Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1860-12-15
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{ previous conpaets by which ii migsit i,
bound.
/ Upon his motion the clause was miami
mously postponed, and was never believe
again presented.
Soon after, Oh the 9Th Of June, 1884
when incidentally algerting Is this subject,
ne SAID: Any government Tor the United
States, formed OH the supposed practica-
blllty OF using force agsnsi the uncoasti-
tutional proceedings Of Tie States, would
prove as visionary and G.llacious "a TIA
* government Of Congress- evidently mean
ing the then existing Congress Of The old
Confederation. Without descending 70
/ particulars, it may be safely asserted that
the power to make war against State IS
at variance with the whole spirit and IN
tent OF the Constitution. Suppose such a
war Should result III tbs conquest of State.
how are we TO govern il afterwards. Shall
we hold u as a province and govern it by
despotc powers In the nature OF things
we could not by physical force contrel tie
will Of the people, and compel them to
elect Senators and Representatives 10 Con
gross, and to perform all the otbsr duties
depending apen their own relations, and
required from the free citizens Of free
State as a constitutional member Of the
Contederacy But if We possessed the
power, would It be wise to exercise it under
the existing circumstances The object
would be to preserve the Union, but would
cot only prevent the most ctlectual means
OF destroying it, but would Danish az hopes
OF its peaceable reconstruction. Besides,
in the fraternal conflict a vest amount of
blood and treasure would be expended,
rendering future reconciliation between the
States impossible. In the meantime, who
can foretell what would BE the suiicrngs
and priyations Of the people during its eS-
istence. The fact is TINT cur Union rests
upon public opinion, and can never he &C.
meuted BY the blood Of its citizens shed in
civil war. II it cannot live in the affections
Of the people, it must one day perish.
Congress possesses many means Of preserv-
ing il by reconciliation, but the sword Il not
placed in their hands TO preserYeitby force.
But may be permitted solemuly to in-
yoke my countrymen to pause and deliber-
ate before they determine to destroy this,
the grandest temple which. has ever been
dedicated to human freedom since the world
began. 1t has been consecrated by the
blood Of our fathers, by the glories Of our
past, and by the hopes Of the future; and
the Union has already made us She most
prosperous, and ere long viii, if preserved.
render us the most powerful nation on she
face of the earth.
In every foreign region Of the globe the
title Of American citizen is held in tho
highest respect, and when pronounced in
foreign lands, it causes the hearts Of our
counlrymen to swell with honest pride.
Surely, when we reach the brink Of the
yawning abyss, we shall recoil with horror
from the last fatal plunge BY such
dread catastrophe the hopes of the friends
afst s6gan flR3F9qSh2ut The world would Re
potisIa ", uld enshroud the nation. Our
example for more than eighty years would
not ouly be lost, but ii would be quoted "a
conclusive proof that man IS unhs Cor self
government. Is It not very wrong. ay, is
it not very greyious wrong, ~hich can
Justify a resort to such fearful alteFna-
tive. This ought to be the last desperate
remedy Of a despairing people, after every
other constitutional meats Of Cancellation
had been exhausted We should reflect
that under this free government there is an
incessant ebb and flow Of public opinion.
The slavery question, like everything hui
man, will have its day / firmly believe
that it has already reached and passed the
eliminating point; but il, in the midst Of
the existing excitement, the Union shall
perish, the evil may then become incurabls.
Congress can contribute much to arrest it,
by proposing and recommending to the
Legislatures Of the several States tho rem
edY for existing evils which the Consttu-
ton has itself provided for its preservation.
This has been tried at different critical PEI
RODS Of our history, and always with emi-
tent Success. 1t is to be found in the 5th
article, providing for its own amendment.
UEder this article amendments have been
proposed BY two thirds OF both Hou es Of
Congress, and have been ratified by the
Legislatures Of three-iourths Of the several
States, and have consequently become parts
Of the Constitution 70 this process the
country il indebted for the clause prohib-
iting Congress from passing any law re-
specting an establishment Of religion or
abridging the freedom Of speech d Of the
press, on the right # petition. To this we
ale also indebted for tie hill Of rights which
secured the people against any abuse Of
power BY the Federal Government such
were the apprehensons jastly entertained
by the friends Of State Rights al that period
as to have rendered it extremely doubtful
whether The Constitution could have long
survived without these amendments.
Again, the Constitution was amended
by the sama process after the election Of
President Jefferson, y the House n Rep
resentatives, IN February, 1903. his
amendment was rendered necessary 70 pre-
yete 4 recurrence Of the dangers which had
seriously threatened the existence Of the
Government during the pendency Of that
4. e4;nn Tho article for ia own amend