Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-10-21

away into oblivion, which now shoots up again, In
rank and poisonous luxuriance, from the very soil
where true constitutional liberty took its earliest and
its strongest root. Let the men of Massachusetts,
look to this
Referring to the plaudits which encouraged this at
tack upon the Constitution and the Union, we have
said that they came from men of Massachusetts, not
THE MEN OF MASSACHUSETTS. We look forward
with confidence to the time, not far distant, when
these bastard branches, fruitful only of pestilence
viii be Topped from that vine under which the ge-
MUS of our institutions has in times past delighted
to repose, and from whose shelter it has arisen
freshed and strengthened. No cry of revolution is
sounded in the ears of those who live upon soil
which is consecrated by the blood Of patriots, and
who cannot look around them without beholding
the proofs of all the blessings which the most hope
full of those patriots dreamed that centuries could
bring; not the least of which but is the offspring
of Government laid in stable foundations, and
whose benefcent powers moulded into forms
which, while they exist cannot be violated without
striking blow at the vital principle Of that Gov
ernment itself.
What, then, remains? It is an appeal to the
loyalty to the Constitution, and yet traitors to
work for its destruction. 1t is an appeal to them
by Deeds falsfying their words to make themselves
traitors in fact, with loud professions of fidelity upon
their lips. Can they fail to see that this is SO
Can they doubt that while this same Constitution
exists they must either submit to all its organs,
within the sphere of their constitutional preroga
ves, to enact and to interpret respectively, they
must fly from the shelter under which they have
grown in such vigorous health to such imposing
power? All to leave ones country, dear by all
the precious associations of ones own experience,
and all the traditions of his fathers to seek home
in new and untried scenes, is sad enough But to
him who leads his confdng countrymen away from
such a. UNION as that with which a fayoring Pro-
violence has blessed us alone, among all the nations
Of the earth, how much more sadly and reproach-
fully must the beautiful language Of the Latin poet
weigh upon his heart:
" Nos patrie fines, dlcia inqumus arpa;
FUGIMUs."
Yes, fly from our country voluntarily, needlessly,
reckessly; spurning all its bounteous care; its pa
rental protection; it's precious ties; its glorious
past, its Unreasonable future fly from it, finging
oboquy upon it and hurting curses in its venerable
aud benignant face, all to crafty passion, to pur
sue a phantom which is leading to an abyss from
which there is no return.
This alternative would rouse the patriotism of
all who have souls large enough for that national
and noble sentiment and must appeal to even the
narrowest mind that stretches no further than to
count the cost. The other presents a simple alb
surdity--a paradox being wholly within and
wholly without at the same time-an acknowledge
ment Of duty to Government, and yet an assertion
all the while that that Government is but an hum
BILE appeal to our own sovereign will and pleasure
in every exercise of the power which we acknow-
ledge to be legitimate and supreme.
But Mr.. SUMNER says also, in the discourse above
referred to
The whole dogma of passius obedience must be reject
ed whatever guise it may assume and under whatever
alias may skuk, whether in the tyrannica usurpaon
of King, Parliament, or JUDICIAL POWER"
Indeed Does this Senator of the United States
thus openly maintain that there is to be no ODE
dence to the laws That because obedience is,
and of necessity must be, passive its submission
to the organic law which holds society together, it
is therefore slavish and unmanly? Does he pro-
claim that in dis case, duly adjudicated by. the
judicial power of the Constitution, there may law
fully be- and ought to be, open resistance, and yet
pretend to the duty in all other in like
manner adjudicated BY what tenure does he hold
his life, his property, and his sacred honor" Cor
we will not deny him this) by what tenure is he
cure in the enjoyment of all these, free from in
vasion, except by the Supremacy Of the Law and
that "passive obedience" which he thus holds up
to the contempt Of his auditory
But he is not content with placing the Judiciary
Of his country in the category Of yrants, kingly and
parliamentary. He ransacks history, sacred and
profane for examples of judicial error and judicial
wrong, What does this mean If any thing, it means
to dscredit and denounce the whole administration
Of human justice. And, pray, what substitute will the
honorable Senator give us !? He answers, let every
man be his own Judge in his own case, and, conse-
quently, let him execute his own judgments. This is
what he seems to desire. But we apprehend that a
different note would be heard if certain class ofper-
sons, in certain sections of the country, where un
happily the same doctrine has been applied not ex-
actly according to Mr.. Summers wishes, should
undertake to carry into effect such summary judg-
ment as, without consulting the Constitution and
Laws through the medium of the Courts, they might
choose to render upon any person who should ven