The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1860-12-06
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SECESSION AN ABsURDITY.
To the Editor of The N. Y. Tribune.

SECESSION AN ARSURDITy.
To the Editor of The N. Y. Tribune.
SIR: The letter. writer's from Washing
ton tell US that President Buchanan is
not opposed to Secession, but will resist
Notification. But how Secession can be
brought about without Notification, they
do not explain. The Constitution of the
United States in its enacting clause de.
clares that:
1--WE, the people of the United States,
in order to form more perfect union, es.
tablish justice. insure domestic tranquillI.
ty, provide for the common defense. pro.
mote the general welfare, and secure the
blessings of liberty to ourselves and our
posterity. do ordain and establish this
Constitution for the Uuited States of A
merica."
This clause is not q preamable, as
sometimes has ben called; but it is the
enacting clause, the head and front, the
life and soul of the Constitution. 1t is
the only part of the instrument which
proeIaims to US and to the world whose
act and deed it is. The States, as such, !,
did not make the Constitution, uor can
they, as States, secede from it, nu!lify it,
or abolish it.
The People Of the United States made,
ordained, and established the Constitution,
and they only can change it in the mode
provided therein. or abolish it.
Neither the State of South Carolina,
nor Georgia, nor all the people in both
of them. with or without the unanimous
consent of half dozen adjoining States,
and all the people therein, can alter, se-
cede from. nor nullify the Constitution
They may think about it, and talk about
it, and may intend to do it, and may even
go SO far as to write and publish their iu-
teutious; but the moment they proceed to
acts, to carry such intentions into effect,
by raising troops or Sbips-of-war," or
emitting bills of credit. in order to pro-
vide such supplies, or pay land or naval
forces, they commit the crime of treason
and the moment the President of the
United States for the time being will, if
he performs hi, duty, and regards bis
oath of Office as obligatory upon him,
send the whole naval and military power
of th United States, militia and all, if
need be, to suppress the treason, aDd
bring the traitors to condigu punishment.
In that case, there will be no legal dis
tnction Of offending persons Governors
and Senator'S, Judges and generals. will
meet the traitors doom alike with the
deluded subordinates Eho may be drawn
into the fray by the deiusi.e arts aud
sophissry of corrupt, ambitious leaders.
II mercy shall Re extended to any. the
followers, rather than the leaders. will be
likelg to reap the benefit of it. Civil Of
6cers of the United States who shall be
in peached for treason and other crimes,
can obtain no relief from Executive in
terposition by way of reprieve or pardon.
The advocates for secession seem to
claim that the Union is mere Confeder
acy. or league of sovereign States, from
which any one Of them can withdraw at
pleasure. Nothing can be more false
aud delusiVe. The Union is not con-
federacy, neither of sovereign nor of sub
ordinate States; but a Constitution of
By and for the people, the
whole people OF the Unted States, as de-
cared by the enacting clause of the Con
-tituton. Limited. indeed, by its terms,
but yet great and powerful Government
ORD aimed and established for great and
glorious ends.
The several separate States are not
sovereign. No one of them is sovereign.
A sovereign State can declare war and
make peace--can enter into treaties, al
lance. or Considerations; grant letters OF
and reprisal; coin money; emit
bills of credit; make anything but gold
and silver coin tender 10 payment of
debts, and do many other acts. Our
States are, by the Consultation, positive
ly prohibited from doing either of these,
and many other acts. In many respects
they are under the guardianship of the
Congress Of the United States. For in
stance:
mo state shall without the consent Of
the Congress lay any imposts or duties on
imports or exports, except what may be
absolutely necessary for executing its in
spection laws. &c., and all such laws shall
be subject to the revision and control of
the Congress. No State shall, without
the consent of Congress lay any duty of
tunnage, keep troops or ships of war in
time of peace, enter into any agreement
or compact with another State, or with a
foreign power, or engage in war, unless
actually invaded, or IN such imminent
danger as will not admit of delay"
How preposterous, then, is it to call
States, bound down By stringent proVi-
sions like these. sovereign States. and
talk of aud threaten secession. nullifica-
ton, and war, when the first actual move
ment they may make in preparation for
either will be an act of treason against
the United States.
The States of South Carolina and
Georgia, If the accounts We receive from