The Placer herald., 1860-07-21
Good Faith Essential 70 the Perpstuity o1
Republican Institutions.

Republican Institutions.
We copy the following forcible and elo
quent extract from the late speech delivered
by the Hon. Robert Toombs, the able and
distinguished Senator from Georgia.
In 1855, Mr.. Douglas said that If we had
a right TO 60 into Territory with our slaves,
there WAS no power on earth to put us out.
Now he says, II do not care what the Su-
preme Court decide, the people Of the Ter.
ritory can put you out anyhow" and yet he
calls upon US to redeem our faith. Was that
the bargain-"heads win, tails you lose?"
If the Supreme Court decide for me, there ia
an end Of it; If it decides for you, that is
not the end Of t-unfriendly legislation can
come in. The Kansas ebraska bill meant
to refer it to the people, with an appeal to
the courts, and will stand by that if the
decision is for me; but If it is not, although
| cannot abolish slavery directly in the face
Of the court, although | cannot do it by
bold, manly, direct exercise Of delegated leg
isative power, not even by popular sovereign
ty, ! can do it by craft and cunning.
Sir, that was not my bargain--non hac
fedora ren'eti. | made no such bargain. !
show that he and understood it alike at the
time: we have his cote,nporaneous exposition
and mine, and stand by it to-day; and, in
the language Of his friend and my friend,
| call on him to stand bv the bargain. That
is my answer. have asked for bread and
l have got a stone. have asked for protec-
ton to my rights, and get popular sover-
eignty." Sir, this is a question higher than
popular sovereignty, higher than n Presiden-
tial election. Under all this lies the greater
question, will the people do right against
their prejudices9 know not; l had greater
faith before came here. owe it to the
country and to truth to say, have los: much
OF this faith. Republican institutions can
not live without good faith, obedience to law,
and above all, TO constitutional obligations.
The honorable Senator from Illinois declares
to his own cons'iru ,nts, that although he
bound them and himself to abide by the de-
c;sion Of the Supreme Court of the United
States as to the rights of my constituents in
our common Territories, yet, no matter how
the Court may decide 'on that abstract ques-
ton, still the right of the people to make
slave Territory is perfect and complete under
the Nebraska bill" cannot believe Judge
Douglas ever uttered this Cpl ion. Pascai's
account of the teachings Of the Jesuits is
respectable in morals in comparison with it.
Without od faith, without n free, franz
compance with constitutional obI|iEiiAeshh9phss bII|iiiehp IS
a mockery and n snare.
Republican institutions must stand on
COOL faith in the men who administer them.
We can only swear them. To teach men to
the constitution, which they have
sworn to support, by cavil, by craft, is rs
bad IA by mental reservation. This is pOis
oning the fountain at its head. and nothing
but bitter waters can flow from it. We
swear Judges; we swetr governors; we swear
legislators; we swear jurors; but we cannot
punish the miscreants who violate their
oaths: and if men in Territory Of the uni.
ted States are to be taught that, by popular
sovereignty. they can all disregard their
oaths, and refuse police regulations, or any
thing else necessary and proper to protect
rights. and il any men can
be found base enough to follow such teach
ings, republic an institutions become impos-
shle, and honest men must look to new safe
guar Ia for their security and protection.
The Who'll, machinery Of our Government
has no other sanction than that men should
obey their oaths. You could not put either
your executive, legislative, or Judicial depart
ments in operation without it. The Con
s,i'ution said you should have an Executive
how would you get him without pro-
vision, first, by lava That you should have
jndiciary-how would yo" get i. without
positive law? So Of the legislative. II non
action or unfriendlv legislation was lawful,
the worst men in the republic could have
prevented your government from ever start
ing in that grand career which i. has AZ
compshed. Some clauses Of our Consti
tuition confer powers which may be exercised
according to wise 'iscretions; Others impose
duties which no man m'y disregard. Non
action, unfriemdly legislation, IS treason to
constitutional duty.
THE EVENT OF AGEs.-TmE ECLIPSE OF
THE 18TH INsr.-1he great French astron-
omers are in ecsiaties over the coming
eclipse Of the sun, which will occur on We'd
pesdav NEXT The celebrated Director of