Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1860-12-14

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aud constitutional means to Obtain redress
would be justified in revolutionary resis
tance to the government of the Union.
| have purposely confined my remarks
to revolutionary resistance, because, it has
been claimed within the last few years
that any State, whenever it shall be hel
sovereign will and pleasure, may secede
| from the Union in accordance with the
Constitution, and without any violation of
the constitutional rights of the other mem
bers of The confederacy; that as each be-
came parties TO the Union by the vote of
its own people assembled in convention,
| so any one of them may retire from the
Union in similar manner, by the vote of
such convention. In order to Justify
secession as a constitutional remedy, it
must be on the principle that the Federal
Government is mere voluntary associ-
alton of States, to be dissolved at pleasure
by one of the contracting parties. II this
be 50, the confederacy is rope of sand,
and to be separated and dissolved by the
first adverse wave Of public opinion IN any
of the States. In this manner our thirty
three States may resolve themselves into
as may petty, jarring and hostile repub-
lies, each one retiring from the Union
without responsibility, whenever any sud
den exct ment might impel them to such
a course by this process Union might
be entirely broken into fragments in a few
weeks, which cost our forefatkers many
years of toll. privation and blood to estab-
lish. Such principal is wholly incon-
sistent with history. As it was franz
ed with the greatest deGberation and care,
it was submitted TO conventions Of tie peo-
pie of the several States for ratifca ion.
It's provisions were discussed at length in
these bodies composed of the first men of
the country. Its opponents contended
that it conferred power upon the Federal
Government dangerous to the rights of the
States, whilst its advocates maintained
that under fair construction of the III
strument, there Was no foundation for
sHch apprehensiors. In that mighty
struggle between the first intelects of this
or any other country, it never occurred to
any individual, either among its opponents
or advocates, to assert or even to intimat-
that their efforts were all vain labor, be-
cause the moment that any State felt her
self aggrieved, she might secede from the
Union. What crushing argument would
this have proved against those VINO dread
ed that the rights of the States would be
endangered by the Constitution The
truth is, that it was not until many years
after the origin of the Federal Govern
ment, that such proposition was first ad
Vanced. Ii was then met and rel uted by
the conclusive arguments of General Jack
son, who, in his message of the 5th of
January, 1888, transmitting the uuiify-
ing ordinance of South Carolina to Con
gress, employs the following language
1.-The right of the people of single
STATE to absolve themselves at will. with
out the consent of the other States. from
their most solemn obligations. hazards the
liberty and happiness of millions com
posing this Union. AID caanot be acknOW-
ledged. Such authority is believed to be
utterly repugnant, both to the principaies
upon which the General Government is
constituted, and to the objects which it
was expressly formed to attain. 1t is not
pretended that any clause in the Constitu-
lion gives countenance to such theory
it is altogether founded upon inference,
not from any language contained in the
instrument itself, but from the sovereign
character of the several States by which
it was ratified but is beyond the power
of State, like an individual, to yield
portion of its sovereign rights to secure
the remainder
In the language of Mr., Madison, who
has been called the Father of the Consti-
tuition, i, was formed by the States, that
is by the people in each of the States, act
ing in their highest sovereign capacity,
and formed consequently by the same au
thority which formed the State consttu-
tons; nor is the gov rnment OF the United
States, created by the Constitution, less
government, in the strictest sense of the
term, within the sphere of its powers,
than the governments created by the Con-
stltutlons Of the States are within their
several spheres. 1t is like them organized
into Legislative. Executive and Judiciary
departments. 1t operates like them di
rec;l y on persons and things, and like
them, 1t has at command physical force
for executing the powers committed to 1t !;
was intended to be perp-tual, and not to be
annulled at the pleasure of any one of the
contracting parties of the Confederation,
perpetual union between the States, and
by The 18th article, it is expressly declared
that the articles of this Confederation shall
be invariably obsered by every States,
and the Union shall be perpetuated,
The Preamble to the Constitution of the
United States, having expresse reference
TO the articles of Confederation. which
states it was established in order to form
a more perfect Union, does not include the
essential attribute of perpetuity but that
the Union was designed to be perpetual,
appears conclusively from the nature and
extent of the powers conferred by he Con-
stltution of the Federal Government. =
These powers embrace the very highest
attributes of national sovereignty. Tney
place both the sword and the purse under
lis control. Congress has power to make
war and to make peace, to raise and sup
port armies and nayies and to conclude
treaties with foreign governments. Ii Is
invested with the power to coin money
and to regulate the value thereof. and to
regulate commerce with foreign nations
and among the several States 1t is not