Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1860-12-14

| CleCtiuI VI que pl our icllO"-ClllZcuS 10
the office Of President does not Of itself af-
ford just cause for dissolvlng the Union.
This is more especially trne if his election
has been effected by II mere plurality, and
not a majority, Of the people, and has re
suited from transient and temporary causes,
which may probably never again occur.
In order to justify resort to revolutionary
resistance, the Federal Government must
be guilty Of deliberate, palpaLIe and dan
gerous exercise Of powers not granted by
the Constitution. The late Presidential
election, however, has been held in strict
conformity with its express provisiots.-
| How, thea. caa the result justify a revolu.
ton to destroy this very Constitution 3
Reason, justice, regard for the Consltu-
/ lion, all require that we shall wait for some
overt and dangerous act on the part oi the
| President elect before resortng to such 4
remedy.
1t is said, however, that tho antecelents
of the President elect have been sufficient
to justify the fears of the South that he
will attempt to invade their constitutional
rights. But are such apprehensions of
contingent danger in the future sufficient
t. justify the immediate destruction OF the
nobest system Of government ever devised
NY mortals? From the very nature Of his
| office, and its high responsibilities, he must
necessarily be conservative. The stern du
ty of administering the vast and compli-
Gated concerns Of this Government affords
in itself Il guarantee that he will not at.
temp. any violation Of Il clear constitution.
al right. After all, he is 10 more than the
cliet executive officer Of the Government.
His province is not 10 make, bu; to execute,
The laws; and it is a remarkable fact in
our history, that, notwithstanding the re
pcatei efforts Of the anti slavery party. no
si"gle Act has ever passed Congress, unless
Nc may possibly except the Missouri Com
promise, impairing, in the slightest degree,
the rig hts of the Soul!. to their property
III Slaves. And it may also b. observed,
jmlsing from present indications, that no
probability exists of the Passage Of such an
Act, by "A majority Of both Houses, either
i'll the present or the next Congress. Sure.
ly, under these circumstances, we ought to
be restrained from present action 10y the
precept Of Linn who spake as never man
spoke, that Sufficient unto the day is the
evil thereof The day Of evil may never
come, unless we shall rashy bring it upon
ourselves.
1t is alleged as one cause for immediate
secession that the Southern States are de-
MED equal rights with the other States in
the common Territories. But by what
authority are these deniedl Not by Con-
gress, which has never passed, and believe
, never will pass, any act 10 exclude slavery
from these Territories and certainly not
10y The Supreme Court. which has solemn
; ly decided that slaves are property, and
like all other property, their owners have n
right TO take them in the common Terrific
ries. and hold them there under the pro-
/ lccllOn OF tile Constitution.
So far then. As Congress is concerned, the
objection is not to anything they have al
ready done, bur to what they may do here
after. 1t will surely be admitted that this
apprehension Of future danger is no good
reason for an immediate dissolution Of the
Union. 1t is true that the Territorial Leg
fj1~ture of Kansas, on the Cad Of February
1850, passed in great haste An Act, ovei
= the veto of the Governor, declaring tina,
!, slavery is, and shall be, forever prohibited
y in this Territory Such an Act, however
. plainly violating the rights of property Sc
" cnred hy The c Institution, will be declared
: void by the judiciary whenever it shall be
: presented in legal form.
:, Only three days after my inauguration
t the Supreme Court of the United State.
d soleinnly adjudged*tl'at this power did no
= exist III a Territorial Legislature. Ye
e such has been tile: facliops temper of thu
times that the. correctness Of fhis decision
IN: ''"s been extensively impugued before tn
y, PUBLIC, ami tile question has given rise t
is angry political CONFLICTS throughout .tb'
county. Those WHO have appealed from
II this Judgment Of our Highest constitutions
t tribunal to popular assemblies would,
We they could, invest Territorial Legislature
r. with power to annu' the sacred right
J. Of property. This poyer Congress i. ex.
p, pressly forbidden by the Federal Cons,itu-
i ton t" exercise. ,'Esery. State Legislature
e in the Union is forbidden by its OK,
he Constitution to exercise il. /. cannot b.
:. exercised in any statessxceet by the psoipl
,u in their,highest 'aovers ign capacity. whe
-, framing or amending heir State .oohs,itu