M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1857-06-18
The Conflict OF Authority.


lican legislation is seen in the recent
conflict of the State and National au-
thorities. This effect was predicted
by the democratic press at the time
the amendment to the Habaas Cor.
pus Act was passed. 1t was very
strongly denied by our oppofz
fact, the result of such legislatiyr WIS
so evident that only few Of the most
INSCRIPTIONS of the opposition ever
contended against the charge Of the
democrats. Knowing its effect, as We
have reason to believe the Republi-
cans did, why was such legislation
hadl Why should the Legislature Of
Ohio pass laws multiplying those of the
General government Is this State a
belligerent foreign power, that she
may make eprisals upon the United
States, check.mato their officers while
in the performance Of duty and NULL
fly their laws3 Do the Republican
leaders consider themselves no longer
citizens of the United States? We
should be glad to know if they have
determined to Z" let the Union slide p
The series of acts passed by them to
nullify an important provision Of the
Constitution of the United States,
show that these questions I not al
together importinent. There has been
a systematic effort made in the North
towards Wrestling from the General
Government a power solemnly dele
gated to it by the States. Ever since
the passage of the fugitive slave law
"a law in no wise different in its
main provisions from hat which the
Father Of his Country signed and the
founders of the Republic approved
there has been a studied effort on the
part Of the fanatics of the north, by
misrepresentation and wholesale de-
nunciation, to bring it into ~disrepute,
prejudice the ignorant and render its
execution impossible. The present
leaders of the opposition have decla-
red their determination to wage IN
ceasing warfare against it. The Re-
publican papers have b~oastingly IN
nounced that it is a nullity in this
State, and they shamefully abuse Of
fcers of the U. S. who endeavor to
execute its provisions. In short, Ohio
under Black Republican rule, has be-
come the multiplying State of the north
1t would seem that a Reign Of Terror,
civil war, dissolution, anything, is
preferable with the fanatics to a strict
observance Of the compromises of the
constitution and the laws made in ac-
cordance herewith! A persistence in
the present course must surely lead to
anarchy. Is this not so? Mr.. Ma
son, one of the attorneys in the habe-
as corpus case before Judge Leavitt,
stated in few words the effect of a
conflict of jurisdiction, such as has
resulted from Republican legislation.
lie said:
"When will this question Of con
fict of jurisdiction end if these men
are discharged If this court decides
that it must protect its officers in all
their acts, the State courts would claim
equal power. Discharge these men
and what would be the next step9 In
their pride of power they would have
the Sheriff Of Clark County arrested
for interfering with them. The court
of that county would release the sher-
if On a writ Of haJea8 corpus. This
court would call upon the President
for force to execute its warrants. The
State court would call upon the Gov
ernor for force to execute its warrants,
and then we should have civil war,
with all its horrors"