Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-03-12

sist in levyinG against the United States OF
in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid
'and comfort II the Government Of the United
States Gas we Familiarity call it, and think /,
really isl is no government, but is mere
agency, il is strange that treason can DC COM
'mitted against it. Who ever heard Of treason
being committed against tine subordinate
parts Of u Government : Il is one OF the es
,sential attributes OF sovereignty to punish loI
treason" when
the officer swears to preserve, protect and de-
fend the Constitution Of this State ana o.
the United States, is he not sworn to be iaith
full and true allegiance bear to The Government
of the United States 1t is impossible that
it should have any other sense for any act
which was intended to be the overthrow
of either Constitutional government would
be the violation of the constitutional oath.
The power OF amendment Of the Constitution
by three .fourtns of the States has been ny
more than one great name in South Carolina
held up as the ultimate sovereignty TO which
allegiance was due think thereiS nc tat!,
no allegiance, to any such ultimate light
But it shows, however, that II government
which can be amended against DIR "is'' ana
which will then operate directly upon US, IL
something more than an agency; an" 'hat IL
has high sovereign powers to when ooeos'
'ence must be yielded. We have been toiu IN
the progress ofthis argument that the Govern
'ment of the United States was mere league
between co.States: in other WORDS, that inc
spirit of the old Confederation exists IN the
Federal Constitution, although the former has
been superseded and abolished W the latter.
We must live in an age Of political wonders
and miracles if not NATURAL ores. confess
that heard with aStonisfiInent the ola Con-
federation landed as the best Government IN
the world, when | had regarded 1t aS settled
and given up fifty years ago, IL matter oil
history, that i! was en- mprachcahle Gov
'ernment
"'Ir seems to NE perfectly clear that the Gov
'ernment created by the Federal Constitution
is, strictly speaking, government ct the pro'
pie. IL is a GOVERNMENT: for within liz pre-
scribed Cu,stturi onal limits It acts upon the
people, and eni0rcpS againS! them It's laws
through rs own Judiciary or 'ia: Of each
State Within IL own Constitutional limits
1t is absolute and supreme
10y the sccund section o. the sixth article
oi The Constitution vi ,he United STATES II is
declared thai this Constitution ali,l the iu,r'
of tie United States. which shall te made in
pursuance thereof &C., snail be- tie supreme
Ian. ii ,!- Ia,i: a,i.i he. uds: : in every State
shalt he bound thereby, anything il; the Cox
'STIrrTlnS or laws of any STATE no,withS;snd,
ing Drec not th:> supremacy u: cnnS;lt.i.
tiunal law necessarily mrke The G:.vrrrlncrt
of liz. Cuilcd States Is Euc!i the Government
of the people If this Sta.s As ncr own lHDmc
tis,r governments: II is luO clear 10 admit OF
argument that i dues. What is the necessary
cnnSc1uercvs i : ,try..nilert possessing,
such, great powers wlhrut any tic Of ole
Lic,.cr o. allegiance between ]; an. lis Gill
'z.ir>: Can u ur HAT in t!:ne 81 war CitiICG
soldier soui,. be a!icwe'i u refuse Ia shoulder
his ,pu>ket aa:l sag eve YOU llu allegiance,
i viii walt until nv own Slate has babe M
fight: Could ne say viii assist your enc
mics, ard you dare not punish me iDr treason,
BECAUSE South Car1!inE has not defined IT,
These questions n:u>t '.avc an affirmative all
sw.r, Of W., 80 1~e allegiance l., nur Govern
rncn., tat ayr aseIi2Y. ut:;.:r the Federal Con
Siitutinn.
The pr.sdns ,Iis;'cr, ;he lion. David JOHN
s,,n, said: he people have Organized :.
Government, tl";hcI wish all the powers that
are necr>>iiy I" prnlcGi the citizen IN the e:'-
'joymrnt 81 all his rights, privileges a;d i'm
munites. IL * that G,,",rn!:cGt which does
protect tic ci,Izen, and y !i:at Coy rrnnc:t
me a!eEi'i';e :" III" '"'@'" - uo' l '':"'
hau peru !, >'r''i'e ''o's:'!'iS''. n''"ati ~
'hr o'''" a'"'''' "''h '"'"' vu ~ ":e s'''''''N
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'ca,!ii u. u.cr.. certain tGan that the citizen
'w,,!., owe alrg;rnc. extensively to that Go"
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