The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1860-12-12

The Southern States, standing on the
basis OF the Constitution, have right 10
demand this act of Justice from the States
of the North Should il be refused, then
the Constitutions To which all Tie States are
parties, will have been wilfnly violated ny
one portion of them in provision essential
10 the domestic security and happiness OF
the remainder. In that event, the injured
States, after having first used all peaceful
and constitutional means 10 obtain redress,
would be justified in revolutionary resist
ance 10 the Government OF The Union.
| have purposey confined my re marks to
revolutionary resistance, because it has
been claimed within the last lew years
that any State, whenever this shall be lis
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 Contederacy. 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 a
Convention
la order to justify secession as consti,u.
tlonal remedy, ii must be on the principle
that the Federal Government is a mere
voluntary association OF States, TO be ds-
solved ai pleasure by any one of the CON
tracing parties. If this be So the Con-
federacy is "A rope of sand, 10 be penetrated
and dissolved By the first adverse wave OF
public opinion in any OF the States. la this
manner our thirty-lhrec States may resolve
themselves into as many petty, jarriug and
hostile republics, each one relring from the
Union, without responsibility. whenever
any sudden excitement might Impel them
to such course. By this process a Unon
might be entirely broken into fragments in
few weeks, which cost our forefaihers
many years of toll, prvation aud blood TO
establish.
Such principle is wholly inconsistent
with the history as well as The character OF
the Federal Constitution Aflcrs it was
framed, with the greatest deliberaton aud
care, il was submitted to conventions OF the
people ct the several States tor ratification.
It's provisions were discussed Il, length in
these bodies, com posed of the first men OF
- >------y- IT, rr"aontS cnnfaudeh III Al
IL Conferred powers upon The Federal Gov
erhment dangerous .h~ rights nf The
States, whilst lis advocates maintained that
under fair construction of the instrument
there was no foundation for such apprehen-
slons. In that mighty struggle between the
first inielects OF this or any other country.
IL never occurred 10 any individual, either
among It's opponents or advocates 10 assert
or even 10 ultimate, that their effors were
all vaR labor, because the moment that
any State telt herself aggrieved she might
secede from the Union
What crushing argument would this
have proved against those who dreaded that
the rights oil Tue States woald be endanger-
ed by the Constitution The truth is, that
it was not until many years after The origin
nf hn EoHo
proposition was first advanced II was thea
met and refused by the conclusive arsu-
ments oi Gen Jackson, who in his message
OF Jan 10Th 1888. transmitting the nuii.y-
ing ordinance of South Carolina 10 Congress
employs the following language. The
right OF The people of a single State TO as-
solve themselves at will, and without the
consent OF the other States, from their most
solemn obligations, and hazard the liberty
and happiness OF the millions composing
this Union cannot be acknowled ged.
Such authority Is believed 10 be utterly
repngnant both 10 the principles npon which
the General Government is constituted aud
10 the objects which ii was expressly form
ed 10 altaIn.'
1t is not pretended that any clause in the
Constitution gives countenace 10 such a
theory. II is altogether founded upon in
terence, not from any language contained
iii the instrument itself, but from the sover
eign character OF The several States by which
IL was ratified But is 1t beyond The power
OF Stale, like an individual, TO yield {
potion OF its sovereign rights to secure the
remainder In the language ol Mr.. Madison
who has been called the father of the Con
sltution Ii was formed by the States
that is, by the people i'll each OF the States
acting IN their highest sovereign capacity
and formed consequently by the same an
Ihoriiy which formed The State Constitution
Nor Is the Government Of the United
States, created by the Constitution, less a
Government iii the strict sense OF the term,
within the sphere OF its powers, than the
governments created by the constitutions oi
the States are, wnhin their several spheres
IL is, like them, organized into Legislative,
executive, and judiciary departments. 1t
operates, like them, directly on persons and
things; and, like them, il has al command a
phy sical force for executing The powers
committed 10 it,
Ii was intended to be perpetual, and moi
TO be annulled al the pleasure oil any one
oi the contracting parties 1he old articles
OF confederation were entitled Articles oi
Confederation and Perpetual Union be
tween the Siaies;' and by the 18th article il
l. eA pfesSiy declared llhat me aftlcles ot tHiS
Confederation shall be invIolao.y observed
by every State, AMI the Union shall be per
peiual' The preamble 10 the Constitution
OF the United Sales, having express refer
ence 10 the articles of Confederation, reci,es
that il was established in order 10 form a
more perfect union Aud yet it is con
tended thai this more perfect union does
not include The essential attribute OF perpe
Unity.
But that the Union was designed TO be
perpetual appears conclusiTely from the
nature aud extent of the powers conferred
by the Constitution on The Federal Govern
meat. These powers embrace the very
highest attributes of naiIona! sovereignty
They place both the sword and the purse
under lis control. Congress has power tc
make war, and to make peace, TO raise an
support armies and navies, aud 10 conclude