Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1860-12-15


shall recoil with horror from the last
fatal plunge. BY such dread catas
trophe the hopes Of the friends of free
dom throughout the world would be
destroyed, and long night Of leaden
despotism would enshroud the nation.
Our example for more than eighty years
would not only be lost, but it would be
quoted as a conclusive proof that man
IS unfit for self government It is not
every wrong, nay, it is not every griey-
Gus wrong, which can Justify a resort
to such All alternative. This ought to
be the last desperate remedy of a des-
pairing people, Of every other constitu-
tlonal means 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 hu-
man, will have its day. I firmly be-
lieve that it has already reached and
passed the eliminating point; but if,
i'll the midst Of the existing excitement.
the Union shall perish, the evil n1ay
then become irreparaDie. Congress
can contribute much to arrest it, by re-
posing and recommending 70 the Leg
ls!atures Of the several States the rem
ody for existing evils which the Con
stltutlOn has itself provided for It's own
preservation. This has been tried at
different critical periods Of our history,
and always with eminent success. i'll
lS TO be found Ill the 18th article, proyi-
dung for It's own amendment. Under
this article amendments have been pro
posed by two thirds Of both Houses of
Congress, and have been ratified by
the Legislatures of threc-fourths Of the
several States, and have consequently
become parts Of the CONSTITUTION.
To this process the country is indebt
ed for the clause prohibiting Congress
from passing any law respecting an es-
tabGshment of religion, Or abrideinr
the freedom Of speech or Of the press,
OF the right Of petition. To this we
are also indebted for the bill of rights
which secured the people against any
abuse Of power by the Federal Gov
eminent. Such were the apprehcnsions
justly entertained by the friends of
State rights at that period, as to have
rendered it extremely doubtful wheth-
er the Constitution could have long sur
Yiyed without these amendments.
Again the Constitution was amended
by the same process after the election
OF President Jefferson, by the House
OF Representatives, in February, 1903.
This amendment was rendered neces-
sary to prevent q recurrence Of the dan
gers which had SO seriously threatened
thc existence Of the Government dur
ing the tendency OF that election. The
article for its own amendment was in
tended to procure the amicabla adjust
ment Of the Constitutional questions,
like the present, which might arise be-
tween the governments Of the States
and of the United States. This appears
from contempoFaneous history.
In this connection, I shall merely call
attention to a few instances in Mr. Mad
sons justly celebrated report, in 1870,
to the Legislature Of Virginia. In this
he ably and conclu6ively defended the
resolutions Of the preceding Legisla-
turo Of Virginia against the structures
Of several other State Legislatures.
These were mainly founded upon the
protest Of he Virginia Legislature
against the alien and sedition acts as
! naipable and alarming infractions Of
the Constitution. In pointing out the
peaceful aud constitutional remedies
and he referred to none other-to
winch tie States were authorized to re
SOFT on such occasions, he concludes
by saying that the Legislatures Of the
States might have made direct rep
resentatlon to Congress with view to
! OBTAIN resembling Of the two offensive
acts, Or they might have represented
TO their respective Senators in CONGRESS
thelc wish that tWo-thirds thereof would
propose any explanatory amendment
to the Constitution; or two-thirds of
themselves, if such had been their oD;n-
ion, might by an application to Con
9reSS have obtained a convention fer
the very same object,
This is the very course which I earn
estly recommended, in order to obtain
an explanatory amendment Of the Con
stitutioa on the subject Of Slavery
This might originate with Congress or
the Stale Legislatures as may be deem
ed most advisable to attain the object.
The explanatory amendment might be
confined to the fual settlement Of the
constructions Of the Constitution on
these special points: First, al express
recognition Of the right Of property in
slaves In the States where it now exists,
or may hereafter exist.
! Second, the duty of protecting this
right II all the common territories thro'-
ont their territorial existence, and until
they shall be admitted as. states into