Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-12-08

clude the essential attribute Of perpetuity.
= But that this Unionwas designed to be perpetual
appears conclusvely from the nature and extent OF
the powers conferred by the Constitution on the
Federal Government These powers embrace the
very highest attributes of national Sovereignty
They place both the sword and purse under its con-
trul Congress has power to make war, and to,
make peace to raise and support armies and nayies,
and to conclude treaties with foreign governments.
IL is invested with the power to coin money and TO
regulate the value thereof and to regulate corp-
nierce with foreign nations and among the several
States II is not necessary to enumerate the other
high powers which have been conferred upon the
Federal Government. In order to carry the enume-
rated powers into effect Congress possesses the ex-
elusive right to lay and collect duties on imports,
and in with the States to lay and collect all
other taxes.
high powers upon Congress, but it has adopted Ell
fecual means to restrain the States from interfering
with their exercise. For that purpose 1t has, IN
strong prohihItory language expressly declared that
"nO State shall enter into any treaty, alliance or
confederation grant letters OF marque and reprlSal;
coin money; emit bills of credit; make anything
but gold and silver coin tender in payment Of
debts; pass any bill of attainder &c post tactO law,
or law impairng the obligation Of contracts" More
over "without the consent Of Congress, no State
shall lay any impoStS duties on any imports or
exports except what may be absolutely necessary
for executing its inspection laws; and, II they
exceed this amount, the excess shall belong to the
United States.
And mo State shall, without the consent of Con-
gress lay any duty of tonnage; keep troops or ships
of war, in time of peace; enter into any agreement
or compact with another State, or with foreign
power; or engage in war, unless actually invaded,
or IN such imminent danger as will not admit oil
delay"
In order still further TO secure the uninterrupted
r lfnrr
stion it is provided that this Constitution and the
laws of the United States which shall be made in
pursuance thereof and all treaties made, or which
shall be made under the authority of the United
States, shall he the supreme law Of the land; and
the judges in every State shall be bound thereby,
anything in the Constitution or laws Of any State
to the contrary notwithstanding
The solemn sanction of religion has been super
added the obligations of official duty and all SEN
atorS and representatives of the United States all
members of State Legislatures and all executive and
judicial officers "both of the United States and of
the several States shall be bound by oath affirm
alton to support this Constitution"
In order TO carrv into effect these powers, the
Constitution has established perfect government
in all its forms Legislative Executive and Judicial;
and this government, to thr extent Of its powers,
acts directly upon the individual citizens OF every
State, and executes its own DEGREES by the agency
of its officers. Ia this respect it differs entire
" from the government under tue old confederation,
which confined in making acquisitions on the
States in their sovereign character. This left it in
the discretion of each whether to obey to refuse,
and they often declined to comply with such rcqui
stionS. 1t thus became necessary, for the purpose
of removing this barrier, and lin order to form
more perfect Union" to establish government
which could act directly upon the people, and exc
cute its own laws without the intermediate agency
Of the States This has been accomplished by the
Constitution of the United States
In short, 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 exercise its power over the people
OF all these States, in the enumerated cases that
each one Of them possesses over subjects not dele
gated to the United States but Preserved to the
States, respectively, or to the people"
To the extent Of the delegated powers the Consti
fulton of the United States is much part Of the
constitution of each State, and is as binding upon
its people, though it had been textually inserted
therein.
This government, therefore, is great and power
full government, invested with all the attributes Of
sovereignty over the special subc to which its
authority extends It's trainers never intended to
implant in its bosom the seeds of its own deStruc
ton, nor they at its creation guilty of the alb
surdity of providing for its dissolution. 1t was
not intended by its trainers TO be the baseesS fabric
of vision which, at the tonch of the enchanter,
would vanish into thin air, but a substantial and
mighty fabric, capable Of resisting the slow decay
of time and Of defying the storms of ages. Indeed
well may the jealous patriots of that day have in
dulged fears that government of such high powers
might violate the reserved rights Of the States and
wisely did they adopt the rule Of strict construc-
ton OF these powers to prevent the danger! But
thcy did not fear nor had they any to mag
inc, that the Constitution would ever be so inter-
preted as to enable any State, by her own act and
e L
her people from all any of their federal obligations
1t may be asked, then the people of the States
without redress against the tyranny and oppression
Of the Federal Government? BY no means. The right
Oresistance the part of the governed against the
oppression of their governments cannot be denied
1t exists independently Of all constitutions and has
been exercised at all periods of the worlds history
Under it old governments have been destroyed, and
ones have taken their place. 1t is embodied IN
strong and express language in our Declaration of
Independence. But the distinction must ever lie
observed that this is revolution against estab.
liShed Government, and not voluntary secession
from it by virtue Of inherent constitutional right
In short, let look the danger fairly in the face
Secession IS neither more nor less than revolution
1t may or it may not be justifabe revolution, but
still il is revolution.
What, in the mean time, is the responsibility and
true position of the Executive? He is bound by
solemn oath before God and the country ito take
that the laws be faithfully executed" and from
this obligation he cannot be absolved by any human
power. But what if the performance of this duty
in whole or in part has been rendered impractical
BILE by events over which he could have exercised
no control? Such, at the present moment, is the
throughout the State of SouthC Carolina, far
the laws of the United States to secure the admins
tration of justice by of the Federal Judiciary
are concerned. All the Federal officers within its
limits, through whose agency alone these laws can
be carried into execution have already resigned
We no longer have district judge, district attor-
ney, a marshal, in South Carolina. In fact the
whole machinery of the Federal Government neces-
sary for the distribution of remedial justice among
the people, has been demolished; and it would be
difficult, if not impossible, to replace it. ..
The only acts of Congress the statutebook,
bearing upon this subject are those of the 2Sth Feb
ruary, 1895, and Sd March, 1907. These authorize
the President after he shall have ascertained that