Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1860-12-15

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riods of our history, and always with eminent
success. 1t is to be found in the 5th arti Gle
! providing for its own amendment Under
this article amendments have been proposed
by two thirds of both houses of Congress, and
have been "rati6ed by the Legislatures of
three-tourths of the several States" and have
consequently become parts of the Constitutions
10 this process the country is indebted for
the clause prohibiting Congress from passing
any law respecting an establishment of rel-
gion, or of abridging the freedom of speech
or OF the press, or of the right of petition
To this we are, also, indebted for the Bill of
Rights, which secures the people against any
abuse of power by the Federal Government.
Such were the approhcnsions justly enter
tanned by the friends of State rights at that
period, as to have rendered it extremely doubt
full whether the Constitution could have long
survived without these amendments
Again, the Constitution was amended bv
the same process after the election of Presi-
dent Jefferson by the House of Representa-
tives, in February, 1903 This amendment
was rendered necessary to prevent recurrence
of the dangers which had seriously threatened
the existence Of the Government during thc
pendcncy of that election. The article for it's
own amendment was intended to secure the
amcabIn adjustment of conflicting constitu-
tlonaluucsions like the present, which might
arise between the governments of the States
and that of the United States This appears
from contcmporancous history. In this con-
noction, | shall merely call attention to few
sentences in Mr.. Madisons Justly celebrated
report, in 1700, to the legislature of Virginia.
ln this he ably and concIusivcly defended the
resolutions of the preceding legislature against
the structures OF several other State Legisla-
! lures.
These were mainly foundcl upon the pro.
test OF the Virginia legislature against the
Alien and Scditon Acts" as palpnble and
alarming infractions of the Constitutions"
In pointing out the peaceful and consttu-
/ tional remedies, and he referred to none other.
to which the States were authorized to resort,
on such occasions, he concludes by saying,
4" that the legislatures of the States might
have madc'a direct representation to Congress
with view to obtain resembling of the two
offensive acts, or they might have represented
to their respective Senators i'm Congress their
wish that two-thirds thereof would propose an
explanatory amendment to the Constitution,
or twothirds of themselves, if such had been
their option, might, by an application to Con
gross, have obtained Il convention for he same
object"
This is the very course which earnestly
recommend i'll order to obtain an "cxplanato-
ry amendment y of the Constitution on the
subject of slavery. This might originate with
Congress or the State legislatures, as may be
deemed most advisable to attain the object.
The explanatory amendment might bn~
fined to the final settlement of the con-
struction of the Constitution on IL "c con
points @i ''ec special
I'm express recognition o t,;o =
property in Slaves a ftls ssan 'f. t "o% %t
exists or may hereafter exist
2 The duty of protecting this right in
all the common Territories throughout their
territorial cXistancc and until they shall
be admitted as States into the Union. witt,
or without slavery, as their constituents NAV
prescribe.
D. y like recognition of the right of the
master to have his Slave, who has cScapcd
IRON one State to another, restored and :. dc.
lvcrcd up to him, aud Of the validity of
the Fugitive Slave Law enacted for this
purpose, together with declaration that all
State laws mparlng or defeating this rsht
are violations of the Constitution. and arc
consequently null and void.
1t mny be objected that this constructions
OF the Constitution has already been settled
| by the Supreme Court of the United States
"'" """0 more ouSht TO be required Tho
answer is, that very large proportion of the
people of the United States still contest the
correctness of this decision, and never will
cease from agitation and admit its biodinr
force until clearly established by the pcoplc
OF the several States in their sovereign char.
acter Sucha explanatory amendment would,
IL Is believed, forever terminate the existing
discussions and restore peace and harmony
among the States
1t ought not to be doubted that such an
appeal to the arbtramcnt established by the
Constitution itself would be received with
favor by all the States of the Confcdcracy.-
In any event it ought to be tried in a spirit
OF conciation before any of these States Shall
separate themselves from the Union.
When entered upon the duties Of the
Presidential Office, the aspect neither of our
foreign nor domestic affairs was Mt all sntis
factory We were Involved in dangerous
complications with several nations, and two
OF our Territories were in a state ofrevolution
against the Government. a restoration of
the African slave trade had numerous and
powerful advocates. Unlawful military ex-
petitions were countenanced by many of
our citizens, and we're suffered, in defiance
OF the efforts of the Government, to escone
from our shores, for the purpose of makin,,
war upon the unoffending people of neigh
boring republics with whom we are at pcacc
In addition to these and other difficulties
we experienced a rcvulsion in monetary af,
fairs, soon after my advent to power, of nm
y a w V,IaI 4 r