The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-12-14

yoke my cnuu,rymen To pause and dolibar.
ate botOre thoy determine TO destroy this, |
tho grandest tomple which has ever been
codicatod to human freedom since The world !
began? II has been consocrated by the
blood Of our fathers, by tho glories Of the
rast, and by tho hopos Of tho future. Tho
Union has alrcndy made us tho most pros.
porous aud, ere long. will, II preserved, rom
der Us tho most powerful nation on the face
OF earth. In every foreign region Of tho
globe the title of American citizen is held
in the highest respect, and when pronounced
in foreign land ii causes the hearts of our
countrymCn to swol with honest PRIDE
Surely when wo reach tho brink of the
yawning abyss. we shall rccoil with horror
from tho lass fatal plunge. By such n dread
catastrophe the hopes OF the friends Of FREQ.
dom throughout tho world would be do.
stroyed, and long night OF leudeu despot-
ism would enshroud tho nations. Our OK.
ample Tor more tiiuu eighty ycaro would
not o0ly be lost, but 1t would 10 quoted as
a conclusive proof that man is unfit for self
| government.
| II is not every wrong-nor every griey.
ous wrong-which can justify resort to
such fearful alternative. This ought TO
90 the last desperate remedy of despairing
/ people, after every other constitutional
means Of Cancellation has been exhausted.
We should reflect that under this free GOV.
ernmont there is an incessant ebb and flow
in public opinion. Tho slavery question,
like everything human. will hayo its dav.
| firmly bnleve that it has already reached
aud passed. tho eliminating point. But If.
in the midst of tho existing excitement, tho
! Union shall perish, :he evil NAV then be.
! irr
much to avert it by proposing aud recon-
mendng to tho legislatures Of the several
States tho remedy for existing evils, which
the constitution has Itself provided for its
Cwn preservation. This has been tried at
different critical periods of our history, and
always with eminent success.
Il 1t is to be found 10 the fifth article provi.
ding for Its own amendment. Undor this
article amendments have been proposed by
two-thirds Of both Houses Of Congress. and
have been ratified by tho legislatures ot
throe-fourths of the several States" Rnd
have consequently become parts Of the
Constitution,
To this process tho country is indebted
for the clause prohibiting Congress from
passing any law respecting an established
religion, or abridgiug the freedom Of speech
or of tho press, or OF the right of petition.
To this We arc also indebted :or tho Bill o;
Rights, that secures tho people against auy
abuse of power by tho Federal Government.
J Such were tho apprehcusiuns justly enter
tanned by the friends Of State rights at that
period US TO have rendered it extremely
doubtful whether the Constitution conld
have long survived without these amend
ments.
Again, the Constitution was amended by
the same process after the. election OF Pres
idert Jefferson by tho House OF Representa-.
tives, in February, 1903. This amendment
, was rendered necessary to prevent a recur.
, rcnco of the dangers which had scriousl,
threatened the existence Of the government
during the pendency of that election. Tho
article for It's avn amendment was intended
to secure the amicable adjustment of con.
= ficting constitutional questions like the
: present, which might arise between the gov.
ernnents of the States and that of tho Uni
ted Statos. This appears from contempo
raneous history. In this connection, shal
morely call attention TO u few sentences in
Mr.. Madisons justly celebrated report IN
1899, to the Legislature Of Virginia. In this
no ably and conciusively defended the reso.
lutions of the preceding Legislature agains,
tho stricturos OF several other State Legis.
latures. These wore mainly founded upon
tho protest Of tho Virginia Legislature
against the "Alion and SeGtion acts" as
"palpable and alarming inlractions of the
Constitution" In pointing out tho peace
ful and constitutional rcmedies-and he re.
ierred TO none othor-to which tho States
were authorized to resort on such occasions,
: he concludes by saying that the LegisIa-
lures of the States might havo made d.
rec. representation TO Congress with view
to obtain Il resembling of the two offensive
acts. or they might have represented to their
, respective Senators in Congress- their wish
that two thirds thereof would propose an
explanatory amendment to the Constitution,
! or two-thrds of themselves, if such had been
their option, might. by an application to
U Congress, have obtained q convention fol
J the same object"
u This ia the very course which earnestly
u recommend in order 10 obtain an "explana
o tory amendment OF tho Constitution on tht
a subject of slavery. This might originate
u with Congress or tho State Legislatures, al
may be deemed most advisable to attain th,
' object.
- This explanatory amendment might bt
confined TO tho final settlement of the true
!, construction of tho Constitution on three
!, special points,
o l. An express recognition of the right o
r property in slaves in the States where il
4 now exists or may hereafter exist.
2. Tho duty of protecting this right in all
the common Territories throughout their
! territorial existenro, and until they shall be
, admitted ss States into the Uuiun, with or
f without slavery.
3. A like recognition of the right of the
master to have his slave, who has escaped
, from ono state to another, restored and de
, livered up" TO him, and of the validity of
D the Fugitive Slave law, enacted for this pur.
{ pose, together with n declaration that all
State laws impairing or defeating this right
l are violations of the Constitution, and are
{ consequently null and void
1t may be objected that this construction
J of the Constitution has already been settled
D by the Supreme Court of tho United States
8 aud what more ought to be required: The
= answer is, that worry large proportion o!
p the people of tho United States still contest
!. tho correctness of this decision, and never
t will cease from agitation, and admit its bind
= ing force until clearly established by thC
D people of the several States in their sover
J eign character. Such on explanator,
F. amendment would, it is believed, forever
S terminate the existing discussions and re
o store peace and harmony among the States
d 1t ought not to be doubted that such al