Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1856-10-16
For the Indiana State Sentinel.

seen, for the first, an article In yesterdays
Journal setting forth that, on Saturday eve-
ming last in front of MERRILL's Bookstore,
Judge WICK declared emphatically that in
his opinion If Fremont was elected the South
ought to dissolve tho Union"
shall not make an issue of veracity with
the editor Of that paper, upon this statement,
because am well informed that he would, if
needful, prove his assertion by the several
gentlemen who, as he says, were present at
the conversation he alludes to. But / desire
to say that l do not entertain the opinion
above expressed; also, that am not the ex-
ponent of the BUCHANAN doctrine"-that
have yet to learn that there is any "BUCH-
ANAN doctrine on the above Point-that,
according to my reading, there is nothing in
the BUCHANAN platform on the subject of
dissolving the Union, but that every Demo-
crat speculates on that subject with the larg-
est liberty, and without reproach.
I have little disposition to seek notoriety
by obtruding my opinions; but there are
prevailing reasons, at the present moment,
merely personal to myself, why 1 ask a
place in your columns to declare for myself,
and myself only that 1 do entertain fixed
opinions, as follows:
1. That whenever, by act of the General
Government any clause in the Constitution
of the United States shall be violated in
such manner as to affect unpleasantly or in
juriously the rights or the honor Of one or
more States, such violation will be such an
Infringement of the National Compact as to
call for or justify a rescision of that COM
pact.
2. That inasmuch as there is no Court
clothed with jurisdiction to declare such re-
session among or between States, each State
must, of necessity, judge for itself, and with
draw from the Union, upon its own judg-
ment that the National Compact has been
infringed. Thus / suppose that il Congress
and President should, by act passed and
approved, establish slavery or polygamy in
Indiana, the Hooser State would have the
right to withdraw from the Union. | read
in the Constitution Of the United States an
express declaration that "nesc States shall be
admitted into the Union,'' and l find no con-
dition annexed, except that the Constitution
of such State shall be republican in form.
believe that If any new State, presenting
such Republican Constitution, should ever
be refused admisission into the Union, it
would be good cause for other States 10 with
draw from the Union, either because their
interests or honor may be unpleasantly af-
fcctcd by the rejection Of the new State, or
for the reason that the disregard Of the Con-
stitution, In one instance, is monitlon that it
has ceased to be a rule, and may be disre-
garded in other respects.
3. hold that there is one of the clauses
Of the platform Of the FREMONT party Qf
not two) which arc in direct conflict with
the Constitution and consequently ii is my
political faith that il Fremont should be
elected, and said clause be carried out, as
good party faith would require, those States
whose rights or honor might be unpleasantly
affected thereby, ought (not DISSOLVE THE
UNIoS"--that they cannot do,) to withdraw
themselves from the Union.
entertain, Messrs. Editors, a variety OF
moral, religious and political opinions, which,
ifsstated, would no doubt, be generally es-
teemed as great heresies and If my neigh
bors shall, at any future calm time, have an
intense curiosity to hear the same, will free
ly declare them, upon any point, handed te
me in writing at the time, or freely, and Of
my own motion, the applicants for such con-
fossion furnishing me suitable hall, and
paying the expense of lighting the same.
Very respectfully,
October 8, 1856. w. w. WICK.