Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-12-14
OPINION or rHr ATTORNEY arsrRAL OF TUE u s. ON Sc.


The Washington Constitution publishes long opinion OF Aor-
ney General Black which ha, been submitted TO President
questions pcpoGnde by the Predict on Tie poaI whether the
government has right to collect the revenue
board vessel Cd port lie says:
the law requires that al goods imported Into the United States
within certain collection dcts shall be entered the proper
port and duty thereon shall be received by the collector
for aud resi- ling at tina, port But The un 81 The
AE which combines him the house any
particular spot 1.-THE house burned down. he might
another buirg he driven from the Shore he
might boAd vessel In the hArbor Ihe keeps within the
port he Is within the Law
We mauas the right Of the government to take such measures
20 be for the pro,e ton Of the public
ery the right recaptung has been
recspure OF the arieual HArres FERRY from John
The President employ the army and to enforce laws
obatruetd by combinations too powerfu otherwise
suppressed but their operations must be purely defensive The
Attorney Gsneralsays:
It suppress only combinations found drecy
oJposg the laws and 0bstrueing hs execution thereof II
do more than what might and ought 70 De lone BY e % II
son On su occasions especially the Military must be
kept strict subordnsOn the civil authority only
In aid Of the latter that the former can act al all
"Rut shat the feeling Ia State against the United States
should become universal that the federal officers themselves
Qneadng Judges, dset attorneys and mAr.hal You'd be
reached the Influences and resign their or
could be go to serve But IL such an event is more an
blbe that great difficulty would be found In filing the OH
We therefore obliged consider what
have courts to issue judicial process, and minis
OF place, their wholly illegal n they
ad and marhsI there must be and srshas
aided Without the exercise Of those funeou which belong
exclusively 10 the civil service the Laws cannot be executed IN
what be the physlca strength which
the government command Under such
send military force ato any State with orders against
the people would be simply making var upon them"
On another important cni the document proceeds thus
az Of the States should declare hef independence your
ton cannot upon the ghnne Of the cause upon which
such declaration whshsr the retirement Of state from
the Uaion be the exercise Of right reserved IN the Constitution
reVolut onAry Il ceitAa you have not
ether the authority recognize her independence
sve her from her Federal obligations Cong es the
sAieIn Convention assembled must take such
b. and proper 10 such event
you but straight onward In the path you have hitherto
denhAt execute the LAYS the extent Of the defensive
placed hands snd act generally upon the assumption
the present constitutional rtriona between the the
FEDERAL government continue exist until
shall be established. either by Law or force
"Whsther Congress has TIE constitutional right make var
sgaat States and require the Executive
ea government 70 by Of force from
the other States question for Congress Itself consider
must be admitted N such power expressly gven are
there any words In the Constitution which Imply it."