The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1860-12-12

II was intended to be perpetual, and not to be
annulled at the pleasure Of any one of the con
tracing parties. The old articles Of confederation
were entitled ARTICLES of Confederation and Per.
petual Union between the States;n and by the
18th article it is expressly declared that "the arti
cles Of this Confederation shall be inyiolably OBJ.
served by every State, and the Union shall be per-
petual.n The preamble to the Constitution Of the
United States having express reference to the ar
tcles Of Confederation, rectes that il was establish
| ed in order to form more perfect union" And
yet it is contended that this more perfect union "
does not include the essential attribute Of pcpetu-
| ity.
! But that the Union was designed to be pcrpetu-
al appears concusiyey from the nature and extent
OF the powers conferred by the Constitution on the
Federal Government These powers embrace the
very highest attributes Of national sovereignty.
They place both the sword and the purse under its
control Congress has power to make war, and ia
make peace; to raise and support armies and
nayies, and to conclude treaties with foreign gov
ernments. II is invested with the power TO coin
money, and to regulate the value thereof and Ia
regulate commerce with foreignnations, and among
the several States 1t is not necessary to cnumer.
ate the other high powers which have been con
| ferred upon the Federal Government In order to
carry the enumerated powers into effect, Congress
possesses the exclusive right to lay and collect dr
i ties on imports and in common with the States TO
lay and collect all other taxes.
But the Constitution has not only conferred these
/ high powers upon Congress but it has adopted ef-
ectua means to restrain the States from interfer.
ing with their exercise. For that purpose II has,
in strong prohibitory language, expressly declared
that mo State shall enter into any treaty alliance
or confederation; grant letters Of marIuc and re
prisal; coin money emit bills Of credit make
ment of debts pass any bill Of attandcr, er past
tacto law, or law imparing the obligation Of con
tracts Moreover, without the consent Of Con-
gess, no State shall lay any impoStS or datics on
any imports or exports, except what may be abso-
lutey necessary for executing IFS inspection laws =
and, if they exceed this amount, the excess shall
belong to the United States.
And "no State shall without the consent of Con-
gress, lay any duty Of tonnage keep troops or
ships of war, in time Of peace; enter into any
agreement or compact with another State, or with
foreign power; or engage in war, unless actually
invaded, or in such imminent danger as will not
admit of delay"
In order still further to secure the uninterrupted
exercise Of these high powers against State inter
position il is provided that this Constitution and
the laws Of the United States which shall be made in
pursuance thereof; and all treaties made or which
shall be made, under the authority Of the United
States, shall be the supreme law Of the land and
the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby,
ANYTHING in the Constitution or laws Of any State
to the contrary Notwithstanding.
The solemn sanction Of religion has heen super
added to the obligations Of official duty, and all
senator's and representatives Of the United States
all members Of State legislatures, and all executive
and judicial officers "both Of the United States,
and of the several States, shall he hound by oath
or affirmation to support this Constitution"
In order to carry into affect these powers. the
Constitution has established perfect government
in all its forms, Legislative Executive and Judi
cial; and this Government 10 the extent Of It's
powers act directly upon the individual citizens Of
every State. and executes il own DEGREES hy the
agency Of its own officers. In this respect Il lif-
fers entirely from the Government under tie Old
Confederation, which was confined to making r.
ausitions on the States in their sovereign cafac.
ter This left il in the discretion of each whether
to obey or 10 refuse, and they often declined 10
comply with such requsitipnS. II thus became
necessary, for thepurpose Of removing this barrier
and .in order to form more perfect Juion." ~
establish Government which could act direct.
ly upon the people, and execute it, own laws with.
out the intermediate agency Of the States Tas
has been accomplished BY the Constitution " tie
United States.
In short. the Government, created by the COristi.
tuition, and deriving it, authority from the ,oyr.
reign people of each Of the several States ha, lt.
ciscly the same right 70 exercise ts power over III,
people Of all these States in the enumerated eases
that each one Of them possesses over Subjects i0t
delegated 10 the United States hut Preserved til
the States, respectively, or to the people"
To the extent Of the delegated powers tie Con-
stitution Of the United States is much part Of
the constitution Of each State, and ]. ~ binding
upon is people, as though il had been tcAually n
serted therein.
This Government, therefore. Is great and poa.
crful Government, invested with all Tie ai,iitsp~
Of sovereignty oyer the special suhjgcts 20 which
is authority extends Its famerS never intet,,ied
TO implant in is bosom the seeds of its own H..
strucion nor were they al it, creation guilty u tl
absIrdity Of providing for is own dissolution IL
was not intended by is trainers to hc the ba,cla,
fabric cf vision which, at the touch Of the rl-
chanter, would vanish into thin air, Iu, Sib,iAa.
tal and mighty fabric. capable of resisting the sJB
decay Of time and Of deiying the storms oi ages.
Indeed, well may the jealous patriots II that day
have indnlgcd fears that o government IT such
high powers might violate the reserved right. II
the States aud wisely did they adopt the rule Of =
strict construction Of these powers to prevent hr
dangcr But they did not fear, nor lad they any
reason 10 imagine that the Canstituiionwouli ever
he so interpreted as TO enable any State, by her
own act, aud without the consent ol her sister
states 70 discharge her people from al Or any 81
their Federal obligations
II nay be asked, then. are the people Of the
States without redress against the tyranny and oP.
preston of the Federal Goyernmentf By no
means. The right of resistance on the part Of the
governed against the oppression Of their govern.
mcnts cannot be denied Il exists independently
Of all constitutions. and has been exercised at al
periods of thc worlds history Under II old gov.
ernmcnts have beer destroyed, and new ones have
taken their place liis embodied IN strong and eN.
press language III our own Declaration of lndcpcn
drncc Hut tic distinction must ever he observed,
that this i revolution against an established Gov
ernment and not = voluntary secession from Il
ty virtue d ain inherent constitutional right III
short lei ns look 1t the danger fairly III the face
Secession i neither more nor less than revolution
| II NAV or It may not beE jastihabe revolution.
but still il Is revolution.
What. IN the mean time. 4 the responsibility and