The American patriot., 1855-08-11
THE LETTER OF MR.. CHAPMAN.
SPRINGFIELD, June II, 1885,

SIR: have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt Of your Exccllency's commission ap-
pointing me to the office Of Commissioner for
the county of Hampden, under the act entitled
"4An act to protect the rights and liberties of
the people of the Commonwealth of Massachu-
sets passed by the Legislature at their late
session.
I deem it my duty to inform your Exccllen-
cy that have for many years held, and still
continue to hold, the Office of Commissioner of
the Circuit Court of the United States; and it
being an Office which in my opinion, it is pro-
per and honorable for any good citizens Of
Massachusetts to hold, and it being convenient
and useful to the public that there should be
such magistrate residing in this place, did
not resign the office within ten days after the
passage of the act above referred to, nor Aam
L at present, aay intention to do 50.
have carefully read the act and beg leave
to call the attention Of your Excelency TO the
18th and 18th sections, which are as follows:
Sec. 13. No person who holds any Office
under the laws Of the United States, which
qualified him to issue any warrant or other
process, Or grant any certificate under the acts
of Congress named in the ninth section of this
act, shall be deemed to have violated good be-
havior, to have given reason for a loss Of public
confidence, and furnished sufficient ground
-.
Thus by the act itself under which I have
had the honor to receive your Excellcn-
cy's commission l am declared to be disquali-
fed to hold any office of honor, trust, or emol-
ument under the laws of this Commonwealth; !;
to have violated good behavior; to have given
reason for loss of public confidence, and fur
nished sufficient ground either for impeach-
ment or removal by address from the office of
Justice of the Peace, which also hold While
am sincerely grateful to your Excellency and
the honorable Council for the confidence in my
integrity which the commission expresses, my
duty to the appointing power, as well as to the
public anG to myself seems to me to require
that should not accept an office under a law
of such character
| Even if it were in my power to remove any
objection to my appointment by resignation
of the office of Commissioner of the United
States Court at this late day, I could not, with
my present views of duty, do any act which
would imply an obligation to regard this law
as valid. am under the obligations of an oath
to support the Constitution of the United States
and the Constitution of Massachusetts, and
this act Palpably and grossly violates both, Its
obvious purposes is to nullify law of the Uni
ted States. Its most important provisions can
not be enforced without direct conflict with
the courts and officers of the United States !:
and, in case of such collision, the citizen Of
Massachusetts, who obeys this law can have no
Immunity from punishment under the laws of
the United States except by revolutionary
movement which shall PROSTATE the power Of
the United States within this Commonwealth
Neither my rieaes efduty nor ma inczinations
"'H tead me to engage IN any uchproceediny
nor TO encourage any Jmy tsz1oac citizens to
Nor do believe that the intelI;pent and co,
did citizens of Massachusetts, or of the United
States generally, feel any sentiment of respect
towards notification in any of its forms. In
whatever shape it has appeared, and in what
ever part Of the Union, it has been ridiculous
and eontemptible. The idea efremaining IN
the Union. s.ceoring TO support its Coustitu-
t.on, and enjoying the 6eneft et'its 1aps so
Jar as they are agreeable to as, and at the
same time "u1lifying those uhicd disp1eose as
e4h ma no place IN the mind Of any Aonoro
ole man. Erery patriotic citizen of .Nassaeu-
sets to sohom the honor qfher name is dear
,oW blush to think efher as The hindnqost fol.
Io''er fher lame and unsueccssfuz prfdsees.