White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1861-03-14

violsis it-brsak it. 90 to speak; oss
does it not require al to lawfully rs'e'no
it? :.
Descending from these general Prinsl'
Piles. we find the proposition that, 10 10
gal contemplation. the Union 10 PerPes
ual. confirmed BY the history OF the Un'
ion itself. The Union is much older than
the Constitution. 1t was formed. IN iaes'
BY the Articles Of Association in I1'4.
| Ii was mstured and continued BY the
Declaration Of Indspendencs in l1!o.-
It was further matured. and the fsiti o.
all the then thirteen States expressly
plighssd spd engaged thst it should Be per-
petual. BY the Articles of Confederation.
in 177s. And finally. in 1887. one OF
the declared OBJECTS for ordaning and
establishing the Constitution was 10
form a more perfect snion."
| But If destruction Of the Union. oy
one. or by part only. Of the States. os
lawfully possible. the Union is less per.
feet than before. the Constitution having
lost the vital element Of perpetuity.
It follows from these views that no
State, upon its own mere motion. can
lawfully get out Of the Union that re-
solves and ordinances to that effect are
legally void and that acts Of violencs.
within any State or States. against the
authority Of the United States. are insur.
rectionary and revolutionary, according
| to circumstances.
l therefore consider that. in view Of the
Constitution and the laws. the Union Is
nnbroken and, to the extent of my abil
iry. shall take care. az the Constitution
itself expressly enjoins upon me. that the
laws Of the Union be faithfully executed
in all :he States. Doing this. / deem to
be only simple duty on my part and
| shall perform it. SO far ~ practicable.
unless my rightful masters. the Ameri-
can people. shall withhold the requisite
means. or. in some authoritative manner.
direct the contrary. trust this will not
be regarded as menace. bnt only as the
declared purpose of the Union that it
riH constitutionally defend and maintain
itself.
In doing this. there needs to be no
bl0odshed or violence; and there shall be
none. unless it 10 forced upon The nation
al authority. The power conti,led to me
will he used to hold. occupy. and pos
sess, the property and places belonging
to the Government, and to collect the du-
ties and imposts; but beyond what may
be necessary for these objects. there will
be no invasion-no using Of force against
or among the people anywhere. Where
hostility to the United States. ih any in
terror locality. shall be so great and so
universal as to prevent competent resi-.
dent citizens from holding the Federal
offices. there will be no attempt to force
obnoxious strangers among the people
Tor that object. While the strict legal
right may exist in the Government to
enforce the exercise of these offices, the
attempt to do so would be 30 irritating.
and so nearly impractic able withal. /
deem it better to foregO. for the time. the
uses of such offices.
The mails. unless rerelled. will con
tinue to bs furnished in all parts Of the
Union. So far as possible. the people
everywhere shall have that sense Of per-
feet security which is most favorable to
calm Thought and reflection. The course
here indicated will be followed. unless
current events and experience shall show
. modification or change to he proper
and in every case and exigency. my best
discretion will be exercised. according to
circumstances actually existing. and with
view and hope Of peaceful solution
Of the national troubles. and the restor-
alton of fraternal sympsthies and sffec
tions.
That there are persons in one section
or another who seek to destroy the Tn
ion at all events. and are glad Of any pre-
text to do it. will neither affirm nor de.
ny but if there Be such. l need address
no word to them. 10 those. however,
who really love the Union, may l not
speak?
Before entering upon SO grave . mat
ter Is the destruction OF our national fab
ric. with all its benefits. its memories.
and its hopes. would it not be wise to
ascertain precisely why we do it? Will
you hazard SO desperate step, while
there lis any possibility that any portion
Of the ills yon fly from have no real ex.
istence? Will you. while the certain ills
you ay to. are greater than all the real
ones you fly from? Will you risk the
commission Of so fearful mistake?
All profess to be content in the Union.
if all constitutional rights can be main
tained. Is il trne. then. that any right.
plainly written in the Constitution, has
been denied l think not. H.ppily
the human mind is no constituted that no
party can reach to the audscity OF
doing this. Think. If yon can. of . sin
gle instance. in which a plainly written
provision of the Constitution has ever
been denied II. by the mere force Of
numbers. a majority shonll deprive .
minority Of any clearly. written constitu.
tional right. it might. in . moral point
Of view. justify revolution-certainly
would. il such right were q vital one
But such il not our case. All the vital
rights Of minorities and of indiviiuals
are 40 plainly a.su,sd to them. by sffi,.
nation and negotiation. guarantees aud
provisions, in the Constitution, that con.
troversies never arise concerning them,
But no organic law can ever be framed