Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-05-02

The present Consultation, mas the authority OF ths
Federal 0eversnent bean so derided and iri1ed
lwilk. e Il hss been nader the present Admins
Itrafien In he States of Massachusetts, and
Ohio. Ne eco individuals defyng the whole power
lof the Government, and declaring that they will
be protected in their contumacy. Sghe warrant Of
the Senate for the arrest oil John Brown. Jr., has
been returned, with the declaration that be cannot
be arrested. In like manner, the authority OF
the Senate has been repudiatcd in the case Of
Sanborn, 10 Massachusetts,. We will not under
take now TO say how far the resolutions OF 9S-
200, have contributed % this condition Of public
sentiment: nor 10 inquire whether extreme State
Rights doctrines are not responsible. though VIC
must be permitted to enquire whether We have a
Federal Executiyef Mr.. Buchanan has shown
himself ready enough to ask for powers larg-
or than any granted by the Constitution but
why does he not execute those confded to him! Why
docs be not show that the Union is not nero
rope Of sand, but that it has power to maintain
the rights Of all the States and when one Sove
reign State isinvaded by another, to SEQ that the
offenders are brought to justice! In this way on
Ily can the Union be preserved. Upon this sub
Iject, the Boston Courier submits tho following
just vcws:
In leader which appeared some days since,
We made some remarks upon the hostile. attitude
which the State Of Massachusetts, under the guild.
ance Of the counsels controlling her seemed
disposed to take towards the General Government.
We said that portion, at least, Of the dominant
party in the State looked upon the United States
of America rather n foreign ami hostile pow
er than anything else and we quoted the cxult.
inn nf n mir m iharn hat rfy
the whole force Of the General Government had
been insufficient to take an unarmed man out Of
the town OF Concord. We reeur to the subject
again not merely because Of its essential and per-
manent Importance, bnt because events have since
transpired which enforced the lesson we essaycd
to teach. A return Of a warrant was made to the
Senate on Monday last stating that it was impus-
sihle TO arrest John Brown. Jr.. in Ohio, unless
an armed force was employed for the purpose. \
question seems now 10 be raised, whether the I'M
ted States Of America are strong enough To execute
their precepts in those PORTIONS OF tho country
where there is n local public sentiment opposed
to such execution; and this Suggests another qncs
ton; whether it Il n desirable thing. say ior us
who are citizens OF Massachusetts, that the Gener-
al Government should he so weak as to be compel.
led at all times. in all places, and under all cir
oumstances, to give way 10 such local public SEN
timent. These are, We submit. pretty important
questions they come home Ia every mans bust,
moss and bosom: they demand immediate and Sc
rious consideration; because if the General Govern
ment be weak IA it has been ,riumphantly pro-
claimed to be, and if such weakness be deemed to
be misfortune and not n blessing. it becomes
tho duty Of tho people OF this country, its only
sovereign, either to strengthen the hands Of the
government, or 10 nbandon our present coniedcra-
Ned system az D practical failure, and try someth-
ing better
After INDUCING some reflections upon the fail
ure of tho old Confederation, and presenting n
vivid picture of the roal condition Of the country
during that dark period. which excited the fcnrs
of Washington mud his compatriots, our cotem
porary adds tho following judicons remarks:
Upon this scene of darkness aud gloom the sun
of tho Constitution arose with healing in it's
wings Instantly, rs by touch OF mngic the
country woke to active aud pros ,crous i;.c eve.
ny department of industry felt a rcviyiuG am Vi
vifvins influence the farmer found market
the mechanic found work thu click aud din Of
labor were heard ships spread their canvas to
the breeze tho art Of commerce began to thun.
der loud, with lis ten thousand wheels: the
shcetcd aud spectral form of Silence left the
market place, and snt among the graves in tho
churchyard And from that time to this the
country has continued in mn nnbrok'n and unex-
ampled career OF material prosperity. And tho
source OF this prosperity is to be found mainly in
the Union and the Constitution; and Massachusetts
as a commercial and manufacturing State, has had
ut least her full share Of this prosperity.
And now VIC put it to tho farmers, the mechan
les, the manufacturers, thr merchants Of Ma,ou-
chuscts, whether IL i. not vastly better to live M
der reasonably strong government like the
Union than under ptiahly weak government
like the old Confederation? A strong government
may sometimes abuse its powers, nni then it he.
comes so far forth II bad government but u weak
government is always, and from necessity, II bad
government. And If il be better TO live under
tho Constitution than under the Conlcderncy is it
not high time for the voters of Massachusetts to
put the State in charge ofmcn who will show their
attachment to the Constitution, not merely hy for.
nal phrases and nfter.dinner speeches, but bv
their deeds Md their lives
sitter to the Louisville Jo"rnat from Bryant
vile. Tennessee, says Mr.. Egerton, of Gnrard. n
respectable farmer, hung himself about two weeks
ago with trace chain. About year ago his son