Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1861-03-09

orc legallg void, aud that acts Of violence
/ witbin any States or State against the gu.
iborty of the United States are insurrection.
ery or revolutionary, according TO circum
stances. therefore consider that in view
of the Constitution aud laws the Union is
unbroken, and to the extent Of my ability
| shall take care as the Constitution itself
expressly enjoins on me, that the laws of
the Union be faithfully executed, in all the
States. Doing this l deem. to be only q
simple duty on my part, and shall perform
il so Far as practicable uuless my rightful
masters the American people, shah withheld
the requisite means or in some authoritative
manner direct the contrary. trust this will
not be regarded us meuace, but only ns o
declared purpose OF Union, aud that it will
constituiiOnnlly defend aud maintain ITSELF
In doing this there will be no bloodshead or
VIOLENCE, aud there shall be none uDless il
Le forced upon the national authority. The
power conGded to me will be used to hold,
occupy aud possess the property and places
belonging TO the goyernment--to collect
duties and imports; but beyond what may
be necessary for these objects, there will
be no invasion. no using Of force against or
among people anywhere. Where hostility
to the United States in any Interior locali.
ty shall be so great and SO universal as to
prevent competent resident citizens from
holding Federal Offices, there will be no at
TEMPT to force obnoxious strangers among
the people that object. While the strict
legal right may exist in the government TO
force the exercise Of these Offices, the at
tempt to do so would be so irritating aud
SO nearly impracticable With oil, that
deem it better to forego for time the
uses Of such Offices
The mails, unless repealed, W Il continue to
be furnished in all parts OF the Union so far us
possible The people everywhere shall have
that sense OF perfect security which must favor
ably calm thoughts aud reAectious. The course
here indicated will be followed unless current
events and experience shall show modification
or change to be proper, aud In every case and
exigency my best discretion viii be exercised
according to circumstances actually existing
aud with view and a hope OF peaceful solu-
ton of the national troubles, aud restoration of
the fraternal sympathy aud affections. That
there are persons in QUE section or another who
seek to destroy the union at all events. aud are
| glad of any pretext to do il, / will neither af-
| firm or deny, but If there be such, ] need ad-
dress no word to them. To those, however,
| who really love the union, may not speak be-
| fore entering on so grave matter as the de-
| struclion of our national fabric with all its
| benefits, its memories and hopes Would it
not be wise to ascertain previously why We do
so Will you hazard SO desperate a step while
there IS any possibility that any portion Of the
ills you BY from have no real existence VIII
you, while the certain ills you Hy to are greater
than all the real ones you hy from I VIII you
,,,fo Of airp9
! All profess 10 be content in the Uniop if oil
constitutional rights can be maintained. Is l.
true then that any right plainly written 10 tht
Constitution has been denied I ! mink not
Happily the human mind is 50 constituted tha
no party can ;each the audacity Of doing this
IhlnE, ii you can, Of single instance in which
a plainly written provision of the Constitution
has ever been denied. Ii by the mere force o
numbers, majority shall deprive minority o
any clearly written cons.itopal right, it might
in moral point Of view, justify revolution. /
, certainly would if such right was vital one
:, But such is not the case. The vital right 0
j minorities, and of individuals, are plainly as
5 sured to them by afirmations and Legations
=! guarantees and prohibitions in the Constitution
II that controversy never arose concerning then
j but no organic law cau ever be found with
:. provision specially applicable to every question
Il which may occur in practicable Adminstra
,r tiou. No foresight can anticipate, nor any de
: cisiou of reasonable length contain express pro
} visions for all possible questions. Shall fugi
Z! Ives from labor be surrendered by national o
b state authorities 7 The Constitution does no
Al expressly say. Must Congress protect SLAYER
? ia territories The Constitution does not ex
1t pressly say. From questions of this characte
N spring sll our constitutional controversies, an
"a We divide upon them into majorities aud NJ
= norties. Ii the minority will not acquiesct
- the majority must or the Government mus
u cease. There is no alternative for continuing
le the Government but acquescenco on the on
III side or the other. II minority in such cas-
he will secede rather than acquiesce they make
10 precedent which will 10 turn ruin aud diyil
ms them, for a minority Of their own will seced
from them whenever majority refused to b
No controlled by such u minority. For instauct
-, why may not any portion oil a now conGederac
" year or two hence arbitrarily secede agar
Wy precisely MS portions Of the present Union no,
ose claim TO secedc from 1t All who cherish di
no uulon sentiments are now being educated to II
will exact temper OF doing this Is there such pc
pri feet identity Of interests among the states
by compose Il new union as TO produce harmo
IN ouiy and prevent new secession I Plain
- the central idea of secession is the essence
tu' Rnarchy. majority held in restraint by CT
'u stitutIonal checks aud limitations, aud alwa
changing easily with deliberate changes
in popular opinions aud sentiments, is tie OF
on true sovereign Of free people. Whoever
cen jects 1t, does of necessity hy to anarchy or
ens potsm Unanimiiy is impossible. The will
On. the minority, us permanent agreement is VIII
ava ly inadmissaole SO that rejecting the major
- principle, anarchy or desp0lisn in some form
"o all that IS left. do not forget the position
li's sumed by some that constitutional objectio
Tue are 10 be decided by Supreme Court, nor Dc
erm deny that such decisions must be binding in a
diff case to the parties 10 suit as to the object
lion, that suit, while they are also entitled 10 We
ably high respect and considerations in all paral
.tion cases by other departments Of the govefnmer
the anG while It Is obviously possible that such
-; cision may be erroneous in any given cause s
the evil elect following il being limited 10 Il
uua' particular case with the chance that il may
1t oVerruled aud never become precedent for III
Dper cases can better be borne than could the q,
r its OF different practice. At the same time
eli candid citizen must confess that If the nol
~, OF the government upon the vital question
80 80 leetiBg the whole people 10 to be irreyoca
fesi fixed by the decisions Of the Supreme Co
py the Instant they are made 10 ordinary ltiga,
trn- between parties in personal actions the PEE
will have ceased TO be their own, unless TO
row extent practically TO resign their goYernu
of into the hands of that eminent tribunal M