Wabash express. [volume] (Terre-Haute, Vigo Co[unty], Ind.) 1841-186?, 1860-12-05
SECESSION AND COERCION.
Remarks of Hon. o. p. Morton at
the Republican Jubilee mt
lnian a ID oils ON the d inst.

We hear much said against the policy of
.oerciug South Carolina 10 case she at.
.empts to secede.
What is coercion bat the enforcement OF
the lawsf 10 anything else intended or
Secession republication can on
" be regarded by the General Government
as individual action upon individual re
Those concerned in it can
not iutrench themselves behind the forms
Of the State Government so as to give their
conduct the responsibility upon the State
Government, which Of iteelf il irresponsi-
BILE.
The Constitution and laws of the United
States operate upon Individuals, but not |
upon States. and precisely as if there were
no States. In this matter the President |
has no discretion. He has taken a solemn /
oath TO enforce the laws and preserve or
der. and to this end he has been made
Commander in-Chief Of the Army and Ma |
Wy. How can he be absolved from respon-
Utility thus devolved upon him by the Con !
stitntion and his official oath?
CsG it BE- done by the resolutions Of con- |
-.tions, the advice OF the newspapers. or |
N decided preponderanee of public |
0pia.sn7
There is out one way in which the Pres |
ident can be absolved from his duty to ex-
srt all the power reposed in his hands by
the Constitution to enforce the laws in
South Carclins. which is by acknowledge
ing her Independence The Con stitution
provides that Congress may admit rev
states into the Union. but there is no pro-
vision for turning one out or for permit
ting one to 20 out. A State once admitted
in the Union becomes q part Of the body of
the nation, and severance or secession is
not contemplated by the Constitution as
permissible or possible.
II Congress possesses the power to ac-
knowledge the independents Of State,
and thus place it without the pale of the
Union, it must result from an memorable
necessity produced by successful revo-
luton While State is in the Union there
is no power under the Constitution for the
general and State Governments to enter in
to negotiations and to treat vi it'll each 9th
er. No Government possesses the constit-
utional power TO dismember itself.
If the power does exist in this Govern
ment to acknowledge the Independence of
South Carolina, or any other State, it can
only be exercised by an act Of Congress.
| The President of himself ould not DOS
sess it, aud consequently, until released
| from his duty by such acknowledgment,
1
laws.
| WHAT Is THE DUTY OF TaE GOVERNMENT
| IL an attempt at secession be mads, there
is but one Of two courses to be pursued
Either TO allow the seeding State peace.
ably to go and set up for herself as an in
dependent Government, or else by the po-
lice or military power Of the Uaited States
4 compel an observance of the laws and sub
mis- f0 nafi nj nh1
Let us consider what would be the con-
we allow State Peaceably to secede, we
thereby corcede the right 10 the most sub.
.iantial and solemn manner. 1t would be
| sheer nonsense to allow a State, especially
weak one like South Carolina, to secede,
and yet deny the RIGHT of secession, and
that other States may not retire in the same
manner whenever they see proper. We can
not. therefore, allow South Carolina to Sc
thereby settling the principle as to the re-
maing States. The right Of secession con.
coded, the nation is dissolved. Instead of
having nation, one mighty people, we
have but collection and combination OF
| thirty three Independent and petty States,
held together by treaty which has hith-
erto been called Constitution, Oft the in
fraction of which each State is to be the
Judge, and from which any State may
withdraw at pleasure.
| 1t would not be twelve months until a
project of Pacific Confederacy would be
set on foot. California and Oregon, being
each sovereign and Independent, would
have a right to withdraw from their pres
emit partnership and for a new one, or form
two separate nations. In doing 90, they
would act with a far greater show of rea
l sen, and far better prospects of success
than South Carolina. They are separated
from the other States by thousands of mile:
| of barren plains and snow clad mountains
Their commerce is naturally with the Eas
Indies and the isles Of the Pacific ocean,
The tie of commercial interests between
them and the other States is weaker thar
that which binds together any other sec
tons of the Republic.
The right of secession conceded and tn
way to do it have been shown to be SAT-
and easy-the prestige OF the Republi
gone-the National pride extinguisheC
with the National idea-secession would
become the remedy for every State or Sec
tional grievance. real or imaginary. Ant
m a few short years We should witness tn
! total dissolution of that mighty Republic
, | which has been the hope aud the glory o
the world. We should then have before u
the prospect presented in the history Q
the petty States of Greece, Italy and tn
J Inequalities of Germany.
%eed stop to argue the political, intel
sctual, social and commercial death in
= rolved this wreck aud ruin? We mus
then cling to the idea that We are Nation
one and indivisiblc, and hat although sub
| divided by State lines for local and domss
= tic purposes, we are but one people, tn
o | citizens of a common country, having lik
D | institutions and manners, and possessin
II q common interest in that inheritance
t glory so rcaly provided by our fa.hers.-
- We must therefore do 10 active must roI
D | sR Axe no active must concede no idea {
theory hat looks TO or involves the dismeu
bermant of the Nation. And espeeisll
must we of the inland States clisg TO ID
National idea.
IfSouth Carolina may secede peaeeably
7, so may New York, Massachusetts. Mary
. land and Louisiana, cutting of our com
m.rce and destroying cur right Of way
the ocean We would thus lie shut up /
= the interior OF a continent. surrounded b.
!, independent. perhaps hostile nation
thrsngh whose Territories We conld obi al
egress TO the ssabord only upon sue
u terms as might be agreed 10 nv treat,
e Rmigrants from foreign lands could onl
v | reach Us by permission Of our neighbour
: aud we could tot reach any Atlantic POI
" except By passports duly uised. 10 snc
r, a condition Of affairs the seaboard State
= would possess immense advantages, Whie
may be illustrated and understood by cou
pairing the wealth, prosperity aud powt
IL the seaboard kingdoms with those shv
Cd in the interior Of Europe Can it
: possible then that Kentucky. Tennessee,
Arkansas, Missouri or Mississippi C IA ev.
become so infatuated, so utterly dOmente
'e as to subscribe to the doctrine that Slal
N has the right TO secede, thereby placip
l. the existsnce OF their commerce, thei
| peculiar institution, their yerything viii
y 10 the power OF Louisiana, commanding
d a. she does, too outlet of the Ais>is.ipI
p and the entrance to the Gulf? As the uoa
!. Ter now stands, the port Of New York
. he property OF the nation, held for n
benefit OF all the Saetes. the revenue thel
Ut collected being disbursed for the benefit
il all.
But we are told that if we use force
e compel submission to the law in Sout
Is Carolina, It will so excite and ex'speral