The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1860-12-12
1rssidsAs's Message--Its Illogical and
inconsistent PROPOSE tons.

Ne1Ah ene the South, and WAicn threat'
.er1s. unless arrested, to bring disunion,
saukruptcy and civil war. This is indeed
aow apparent to all men, II is equally
pltent that the whole agitation has been
Unnecessary and proktiess; nay more. that
b has been wicked and iucendiary. 1t
vss sssssed BY crack drained fanatics. ig-
norant OF. careless Of. theie duty. to the
coser1nsnt q cisisens Of the Union.
and Il has been augmented immensely by
political dsmagogues fo- party pur poses
The plain truth should be spoken--ths
people Of the North mast put down this
party ID their midst. whose only basis is
hostility to the institutions of half of the
etates Of this Union, and which has got
iuro power upon that issue, or they will
- this Upion rent into fragments and
utterly dsstroyed. No man is good
esunssllor who does. net give this advice
II shs loudest tones from the house tops.
The free States must purge their statute
books from all the acts Of nnllification
which Disgrace them. and which tend. and
wsrs attended to defeat. ths execution of
lava providing for the rendition Of fugi-
tives from service, II they intend to be
fair and honest in their Constitutional re-
lations with the slaveholding States.
o. tho sll-absorbing and exciting
qusstion-lhat Of secession from the
Union--ths President takes two exceed
inely scentraaietory and illogical posi-
tions. They are;
Ia State has no constitutional right
70 secede from the Union.
The Uaion has no right, nnder the
0oustitutions to compel . State to remsin
IN u. 3 sI,.s
Wersgard this Is simply absurd. If
. State have no right TO leave the Union.
she latter must necessarily have the right
20 eosrce her into submission, If she pur
sue such 8 course. TAe trainers of the
Constitution put no rights in it without
remedies sf some sort. II would have
been the ahserest folly for the fra
mars Of that .instrument to forbid State
lsaving the Union. and yet ALLOW her to
ssmmit the wrong. If she was disposed.
without question. The fresident's rea.
soning that the Constitution and laws of
She United States act directly upon indi-
vidssls, instead Of States, leads irresisti
bly, to the conclusion that. If any number
Of individaals--evea although they may
compose . 6tate-resist the laws or Con.
stisution, il is the duty Of the Executive
to treat II as an act Of rebellion. It is
tho most barren and Idle abstraction in
the world TO make long argument
sgainst the right Of State secession. il i,
Il not followed up with the corollary Of
coercion. An that the Pre,ident says
shout the Union being asrope of sand. il
the secession doctrine is true, applies with
equal force. if bis own argument is we'll.
founded. as SO contradictory are the Pres.
idents tssitions, that it looks az if the
frst one was written to express his own
views, and the second contradictory on,
pst 10 10 please Secretary Cobb. Seldom
have we known so strong an argnmen,
como to such 3 lame and impotent con
elusion. ssissnos = sassN
The President suggests the propriety
* Congress recommending 80 the State,
% . settlement Of the slavery question
certain anspdments to the Federal Con
stitusion. They are as follows:
rFirss an express recognition of th,
right Of slave property IN the States
where Is now exists. or may hereafter ex
iss; second. The duty ef prosectson IN thii
yigAt ~ az fhs eommon Territories through
cut thar Tsrritorial eristeace. and unit
tkeg shaH b admitted as States into TIL
-
Union. NTH Or. scithout slavery. as Mei
sonstitusisns may prescribe; third, Iik
rscogritien, of The rights. of the maste
TO have his slave, who has escaped, & ou
one Stats To another. restored and deiiy
cred up to him; and Of the validity q
the Fugitive.siavs Law, enacted for thi
purpose, tegsther with . declaration tina
oil State Laws impairing or defeating thi
right, are violations of the Constitutiot
and arc consequently null aud void
The second amendment suggested wi
never be seqaieaced 10 by the fee state
and it is useless to talk. about it. Th
ne States might agree that slave proper
y could be taken into tho coumon Te,
risoriss like other property, and be thsl
bsId sabioca 70 the local laws, but furth,
thsn this shsy would not go. They wosl