The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1860-09-14
"We viii subdue YOupi
Douglas Proposed SeditiOn
Law.
against &dUery must
be pat D0toni
Free speech and n Free Press
not 60 be TOlerntedi


IItboiulloH TOT tuc appointment OF Sc
lect Committee to investigate the John
Brown raid at Harper's Ferry, and to ro-
port whether any further Legislation was
necessary in the premises. Neverthe-
less Mr.. Douglas introduced the follow
ing additional resolution:
"Resolved, That the Committee ofthe
Judiciary be instructed TO report a bin
for the protection Of each State and Ter
ritory Of tho Union against invasion by
the authorities or inhabitants Of any 9TH
or State or Territory; and for the sup
preston and punishment Of conspiracies
or combinations in any State or Terrific.
ry with intent 10 invade, assail or molest
the government, inhabitants, property or
institutions Of any other State or Terri
tory Of the Union"
Upon this resolution he made speech
on the 2sd Of January, as aforesaid, from
which the following are consecutive ox-
tracts;
"The question, then, is, what legisla-
ton is necessary and properto render this
guarantee Of the Constitution effectunll
presume there will be very little differ
ence Of opinion that IL will be necessary
to place the whole military power Of the
Government al the disposal Of the Presi-
dent, under proper guards aud restrictions
against abuse, to repel and suppress in
vaslon when the hostile force shall be act
ually in the field. hut, sir, that is not
sufficient. Such legislation would not
be full compliance with this guarantee
Of the Constitution. The trainers of that
instrument meant more when they gave
that guarantee. Mark the difference in
language between the provision for pro-
toctug the United States against inva-
sion and that for protecting the States.
When II provided for protecting the Uni
ted States, Il said Congress shall have
power 10 "repcl invasion" When Il
came to make this guarantee to the
States Il changed the language and said
the United States shall protect each Of
the States against INVASION"
"Thcn, sir, hold that II is not only
necessary TO use the military power when
the actual case Of invasion shall occur,
but to authorize the judicial department
Of the Government TO suppress all con-
spiracies and combinations in the several
Stutes with intent TO invRde a State, or
molcst or disturb It's government, its
peace, It's citizens, its property OF lie in
stitutions. You must punish the conspir.
acy, the combination with intent Co do
the act, and then you will suppress II in
advurce.
at cannot be said that the time has
not yet arrived for such Legislation. II
Is only necessary 60 inquire into the caus.
cs which produced the IIurpcr's Ferry
outrage, and ascertain whether those
causes are yet In active operation, and
then you can determine whether there is
any ground for apprehension that the in
yasion will be repeated. Without stop
ping to udduce evidence ia detdr, I have
no hesitation in expressing my firm and
deliberate conviction that the Harper's
Ferry crime was the natural, logical, in
evit,ble result ofthc doctrines and teach
ings Of the Republican party, ~ explain.
ed and enforced in their platform, their
partisan presses, their pamphlets and
books, and especially in tho speeches Of
their leaders in and out of Congress.
"And, sir, inasmuch az the Clnstitu-
ton Of the United States conrcrs upon
Congress the power coupled with the du-
" Of protecting each State a~uinst ex-
ternal aggression, aud inasmuch as that
includes the power OF suppressing and
Furnishing conspiracics in one State
against the institutions, property, people
or government of every State, | desire TO
carry out the power vigorously. Sir,
give us a law as the Constitution con-
templates and authorizes, and will show
the Senator from New York that there is
constitutional mode of repressinR the
"irrepressiblo conflict" I ipiH Open he
prison door 10 allOp cOaSpirators against
tie peace Of the Republic and he domestic
tranquility Of our STATES 10 select their
cells ,Oheretn to drag out miserable life
as a PuniShmeni for heir crimes against
ne peace Of sOciey'H
"Can any man say TO as that although
this outrage has been porpetratod At
HRrper's Ferry, there Is no danger ofits
recurrencos Sir, is not the Republican
party still embodied, organized, confident
Of success, aud defiant iD is pretensionsl
Does Il not now hold and pre- claim the
same creed that il did before the inva-
sion! II is true that most of It's represen-
tatives here disavow the act of John
Brown at Harper's Ferry. am glad that
they do soi ! am rejoiced that they have
gone thus tari but | must be permitted
to say TO them that Il is not sufficient
that they disSVow the act, unless they al
so repudiote and denounce the doctfiaes
and teachings which produced the act
Those doctrines remain the same; those
teachings are being poured into the minds
OF men throughout tho country by means
OF speeches and pamphlets and books,
and through partizan presses.
"Mr. President, the mode Of preserving
peace isplain, This system OF sectional
warfare must cease, The Constitution
has given the power, and ell we ask Of
Congress ID 10 give the means, and we,
BY Indictment and convictions in the fed
eral courts OF our several states, will
make such examples Of the leaders Of
these oonspiratOTs as will strike terror
into the hearts Of the others, and there
will be an end oC this crusade. Con
gressional Globe, lSb9-6O, pages, 55a,
The following is an extract from the
old SedltiOn Law Of i79s, which very
nearly revOlutioniEed the sountIy-ut-
terg ruined and destroyed the Federal
party which took the. responsibility Ofen-
acting it--and against which Thomas
Jefferson and his friends Illuminated the
famous "Resolutiors OF 'ss, !" adopted BY
the Virginia and Kentucky Legislatures,
"And be il further enacted, That if
any person shall write, print, utter or
,.thl..h ~. An 80, y. - - 4.