Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1860-12-12

electlOn OF any OF our ISIoW citizens 70 the HTes
idency, as sufficient cause for dissolving the
Union, aud gives his reasons for entertaining
this opinion at considerable length. He
alludes to the facs. that with the exception
Of the Missouri Compromise, Congress has
never, notwithstanding the repeated efforts OF
the anti-slavery party, passed any law impair
ing the rights ofthe Southern people to their
property in slaves. and that it is not likely
any such law will be passed by this, or the
succeeding Congress He also alludes to the
decision of the Supreme Court in the Dred
Scott case, that neither Congress or Terrific
rial Legislatures possess the right to exclude
slavery from the territories. He is therefore
of the opioion, that the South has nothing to
dread at present from the doctrine on this
subject held by the Black Republican Party,
and that it does not form sufficient basis on
which to found an effort to dissolve the Un-
ion. He says that the most palpable VIOLA
tions of Constitutional duty which have yet
been committed, consist in the acts of various
State Legislatures in the Northern States, to
defeat the execution of the fugitive slave law.
But, for these, neither Congress or the Pres
ident are responsible, and being fragrant vio-
lations of the Constitution OF the United States
are of course null and void The fugitive
slave law is founded on plain provision of
the Constitution, without which it would nev-
er have been ratified by the Southern States.
In one form or another, it has existed as the
law of the land. from the days Of Washington
to the present moment. 1t is the duty of the
President to see that it is every where enfor-
ced, and the refusal or neglect on bis part to
do so, would be disregard of the Constitu-
ton and laws, to the great injury of nearly
one half of the people of the United States
But we have NO right to presume in advance
that the next President will thus violate his
duty. He entertains strong hopes that the
Slate Legislatures, will ere long, repeal these
unconstitutional enactments; unless he adds
this shall be done without any unnecessary
delay, it will soon be impossible for any hu-
man power to save the Union. The South
ern States standing on the basis of the Con-
stitution, have right to demand this act of
justice from the States of the North, Should
it be refused, then the Constitution to which
all the States are parties, will have been will
fully violated by one portion of them, in a
provision essential to the domestic security
and happiness of the remainder. In that
event. the injured States after having first
used all constitutional means to obtain re-
dress. would be justified in revolutionary re-
sistance to the government of the Union.
He then proceeds to give his views with re-
gard to the doctrine, that any State, whenev-
er it shall be its sovereign will and pleas
ure, may secede from the Union in accordance
with the Constitution, and without any viola
tion of the Constitutional rights of the other
members of the confederacy He denies the
correctness of this doctrine, and with General
jackson and Daniel Webster. denies that Sc
cession is Constitutional remedy, or that 1t
is anything more than revolutionary resis.
tance to the general government. He denies
that the Federal Government is a mere vol
untary association of States, to be dissolved
at pleasure by any one of the contracting par
ties; for if this be SO, the confederacy is
rope of sand, to be penetrated and dissolved
by the first adverse wave Of public opinion in
any of the States. In this manner our 80
States, may resolve themselves into as many
petty, jarring and hostile republics, each one
retiring from the Union without responsible
ty, whenever any sudden excitement might
impel them to such course
In speaking of the government of the Uni
ted States, he says:
cit 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 confedera-
ton were entitled ARTICLES of Confederation and
Perpetual Union between the States; and by the
18th article it is expressly declared that ..the
articles of this Confederation shall be inyiolably
| observed by every State, and the Union shall be
perpetual: The preamble to the Constitution
OF the United States, having express reference 10
the articles of Confederation, recites that it was
established Gin order to form a moro perfect
union" And yet it is contended that this "more
perfect union" does not include the essential at.
| tribute of perpetuity.
"But that the Union was designed to be per-
petual appears conclusively from the nature and
extent of the powers conferred by the Constitu
! ton 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 to make peace; to raise and
| support armies and ravies. and to conclude trea
! ties with foreign governments. 1t is invested
with the power to coin money, and to regulate
the value thereof, and to regulate commerce with
| foreign nations, and among the several States.
1t is not necessary to enumerate the other high
powers which have been conferred upon the Fe-
deral Government. In order to carry the emu
merated powers into effect, Congress possesses
the exclusive right to lay and collect duties on
imports, and in common with the States to Law