The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-01-17


authority has power to impair or disturb
8 and which nothing can dissolve bu. reyc
IL luton.
n Nearly twen'y-eight years ago, Il,
it people of Ohio, speakin. through III
= deneral Assembly. declared what in tbei
e judgement are the constitutional reIation
}, between the Federal AMI State Govern
D ments quote but one of series Of reg
e Owes OF the General Assembly on thi
subject:
That the Federal Union exists in
solemn compact entere into by the vol
luntSry consent Ct the people Of the Unite.
1'a'es, and Of each and every State. anC
' mat therefore no State can claim the rich
, TO secede from, or viola'e that compact
f and however grievous may be III. SUP
posed or real burthens Of State. III,
cnIy legitimate remedy is in lh+ wise and
! isuhful 'xrrcisc Of The elective franchise
and solemn responsibility Of the public
agenis."
THIS is the judgement Of Ohio to-day
Can State sec-de and mann the pow
er and right of self preservation inberen,
In tile system which pervades the Gov
eFnments. State and National and acting
by lls officers directly on the citiz n? "
Shall the artery that gives lite 10 the
gr'a valley Of the West be at the mere,
OF hottie communities, arc subject TO be
SrveIed from the Gut Stream, through
which the interior Sta es reach and EN-.
brace their s'a' oard sisters? IF there
w're nothing else interposii,n of for,
e'gn power upon tie grand trunk of the
mighty Hood whose branches bear the
iruit-Ihe riches Cf the con.ne nt-it is
enough 10 array the country against it.
that II would break the symmetry nturs
has given it for the full development of
the vast republic, now reaching from
ocean TO ocean.
The right of secession is the tight to
tear limb from the body, aud in the sup
posed case Of secession Of States on the
lower Mississippi. il Il e right Of domain
over all It's sources would not attach TO
the seceeding States. il would AT least
seriously conflict with Il e free enioyme. t
OF opposing rights, and eventually lead 10
dlssenslons, if not war, between the States
Directly interested in the navigation of
that great highway TO the worlds com
merce.
The Constitution make, body polite
OF o. all embraced within is Jurisdiction. |
II dlsmember it is so far to DESTROY /,
Ii constitutes Union. and separation is
war sgainFt it. Secession and Union are
incompatible IDEAS. The attempt to as
sert the right attaching to both as consls
tent with the same Constitution is mere
ab'urdity; the one is but the negative Of
the other, and they cannot bs rtconcled.
But the dscontents which have grown
up between the States may and ought to
be rtconciled.
The fugitive slave law provides for the
execution of duty imposed BY tie Con-
Unfortunately it contains clau-
ses insulting to the just plide aud to the {
conscience Of the section of the country |
On which it is brought to bear. 1t is diff.
icult TO execute law revolving 10 the '
public opinion wnere it is to operate. Yet ,
his lsw has been executed by the Fed.
'ral offices, notwithstanding, and under
IN honest administration it may have lull \
fest. 1t the clauses offensive and der
gatoTy to those who are required TO ex t
cue it be repealed, there is no doubt S
he p rsona liberty laws, which obslruct S
Is proper execution, if any such there te E
assed from whatever motive, would lie a
ePealed or essentially modified. This S
ught to be done. Tie obnoxious fea. '
nres of The fugitive slave statute were
Inserted at the insIigation of the Rspr4- a
from States not interested in Il
se1ecution, and plotting to dsfca, If c
nat the States for whose benefit It was
assed might be inci,,d to join in
chemes of breaking the Union. which is
Uw manif-sty the objert of those thar
lake the clamor about the obstruction of
le Fugitive Slave Act to justify seces il
on. The Safes really wronged. if any,
y the legislation of the Free 5 ates, are S
yal to the Union, and does not urge their ,C
rOngs to overthrow it. But those who tr
ave plotted the fatal measure create dis ia
fecticn in the loyal States by throwing al
euselves into the brc TO defend their til
gh's, and calling ~ them for sup. at
,rt. er
The comfy 'nown by the patriotic til
'gisla'ures and other off al representa-. pl
yes Of the States of Kentucky and SO
'nnessoe 10 the State of Ohio by their n,
sit to this Capital last winter, aud the P
INK, conciliatnry, and magnanious {. m h.
r displayed. would justify tile Legisla- lie
re of Ohio in invoking the Free Stat es pc
repeal all laws. if any such there be, sl
ntravening the rights which their frl. G.
" citizens of the South justly CLAIM un
r the Constitution, and rely on future =
'ngress, if it bo not done by the pres. OF
t one for the abr,sa'ion of whaever ne
obnoxious in the Fugitive Slave ACT Ell
d for such amendments Of it as will IN
lly protect Che liberties Of the citizens W
the Free States, to
A like conciliatory could be expected de
the Southern States, by the repeating a a
such of their laws as contra,ene the re
Institutional rights of the citizens Of the IN
ee States. With less, the citizens Of ih'
, Free States will not be satisfied. INC
| purposely avoid attaching any impor ma NJ
ice to the only other threatening CON On VI
it, that relating 10 the establishing eu
Slavery in the remaining territory IN u,
the United States. as all must see that VI
At is settled by decree more potent th'
an Legislative snactments or jut ticial de-. g''
inns The nnininn danlnraL liz N,n the