The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1860-12-06
Richmond, Wayne County, indiana,

have been conferred upon the Federal Gov
ernment. In order to carry the enumerated
powers into effect Congress possessed the
exclusive right to lay and collect duties on
imports, and in common with the States to
Law and collect all other taxes. But the
Constitution has not only conferred these
high powers upon Congress, bu, IT has adop-
ted effectual measures restraining the States
from interfering with their exercise. For
that purpose it has. in strong prohibtory
language. expressly declared that no State
shall enter into any treaty niances or con-
federation. grant letters Of marque and re-
prisal, coin money; emit bills of credit; M ak e
any thing but gold and silver coin tender
in payment of debts; pass any bill of at
taiuder, ex post facto law, or law impairing
the obligation of contracts. Moreover.
without the consent of Congress. no State
shall lay any imposts or duties on any i'm
ports or exports. exceot what may be ab-
solutely necessary for executing its inspec-
ton laws. aud if they exceed this amount,
the excess shall belong to the United States;
ahd no State shall without the consent Of
Congress. lay any duty Of tunrage. keep
troops or ships of war in time Of peace, en-
ter into any agreement or compact with An.
other State or with foreign power. or en-
gage in war unless actually Invaded or in
such imminent danger as will not admit of
delay.
In order to still further secure the uniu-
terrupted exercise Of these high powers
against State interposition, il is provided
tina, this Constitution and the laws of the
United States. which shall be made in pur-
suance thereof. and all treaties made. or
which shall be made. under the su thorty Of
the United States, shall be the supreme law
of the land. and the judges in every State
shall be bound thereby anything in the
Constitution or laws Of any 5 ate to the con-
trary notwithstanding. The solemn sane
ton Of religion has been superadded to the
obligations OF official duty. and all Senators
and Representative Of the United States.
all members Of State Legislatures. and all
Executive and Judicial officers. both Of the
Unied States d OF the several States, shall
be bound by oath or affirmation to support
this Constitution.
In order to carry into eff ct these powers.
the Constitution has established perfect gov
ernment in all its forms. Legislative, Execu-
tive and Judicial, and this government, to
the extent of its powers, acts directly upon
the individual citizens of every State, and
executes its own DEGREES by the agency oft
own officers. In this respect it differs en-
tirely from the Government under the old
which was confined to max
ing acquisitions on the States in their sover-
eign character This left it in the discretion
OF each whether to obey or refuse, and they
often declined to comply with such requisi-
lions. 1t thus becomes necessary for the
purpose Of removing this barrier, and in or
der to form q more perfect union; to esiab-
llsh government which could act directly
upon the people and execute 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
Constitution and deriving its authority from
the sovereign people OF each of the several
States. has precisely the same right to ex-
crcise lis power over the people of all thee
States in the enumerated cases, that each
one of them possesses over subjects not
delegated to the United States, but re served
to the States respectively or to the people.
To the extent of the delegated powers. the
Cons tuition of the United States is as much
a part OF the Constitution of each State. and
is as binding upon its people, as though it
has been textually inserted therein. This
Government. therefore. is great and pow
erful Government, invested with all the at
Of sovereignty over the special sub
jects TO which its authority extends. Its
trainers lever intended to implan, in its bo-
som the seeds OF its own destruction, nor
were they at its creation guilty of the absur-
dity of providing for its own dissolution? -
1t was not intended by its trainers to be "the
baseless fabric of vision," which at the
touch Of the enchanter would vanish in thin
air but substantial and mighty fabric. ca
pabie OF resisting the slow decay OF time and
of defying the storms of ages. Indeed,
we'll may the jealous patriots of that day
have INDUCED fears that a Government of
such high powers might violate the reserved
rights of the States. and wisely did they
adopt the rule OF strict con n>tructiou Of
those powers TO prevent the danger; bu,
they did not tear. nor had they any reason
to imagine. that the Constitution would ev-
er be SO interpreted as to enable any State
by her own act, without the consent Of her
sister States. to discharge her people from
Oil or any of their Federal obi CATIONS
1t may be asked then. are the people of
the States without redress agains, the tyr
amy and oppression of the Federal Gov
ernmen! by no means. The right of rev.
o'ution on the part OF the governed ayairs.
the oppression OF their governments canno,
be denied; it exists independently of all Con-
anu has been exercised a; all Pc
RODS Of The worlds history. Under it all
governments have been des,royed and new
ones have taken their place 1t is embod-
led in strong and express language 10 our
own Declaration of Independence; but the
distinction must be observed that, as revo-
luton against an established government.
and not 3 voluntary secession from il. by
virtue Of sn inherent Constitutional night.
In short, let US look the danger fairly in the
face. Secession is neither more nor less than
revolution; It may. or it may not. be a JUS
tiiable revolution, but still it is revolution
What. in the mean time, is the response
bilities and true position of the Executive?
He is bound by solemn oath. before God
and the country, to take care that the laws
be faithfully executed. and from this obliga-
ton be can not be absolved by any human