral duty
Of the Legislature less obligatory Have legislators the
right to violate and set at naugh the decisions Of he
tribunals and thus violate the laws both OF God ant
man merely because is millions instead OF thousands
dollars which are at stake? MOI minded man vii
thus Judge.
But attempts have been made to induce the people
violate the judgment of the court and thus disregard
THEIR RECORDED WILL the ground that this debt
has, by accumulation of interest become that
il will Cypress and ruin the people Of the State if it bt
paid and such disngenuous arguments have been put
forth this subject as TO deceive ana slead many JUS
men who would willingly vote for the payment OF these
bonds provided they could do without selfdesrucuon
The first and greatest unfairness of those who would
drive the people work, through their legislators,
great wrong is the most untrue assumption that this
whole debt has be paid al once and by the present
generation when it is fact well known that the bond
holders would gladly wait for what is due them from ten
to sixty wears at reduced rite of interest, they
could be assured of the prompt annual payment OF that
interest and the ultimate payment OF the principal IN
deed their authorized AGENTS have already recently publsn
ed to the world that they will be satisfied with the levy Of
an annual lar fourth Of per cent on the value Of
the real and personal estate subject to taxation IN
the State until their debt is paid. In other words, the
man who owns 81 900 worth Of property viii be taxed
annually the sum of 81 80 and not more for the pay
men of these bonds the man who owns Sl0 900 worth
of property will be taxed $25 per year. and he who has
Sl0O 900 will be taxed $3.50 per year; and in like pro
portion as men smaller larger estates This Is the
rev utmost extent which the bondholders ask the
State 10 20 and Of course Of our own citizens
proposes or would advocate higher rate of taxation.
repeat it. in order to pay the principal and interest Of
these bonds ro dollars and ha gear ecsry cent hd
can be enacted for erey thousand dollars north Of prope
each in the State what then, becomes OF those
misleading and untrue calculations by which the people
have been told that utter ruin would befa them and he
poserity they voted to pay these bonds And there
man in the State who would refuse to pay his compare
tiyely magnificent free the State from the stigma
whether il be lust or unjust under which she abors,
refusing to pay an honest debt when she is amply able
do so without the smallest sacrifce Look at the ques
ton in the most favorable light. Admit that you are
firmly persuaded that these bonds were unconstitutional
ly issued admit that decided majority Of the people
are convinced Of the thing still that does make III
however firm and sincere and their convictions
may be- On the other hand, the bondholders and large
minority respectable for talent and wealth Of fellow
citizens consider the bonds constitutional and valid obi
cations upon the State and in this view they sus
tanned by your own judges sworn 10 administer the law
IN tka and ba rtrlf rf fla