Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1860-12-13

"seo sct VI usurpatl0b. uts, ther
: fore, my duty to submit 10 Congress II
whole question in all its bearings Tt
course of events is SO rapidly na.tenin
forward, that the emergency may 500
arise, when you may be called upon
decide the momenious question whethe
you possess the power, by force Of arm
TO compel a State to remain in the Uni
on. should feel myself rccreant 10 M
duty were ! not TO express an opin,c
on this important subject.
The question fairly stated is: Has tn
Constitution delegated 10 Congress .,b
power to coe.ce State into submission
which is attempting to withdraw or la
} actually Withdrawn from the Confedera
cyl Unanswered ia the affirmative, i
mus, be on the principle that the power
has been conferred upon Congress to
declare and to make war against q
State. After much serious reflection
have arrived at the conclusion tha, no
such power has been delegated to Con.
gress or TO any other department of the
Federal Government. 1t is manifest
upon an inspection Of the constitution
that this is not among the specific and
enumerated powers granted to congress
and i is equally apparent that its exer
else is not necessary and proper for
carrying into execution. any ono oil
:hese powers. So far from this power
having been delegated to congress, il
was expressly refused by the eenven.
tion which framed the constitution.
ltappenrs from the proceedings OF
that body; that on the 3lst May. 1897,
the clause "authorizing an exertion OF
the force Of the whole against delin'
quent State" came up. for consideration.
Mr. Madison opposed it in brief but
powerful speech, from which shall
extract but single sentance. He OBJ:
served: 'The use of force against a
State would look more like dec!ara.
tion of war than an infliction of punish.
ment; and would probably be consider
ed by the party attacked as a dissolu.
tion of all previous compscts by which
it might be bound Upon bis motion
the clause was unanimously postponed,
and was never believe again present
ed. Soon afterwards, on the 9th June,
1897. when incidentally adverting to
the subject, he said: "Any Governmeil
for the United States, formed on the
supposed prac,icability Of using force
against the unconstitutional proceedings
of the States, would prove as visionary
and fallacious as the government o.
Congress, evidently meaning the then
existing Congress Of the cd Confedera'
ton.
Without descending to particulars, il
may be safely asserted that the powell
to make war against State is at vari.
ance with the whole spirit and intent
Of the constitution. Suppose such q
war should result in the conquest of a
State, how are we 70 govern it after
wardsl Shall we hold it as province,
and govern it by .despotic powerl Ia
the nature of things we could not, by
physical force, control the will of the
people. and compel them to elect Sena
tors and Representatives to congress
and to perform all the other duties de
pending upon their own volItion, and
required from the free citizens of free
State as a constituent member of the
confederacy.
But, if we possessed this power, woe
it be wise to exercise it under existing
circumstsncesl The object wnud doubt
less be to preserve the Union. Wa
would not only present the most effec
tual means Of destroying it. but woule
Danish all hope of its peaceful recon
siruction. Besides, in the fraterna
conflict vast amount of blood ant
treasure would be expended, rendering
. future reconciliation between the State
, impossible. 10 the mean time, who cal
foretell what would be the suffering
and priva, ions of the people during /,
existence?
The fact is, that the Union rests upo
, public opinion, and can never be cemen
ted by the blood of It's citizens shed i
, civil war. II it cannot live in the afiec
+, tions of the people, it must one da
perish. Congress possesses many mean
of preserving it by conciIiation; but tn
sword was not placed 10 their hand {
preserve it by force.
But may be permitted solemnly T.
. invoke my countrymen to pause an
deliberate, before they determine to de
3 stroy this. the grandest temple whic
. has ever been dedicated to human free
E dom since the world beganl 1t has bee
censecrated by the blood Of oar fathers
by the glories of the past, and the hope
t OF the future. The Union has alread
! made US the most prosperous, ere long
. will, jf preserved, render US the mos
l powerful nation on the face of the earlf
{ In every foreign region Of the globe III
title Of American citizen is held in th
!. highest respect, and when pronounce
7. in foreign land it causes the hearts @
cur countrymen to swell with homes
y tpride.
S Surely when we reach the brink I
Q the yawning abyss, we shall recoil wit
Q horror from the last fatal plunge. B
Q such dread catastrophe the hopes ,
!. Itte friends Of freedom. throughout Il
h world would be destroyed, and a tcn
o night Of leaden despo,ism would el
g shroud the nations. Our example {!
l. more than eighty years would not on
: be lost. but it would be quoted as co
U. ciusive nroof that man ia unflt for 81