The national Republican., 1860-12-22
TREASON IN HIGH PLACES.

ThEASON In HUH fLhCEo.
If Mr.. Buchanan, in his annual message,
lsfl the country in some doubt as to his real
position on the secession question, the accred.
tied organ Of his Administration, which pur.
ports to speak for him, clears them up most
s6ectuslly. In fact, the Constitution is quite
- zeslous an advocate Of the most extreme
secession doctrines as either Rhett or Keitt
and If it reflects, as it purports to, the views
and feelings Of the President, it places him in
precisely the same category.
The Cb~stitsfion of Wednesday morning de.
clarss that "Mr. Buchanan has incurred the
aisplsssurs of the Lincoln party by his repudi-
stiou Of the coercion theory, and his firm re-
Gssal to permit resort to force as means Of
prspsafisg tie seeession ofa sovereign State"
A nobody has ever proposed "a resort to
force in the premises, except SO far as may be
necessary to overcome resistance to the execu'
ton of the Federal laws, and to protect the
Federal property against unlawful seizure or
attack, this declaration Of the official organ
clsarly implies that the President repudiates
g. resort to force" either to overcome resistance
10 the execution of the laws, or to defend the
Federal property, when the former may be re-
sisted or the latter attacked by persons acting
under the assumed authority of a sovereign
State. But it does not leave its meaning to be
ascsrtained lby implication-for in the same
issue il asserts that to attempt to coerce the
eitiseas Of State to act in disobedience to the
solemn ordinances of the sovereignty to which
tAsir 6rst allegiance is due, would be to all in
tsnts and purposes coereing State" This is
pgscissly equivalent to saying, in 80 many words,
tAAs Il South Carolina, or any other State, shall,
BY solemn ordinance" declare herself out Of
~ Union, and her citizens absolved from all
aIlseiancs to the Federal Government, and all
obligssion to obey the Federal laws, the Presi'
ds.t viii regard her act to that effect as binding
upon him, and will make no attempt to enforce
the Federal laws within her jurisdiction. How
this course il to be reconciled with the denial,
in the message, of the right of State to secede,
W must leave to the President and his official
organ to settle.
The Constitution also berates the Republi-
cans soundly, because, as it alleges, in sub
stance, they desire him to preserve the Union
70 the end Of his term, and hand it over, intact,
70 Mr.. Lincoln, and thus save him 81 the morti.
fcation Of finding himself the chief officer of
section, - distinguished from the President Of
he United States" 1t strikes us that this is
. very natural desire, and very patriotic one
- vsll-but in the opinion Of the Constitution,
Il u nothing more nor less than desire I" to
have Mr.. Lincoln's battle fought by Mr.. Bu-
chanan "-or, in other words to have Mr.. Blu.
cAanan mako himself "the Black Republican
eas'spaw;" which, it asserts, he wisely de.
clinss to be.
A. Il l., perhaps, not to be wondered at, that a
party which has so long used the Federal Gov.
ernment, and all its power and patronage, as
the mere means of gratifying the selfish de.
sires, sppetites, and passions, of its leaders and
pets, should have learned to look upon the
Government as the property of the party in
power-s mere contrivance for the benefit of
ofice.holders, contractors, &c. 1t is not strange
that the members Of such party, when ousted
from power, should regard any attempt to pre-.
serve the Government beyond the term Of
their own enjoyment of it's " fat things" in no
higher light than that of playing into the hands
Of their successors in Office.
A South Carolina has declared herself out
Of the Union, and foreign State, we should
like to know how many citizens Of that com.
.monweslth continue to hold offices under the
Federal Government. We know there were
several of them feeding at the public crib in
this city few days ago, and we have not yet
heard of their designations, although, without
O single exception, they are rank secessionists.
II South Carolinian repudiates the act of his
State, he may consistently remain in Office un.
der the Federal Government. But he should
be required TO take the oath of allegiance to the
United States anew, as condition of remain
ing in Office a day or an hour after the pretended
secession Of his State.
But Is the Government is now in the hands
Of traitors to the Union, we presume no such
condition will be exacted
The Administration ORGAN of this citv cop.