Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-12-04

cOnleiGphatcS no Violation Oh the laws OF the
United States prior to the act OF secession,
and when that Is accomplished, the state 50
seeding is independent OF national laws OF ma
tonal control.
Without doubt, any state may, in conyen-
ton, resolve themselves out of the Union, or
by their legislature enact themselves out Of The
Union, or perform any other innocent or ca
PRECIOUS freak upon paper which may SUIT
their fancy. The governors OF any OF the
states may issue proclamations, convening ex'
ira sessions Of their legislatures, for chivarous
bunconibe or political notoriety, providing they
are not connected with any actual resistance to
the national laws. The same is true with re-
gard to notification. People may talk, and
write, and resolve, that the laws OF the II ton
ought To be nuitied but ii no acts are connect
ed with the words, no crime has been commit
ted. Language alone, however severe, is
hardly capable OF violating the laws Of the
United States.
Ii the legislature of Massachusetts should
declare the fugitive slave law unconstitutional
and therefore ought to be nullitied, and If it
was not repealed, they would nullfy the law
or secede from the Union. it would be a harm
less declaration in the eye OF law. If Massa-
chusetts should declare that certain laws Of
South Carolina Were unconstitutional, and
were gross violation OF the rights OF her
clllZeNs, therefore she WOuiu SeCCue run tile
Union, she would, Notwithstanding such dec
aration, be stll member OF the cOniederacy.
So, il South Carolina, should she make SINH
lar declarations with regard TO Massachusetts,
it would by no means release her from her
constitutional obligations to the cOntederacy !;
toT Massachusetts and South Carolina, IN com.
mon with the other states, have through the
constitution delegated certain powers 10 tile
United States, and the powers guaranteed 10
the United States by the constitution, and the
constitution Itself by Its own declaration, is
the supreme law Of the land, anything in the
constitution and laws OF any state to the con-
trary Notwithstanding.
Ii there Is anything III the laws OF South
Carolina which conflicts with the letter and
spirit OF the constitution, Massachusetts Is not
to be tile dictator in matter; nor can South
Carolina be sole Judge OF what may seem to
her an ntractlon OF her rights, by the laws
OF Massachusetts, Tor each is party IN the
case, and there is proper tribunal tor them
to appear before Tor the redress OF grievances.
Nor can the acts OF the legislatures OF either
state IN these matters have amy legal force as
neither have competent jurisdiction. There
Is higher law than state law, and that Is, ma
tIonal or constitutional law, which is as much
superior to state law us tile interests OF ma
ton OF states are more important than those
OF a single state.
vi what avail would 1t be to Massachusetts,
or South Carolina, to resolve themselves out
OF tie Union, and withdraw their senators and
representatives from the halls OF congress
Could any folly be more absurd than that OF a
state, or several o. the states, even, to thus is
olate themselves, and by So doing to lose all
political influence i'll the nation and IN the
world
But ii is asserted that they would not lose
their political influence in the wu!l for they
would form treaties with the nations Of the
earth as independent and sovereign states.
What says the constitution upon this point!
In Sec. H. Art. L., we find that "NO state
shall enter into any treaty, alliance or conted-
Grafton, grant letters OF marque and reprisal;
coin money emit bills OF credit; make any
thing but gold and silver coin a tender in pay
nlcnt of debts; pass any bill OF attainder, ex
post tacto law, Or law impairing the obligation
OF contracts; or grant any title OF nobility"
Art IL. "No state shall, without the consent of
the congress, lay any lmpostS or duties on i'm
ports or exports except what may be absolutely
necessary tor executing its inspection laws
and the net produce Of all impOsts and duties,
laid by any state on imports or exports, shall
be for the use OF the treasury of the United
States and all such laws shall be subject to
the revision and control Of the congress. No
state shall, without the consent OF congress,
lay any duty ON tonnage, keep troops or ships
OF war i'll time OF peace, enter into any agree
ment or compact with another state or with
foreign power, or engage i'll war, unless
actually invaded, or in such imminent danger
as will not admit OF delay"
Here we find clear and explicit language,
winch admits OF but one Interpretation, and
that Is, that whatever state or states WHO do
form treaties, alliances, or pass laws to inn
par the Obligations OF contracts, &c, place
themselves IN direct hostile attitude TO the
constitution, which is the supreme law of the
land. And IT any person or persons should 'be
found openly resisting the enforcement of these
laws, lie would be adludged guilty of treason
and would suffer the penalty OF violated law.
thus 1t is easy to see the tinnl result which is
sure TO follow any attempt OF any state to
secede from the Union, or nullity the laws OF
the national government, while i'll the Union.
n state, to secure any advantage to herself by
secession, or even to be able to hold political
name among the nations, must nulity the laws
OF the land Hence, secession Is qualification,
though null tcatlon may not include secession
There are persons, who, ii would seem,
never will outgrow their day of small things,
who think that the country is too large and
unwlcldy, and that as the country has certain
natural divisions created by climate, high
mountains, long rivers, deep lakes, &C., it
would be better TO dissolve the national com
pact IN some way or other, IN order TO bring it
whiting the scope of their ideas Of convenience
Tor governing. Others claim that slavery can
never be abolished from the southern states
until the union with the free states OF the
north is dissolved, Willie many at the south
believe that the peculiar institution canno. be
long sustained unless the separation of the
slave from the free takes place
Many are SO alarmed by this Fearful agita-
tion," produced by the combined efforts of de
signing politicians, unprincipled stock iobbing
speculate 5, aud sensation press, that they