Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1860-12-14

SUBORDINATE territorial irSisiauon. were
it otherwise, tlrcn, indeed, would tho equal
ity of the States in the Territories be
destroyed. aud the rights of property in
slaves would depend, not upon the guaran-
tees OF the Constitution, but upon the
shifting mnjori,ies Of an irresponsible Ter
ritorial Legislature. Sack doctrine, from
its intrinsic unsoundncss, cannot long in
tluence any considerable portion of our
people, much less can it afford a good
reason for dissolution of the I'm
ion.
The most palpable violations of consti-
tutional duty which have yet been COM
mitted consist in the acts Of different State
Legislatures to defeat the execution Of the
Fugitive Slave law. 1t ought to be re-
membered, however, that for these Acts,
neither Congress ror any President can
justly be hell! responsible. Having been
passed ia violation Of the Federal Con-
stItution, they are therefore null and void.
All the Courts both State and national,
before whom the question has arisen, have
from the beginning declared the Fugitive
Slave law to he constitutional. The single
exception is that Of State Court in Wis
consin; aud this has not only been re-
versel by the proper appellate tribunal,
but has met with such universal reproba-
ton that there can be no danger from it
as precedent. The validity of this law
has been established over and over again
by the Supreme Court Of the United States
with perfect unanimi,y. 1t is founded
upon an express provision Of the ConsLtu-
ton, requiring that Fugitive Slaves who
escape from service in one State to another
shall be delivered up to their masters.
Without this provision it is we'll known
historical fact that the Constitution itself
could never have been adopted by the
Convention.
In ono form or other urder the Acts Of
1903 anl 1850, both being substantially
the same, the Fugitive Slave law has been
the law Of the iauI flom the days Of
Washington until the present moment.-
Here, then, clear case is presented, in
which it will be the duty of the next Pres
ident, as it has been my own, to act with
vigor in executing this supreme law against
the conflicting enactnents Of State Legis.
latures. Should he fail in the performance
of this high duty. he will then have mani
tested disregard of the Constitution aud
laws, to the great injury of the people of
nearly one-haIt Of the States Of the Union.
But are VIC to presume in advance that
lie will thus violate his duty This would
be at war with every principle OF justice
and Of Christian Charity. Let us wait for
the overt act. The Fugitive Slave law has
lean carried into execution in every con-
tested case since the commencement Of the
present, A'lministration-though often, it
is TO be regretted, with great loss and in.
convenience 10 the master, and with con.
siderable expense to the Government. Let
US trust that the State Legislatures will
/ repeal their unconstitutional and obnoxious
enaclments. Unless this shall be- done
without unnecessary delay, it is impossible
for any. human power to save the Un.
ion.
The Southern States, standing on the
basis Of the Constitution, have right to
demand this act Of justice from the States
of the North. Should it be refused, then
ths Constitution, to- which all the States
are parties, will have been wilfuly violated
by one portion of them in provision
essential to the domestic security and hap
piness Of the remainder. In that event
the injured States, after having first uset
all peaceful anl constitutional means tc
obtain redress, would be justified in revo
Iu.ionary resistance to the government o.
the Union.
have purposely confined my remark.
to revolutionary resistance, because it ha
been claimed within the last few year
that any State, whenever this shall be it
sovereign will and pleasure, may seced
ffou,' the Uhioa,, 10 accordance with th'
Constitution, a6dswilhout any violation O
the constitutional rights Of the other wsm
bers Of the Confederacyf. That7ss eaol
becamefpar.ies to the Union by the vote Q
i!s own people aasembIedsin Convention,
SO any one Of them may retire from th
Union in a similar manner, by thevote 9
such a Convention. !.
In orler:to justify secession as con
stitusionaI remedy it must be on Le-prin
cplestlat thef Federhl Government is
mere voluntary associatio1 Of .ssates. q
4 BE dissolved at pleasure byssgy one Of. Il,
contracting parties. Ifs:his be 50, ih
Coufcderaey is a rops qf sspd, TO- be- peps
trated aud Flissolved by the first adyeta