M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1860-12-13

speecnes on Inc neVer'endlDS suDJecl,
and appeals in pamphlet, and other
forms, endorsed by distinguished
names, have been sent forth from this
central point, and spread broadcast
over theUnion. How easy would it
be for the American people to settle
the slavery question forever, and to
restore peace and harmony to this dis.
tracted country. They alone can DO it.
All that is necessary to accomplish
this object, and all WHICH the Slaye
States have ever coltended for, is to
be let alone, and permitted to manage
their domestic institutions in their
own way, as sovereign States. They,
and they alone, are responsible before
God and the world for the slavery ex,
isting among them. For this the peo,
pie OF the North are no more respon.
sible and have no more right to inter
iere, than with similar institutions in
Russia or Brazil. Upon their good
sense and patriotic forbearanco | con-
iess still greatly rely. Without their
aid it is beyond the power OF any
President, no matter what may be his
own political proclivities, to restore
peace and harmony among the States.
Wisely limited and restrained as is his
power under our Constitution and
laws, he alone can accomplish but lit.
tie for good or evil, Oh spch a momen.
tons question; and this brings me to
observe that the election Of any one Of
our fellow.citizcns to the Office Of Pres,
ident does not itself afford just cause
for dssolviug the Union. This is
more especially true if his election has
been effected by mere plurality, and
not a majority Of the people, and has
resulted from transient and temporary
causes which may probably never oc-
cur. IA order to justify resort to
revolutionary resistance the Federal
Government must be guilty Of a dc
li5erate, palpNble, and dangerous ex,
ercse of powers not granted by the
Constitution. The late Presidential
election, however, has been held in
strict conformity with its express pro.
visions. How then eau the result
justify a revolution to destroy this
very Constitution! Reason, Justice
and regard for the Constitution allie
quile that we shall wait for some overt
and dangerous act on the part Of tho
President elect before resorting tosuch
u remedy. 1t is said, however, that
the antecedents Of the President elect
have been sufficicntto justify the fears
OF the South that he will attempt to
invade their Constitutional rights; but
are such apprehensions Of contingent
danger in the future sufficient to iusti-
fly the immediate destruction Of the
noblest system OF Government ever
devised by mortals. From the very
nature Of his office aud its high respou.
sponsibilitieS he must necessarily be
conservative. The stern duty of ad j..
ministering the vast and complicated
councils OF this Government affords in
itself a guarantee that he will not at.
tempt any violation OF clear CUhsti
tutional right. After all he is no
more than the Chief Executive officer
Of the Government. His province is
net to make, but execute its laws, and
it is a remarkable fact in our history
that, Notwithstanding The repeated ef
forts Of the anti.slavery party, no sin
gle act has ever passed Congress, nm
less we may possibly except tue Mis-
souri, Compromise, impairing in the
slightest degree the rights Of the South
to their property in slaves. And it
may also be observed, Judging from
present Indications, that no probabilI.
ty exists ofthe passage OF such an act
by majority of both Houses either in
the present or the next Congress-
Surely under these circumstances we
ought to he restrained from present
action BY the precept OF Him who
spake as never man spake, that "suf-
tcient unto the day is the evil there.
Of" The day of evil may never come
unless we shall rashly bring it upon
ourselves. 1t is alledged as one cause
for immediate secession that the
Southern States are denied equa
rights with the other States in the
common Territories. But by what
authority are these deniedl Not by
Congress, which has. never passed
and believe never will pass, any acl
to exclude slavery from these Terrific
ries; and certainly not by the Su
preme Court, which has solemnly de,
cided that slaves are property, and
like all other property, their owners
have a right-to take them into the
common Territories and hold them
there under the protection of the Con.
Stitution. So Tar, then, as Congress
is concerned. the objection is not tc
anything they haye already done. but
what they may do hereafter. 1t will
surely be admitted that this apprehen
sim of futrre dancer is no oond rea.