Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-11-12
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fTron To Yiek1lIarg aIissi WINCH


a Government, Of not we are told that
we have a league or comp q between SOW
ereign States, and have been. living under
that for over seventy years, fattering our
selves all the time that we had a Gonstitu-
ton, and most people. obeying it, few
protesting that it did not exist, and urging
resistance to try the question.
"a few plain remarks to the people may
not be out9of the way at this time.
The nature ofean. instrument must
be determined by looking at the paper
itself. Every man knows that this is good
law. The Constitution of the United
States determines its own character-it
calls itself a Constitution. Thellahgu
is plain and clear: .Ne, the people of the
United States, do or1ain and establish this
Constitution for the United States of
America
'2. The Constitution says that this Con
stitntion and the laws of the United States
made in pursuance of it, and all treaties
made, or which shall be made under the
authority of the United States, shall be
the supreme Law of the land, and the
judges in every State shall be bound there
by, any thing in the constitution or laws
of any State to the contrary NOTWITHSTANDING
ing The idea that an instrument contain
iugthis proEisionEpartak of the nature of
league or compact, is simply n contradic-
ton in terms.
Rs;'3. Congress, under the Constitution
provides uniform naturalization law
Foreigners take the oath of fealty or
allegiance to the GoVernmentofth the United
States. Let any foreigner look at this
papers and he will find he does not swear
to support the constitution Of a State, but
of the United States. Foreigners in this
respect are on the same footing with native
born citizens.
~. The Government fthe United States
under tue Constitution, has the power to
make war and peace, to coin money, to
lay imposts, and in fact to do all the inn
portant acts of sovereignty. The States
from the people, both are agents, and one
has no right to,say to the other you shall
not exercise this or that power. sWho
made you judge or another's servants?
To their own masters they stand or fall'-
The Supreme Court is tablished to decide.
and questions of doubtmust be referred to
that tribunal. This was done by citizens
of Massachusetts in the case of the en-
barge law, which ruined thousands in
that. State. The case was argued bv
Samuel Dexter, and, after the decision that
the law was constitutional, the merchants
paid over two million of dollars. tbouoh
thS FAEL4Iy lDGllGVGu III" LOrQG a
gross violation of the Constitution MS could
be imagined.
80. The State. of Mississippi has more
than once settled this question, and de-
clared that the doctrine of secession. multi
fcatiOn or whatever fine name is given to
it, is asheresy. @
SO. The right of one State to Withdraw
from the Union aud to break up the Gov
eminent is utterly at war with all the prin-
ciples of the Constitution. The Constitu
ton provides for amendments, which mas
be proposed by two-thirds of both Houses
of Congress, and may be adopted as parts
of the Constitution when ratified BY
thrce-fourths of the States, &c. (See ar
ticle 5.) 1t is plain that an amendment
may be adopted against the vote of one
State Would such amendment be bind
ing and void or not? Clearly it would.
Now, according to the theory that State
is absolutely sovereign, and that the right
to Judge and decide by the State as n :
sovereignty that the Constitutions a COM
pact or league between sovereipnties. If
would seem to follow that an amendment
of the Constitution would not be binding
on State which did not ratify it. That
State is not party to the modified COM
pact or league. The amendment has
made new Compact The fa1Iacy of.
the advocates of State soyereipntv and ee-
cession is in considering the Constitution ion
COMPACT. 1t is the result of a comDact.
The Constitution was brought into exist
ence by the action of the people of States.
but when ordained and established by
this act end ratification it became and
ever has been aud is now a form of gov
eminent, not liable to be overthrown or to
be resisted at the will and pleasure of
bare majority of the people Of one State
or any other number.
"7. Very extraordinarv resnl+s would
flow from the exercise IF the rirht ~ so