Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1860-12-08

40 ptOfiutu tUdb bUe GOhceisueSn - -
laws Of the United States which shall be
made in pursuance thereof, and all treaties
made or which shall be made under the au-
thority of the United States shall be Su-
preme law of the land, and the Judges III
every State shall be bound thereby, any
thing in the Constitution or laws OF any
State or Territory notwithstanding.
The Government created by the consti
tuition and deriving its authority from The
sovereign people of each Of the several
States has precisely the same right to exer-
else its power oyer the people OF all the
States in the enumerated cases that each
one of thOm possesses over subjects not del
egated to the United States. but reserved
to the States respectively, or tc the people
to the extent of the delegated poTers.
The constitution Of the United States is rs
much par Of the constitution OF each
State, and is as binding on Its people as
though it had been textaally inserted there
IN. This government, therefore, is a great
and powerful government, invested with
all the attributes of SOY sreignty over the
special subjects to which its authority ex-
tends. 1t pay be asked, then, are the
people of the State then without redress
against tyranny and oppression OF the fed
erai government? BY no means. The
right Of resistance on the part of the gov
erned against the opposition Of their gov
ernments cannot be denied; it exists indie
pendently Of all constitutions, and has been
exercised at all periods Of the worlds his
tory
But the distinction must ever be observed,
that this is revolution against an establish
ed government, and not a voluntary Sc
cession from it by virtue of an inherent
Constitutional right; in short, let us look
the danger fairly in the face. Secession is
nothing more nor less than revolution; it
may or it may not be a justifiable revolu-
ton, but still Is revolution. What, in
the meatime, is the responsibility and true
position Of the Executive? He is bound
to take care that the laws be faithfully ex-
ecuted, and from this obligation he cannot
be absolyed by any human power. But
what if the performance Of this duty in
whole or in part has been rendered inn
practicable by events over which he could
have exercised re ccntro2 Such, at the
present mameflt, 10 the case throughout the
State of South Carolina, so far as the
laws of the United States to secure the adj
ministration of justice by means of the
Federal Judiciary are concerned. All the
Federal officers within its limits, through
whose agency alone thee laws can be car
ried into execution, have already resigned.
We no longer have a District Judge, a
District Attorney, or Marshal in South
Carolina. In fact the whole machinery OF
the Federal Government, necessary for the
distribution of remedial justice among the
people, has been demolished, and it would
be difficult, if not impossible to re lace it.
The President then refers to the laws that
exist designed to meet such state ct things,
and remarks:
Congress alone has power to decide
whether the present laws can OF cannot be
be amended, so as to carry out more ef-
iectually the objects of the Constitution.
The revenue still continues to be collect
ed as heretOfore at the Custom House in
Charleston, and should tie collector I'M
fortunately resign, d successor may be APP
pointed TO perform this duty.
It's not believed that any attempt will
be made to expel the United Stat IS from
its property there BY forcs, but if in this
should prove to be mists ken, the officers in
command Of the forts have received orders
TO act strictly On the defensive. In such a
contingency, the responsibility for conse-
quences would rightfully rest upon the
heads Of the assailants.
In reference to recognizing lecedng
State as an independent government b. .he
President, be says it would be marked
act of usurpation on bis part, and it would
be his duty to submit to Congress the
whole question mall its bearings.
The probability of an emergency soon to
arise when Congress will be called on to de-
eide the question whether it possesses pow
er to compel State to remain in Union,
authorizes him to express the opinion that
no such power has been delegated to Con-
gress, or any other part of the federal gov
eminent. It is manifest that it is not
among the specific and enumerated powers
granted to Congress, and it is equally APP
pareat that its exercise is not necessary aud
proper for carrying into execution any one
Of these powers.
The President declares thatto make war
upon State is at variance with the spirit
of the Constitution. And after having
conquered State, how are we to govern
ita We could not govern it by despotc
power, nor by physical force compel its peo-
pie to elect Senator and Representative,
and perform all othsr duties appertaining to
an Independent State. The fact is that
our Union rests upon public opinion, and
can never be cemented by the blood of .ts
citizens shed ia civil war. If it cannot live
in the affections Of the people, it must some
day perish.
Congress possesses many means Of pre-
serving il by Cancellation, but the sword
is not placed in their hands to preserve II
by force.
But may | be permitted solemnly to in
woke my countrymen to pause and deliber-
ate befyre they determine to destroy this