The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1861-03-05

nullliled any legislation OF Congress un-
der it, then the courts can correct the
error. l never heard of an instance in
which any citizen, or considerable num-
Der of citizens, of the North have claim
ed that the courts could not declare upon
the constitutonality OF personal liberty
bills. They all agree in the North that
it is the right and the duty of the States
to obey the duly rendered judgments Of
the courts. | understand that they have
always been willing to submit their laws
to the adjudication of the courts.
But history furnishes a memorable in
stance IN which one of the States of the
Union, upon the application of the peo-
pie of another State, refused to test the
validity or constitutionality of their own
laws IN their own courts. | alude, sir,
to the case of South Carolina, when Mr..
Hoar was sent there as a commissioner
on the part of Massachusetts, to test
the constitutionaity of law of South
Carolina she refused to submit to the
arbitrament of the courts, and drove Mr..
Hoar from her limits. | repeat, then,
what | have said, that the Constitution
and the laws passed in pursuance thereof
must be recognized as paramount and
supreme to State laws before we can ar
rive at any full settlement of our present
difficulties and this The committee, in
great measure, seem to have lost sight
of.
The committee deplore the evils which
are upon US. The President of the Uni.
ted States in a recent message deplored
the secession of States as a great evil
His argument was an able one against the
right of secession, but he proposed no
remedy for it--he acknowledged no rem
edy for il, And like the President-I
say ii with great respectable committee
while deploring unauthorized acts, assert
no power in the Government to repress
such acts, but only request the States to
desist All | have to say is, that any
plan of compromise or settlement which
does not recognize the paramount power
of the Constitution and laws, will not
reach the evils so much complained Of
Without a fundamental recognition of
the superior authority of the Federal
Constitution, this Union becomes a
mere myth, and the Government a mere
sham.
lregard the slavery question as second
ary in Importance TO the pretended right
OF peaceable secession claimed by the
States now in open rebellion against the
Government, and actively at work iucit-
ing other States TO like reasonable prac-
tees. Ii is no time to stauch the blood
from flowing wound caused by the sla-
very agitation, while this assassin Of Sc
cesslon and rebellion stands with drawn
dagger and upliited arm to inflct a yet
more fatal blow at the very Government
itself Make concessions nov, in order
TO preserve this Government Four
years hence, when we come to inaugu-
rate another President, new concessions
may be demanded. Thus. black mail
or ransom may be regularly levied by
one section on another at each recurring
Presidential election, If not oltener, as
the price of the Union. 1t is all folly,
then, TO think of compromise and conces-
sions at this time. Nothing less than the
life OF this Union is demanded; and ey-
cry instinct of selfpreservalion requires
that the terms should be rejected, and
the Government sustained.
say that the question, Of all other
questions, which has now to be settled,
Is the right of secession. appeal to
gentlemen who favor n Southern C0nfed.
eracy whether any Government erected
upon such n foundation could endure -
1t requires no prophets ken 10 feretell
the speedy downfall Of coniederacy
formed upon the specific recognition OF
the rights of secession. Ii would pass
away with the breath of any State. how
ever small. that might for any cause,
however trivial, declare that i, severed lis
connection. Such a coufederacv would
be hourly and daily in imminent danger
OF being broken into thousand irao.
ments. lu such a coniederacy, selfish.
ness will be the overrulng motive OF al
the States. If Louisiana or Florida OF
any other State, finds il TO be 10 her In
terest 10 remain, then she will do So
aud II not, she will seeede. ANY iaclious
community. under the admitted right o
secession, might withhold from all The
other States the enjoyment Of iii adyan.
taees OF q union, because she was un.
willing 10 accept them herself. Ii seem.
10 me that superadded to all the pelicans
/ eroeodiles. snakes and other descriptions
OF reptiles adopted as the insignia o
such dissolyins view coniederacy, ther,
should be portrayal Of the dog in tn,
manger OF the old fable.
know that IL is objected 10y our friend.
on the other side OF the House that, il
the position We assume we do not recog
nlze the sovereignty of the States. Now
sir, desire To make distinct declara
ton that there is no State OF the Unio,
that eser did, IN the whole period Of hei
past history. possess one single particl
oi dislnct sovereignty or distinct nation
ail!y There is no separate sovereignty
All The sovereignty that any State OF lh
Union, excepting it may be the State Q
Texas. ever had. il derived from ant
through the Union. We know very wei
that even after the annexation Of th
State OF Texas, her sovereignty had TO b.
vind'cated in long and bloody war be
twapn tba ITnitaI St,tas .nJ n..:.>