Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1860-12-08


uhion in a similar manner by the vote OF such
convention.
In oidel 10 justify secession as constitution
at remedy. it must he on the principle that the
Federal Government is a mere voluntary asso.
cation of States, 10 be dissolved at pleasure by
any one Ot the contracting parties. If this be
so, the ConiedeIaCy is a rope of sand, 10 be
penetrated aud dissolved by the first adverse
wave Of public opinion in any of the States
In this manner our thirty three States may re-
solve themselves into as many petty, jarring,
and hostile republics each one retiring from
the Uninn, without responsibility, Whenever
any sudden excitement might impe them to
such course BY this process Union might
be entirely broken into traSm, nts in few
we, Ks, which cost our iUrefatLcTs many years
of toll, privation, and blood to establish
Such principle is wholly inconsistent with
the history as well as the character Of the Fed
eral Constitution. After it was framed with
the greatest dcibeTation and care, it was sub
mitted TO conventions of the people OF the
several States for ratification Its provisions
were discussed at length ia these bodies. com
p. scd OF the first men of the country. Its op-
ponents Contended that it conferred powers
| upon the Federal Government dangerous TO the
rights OF the States, whilst its advocates main
tanned that under II fair construction of the
instrument there was no foundation for such
appichensiOns. In that mighty struggle be
tween the first intellects Of this or any other
country, it never occurred to any individual
either among its opponents or advocates. to
| assert, or even to intimate, that their efforts
were all vain lator, because the moment that
any State felt heTself aggTicycd she might
seCcde from the Union. What n crushing ar
gumcnt would this have proved against thoss
who dieaded that the rights of the States
would he endangered by the Constitution. The
Truth is, that it was not until many years after
| the origin of the Federal Government that
! such proposition was first advanced 1t was
then met and reluted 10y the conclusive argu-
mcntS of Gene al jackson, who in his message
of 10th January, 1888, transmitting the nulli-
! fying ordinance OF South Carolina Ia Congress
employs the following language 1.-The right
OF the people OF single State 10 absolyc them
selves at will, and without the consent Of the
other States, from their most solemn obliga-
tions, aud hazard the liberty and happiness Of
the millions composing this Union. cannot be
! acknowledged. Such authority is believed 10
be- utterly Icpugnant both 10 the principles
upon which the General Government is consti-
tuttd aud to the objects which it was expressly
formed to attain.
II is not pretended that any clause in in the
the Constitution gives Countcnance to such a
theory 1t is altogether founded upon infer
encc, not from any language contained in the
instrument itself but from the sovereign char
actrr of the several States by which it WAS
ratified But is it beyond the power of a State
like an individual, To Weld "a portion of its
sovereign night TO secure the rcmaindcr2 In
the language Of Mr. Madison who has been
called thefIther Of the Constitution 1T was
formed by the Stat5s-that is, by the people in
each Of the States, acting in their highest SOW
er.ign canacity: and formed consequently by
the same authority which formed the State
constitution"
=. Nor i the Government Of the United
States. created by the Constitution. less n Gov
eru.ncnt in the strict 5, nse of the term, within
the sphere Of its powers, than the governments
created by the constitutions Of the States are,
within their several spheres Ii is like them
orsauized into Legislative. executive. and ju
dietary departments. Ii operates. like them.
directly on ucTsons and things and. like them
il has at command a D ysical force for exccu.
tirlg the pow,rs committed to it.
1t was intended to be perpetuated. and not
to he annulled at the pleasure of any one of the
contracting parties The old articles of con
federation were entitled Articles of Confcder-
alton and Perpetual Union between the States
and by the 18Th article it is expressly declared
that the articles of this Confederation shall
b, inviulably observed by every State and the
Union shall he perpetual The preamble to
the Constitution OF the United States, having
express reference to the articles of Confedera-
tion, rccites that it was established ''in order
To torm more perfect Union. Aud yet it is
contended that this ''more perfect Union does
not include the essential attribute of per-
pctuity.
But that the Union was designed to be per-
rctnal appears conclusively from the nature and
extent OF the powers conferred 10y the Constitu-
t"n on the Federal Government. these pow
ers embrace the very highest attributes OF na-
t"nal sovereignty. They place both the sword
and the purse under ITS control. Congress has
power to make war, and to make peace; to raise
and support armies and navies, and to conclude
treaties with iOrtlgn governments. 1t Is in
vested with the power to coin money, and to
regulate the value thereof, and to regulate
commerce with i0reign nations, and among the
several States. IL Is not necessary to enumer-
ate the other hlSh powers which have been con
ferrec upon the Federal Government. In order
to carry the enumerated powers INTO effect, Con
gress possesses The exclusive right to lay and
collect duties on imports, and IN common with
the States to lay aud collect all other taxes
Bnt the Constitution has not only conferred
these high powers upon Congress, but 1t has
adopted eilectual means TO restrain the States
from interfering with their exercise For that
pUInGSp II has. strong IrDllultOry language,