The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1861-08-10

passion in the North compelled either a
sudden waking up Of the President and
his advisers to the frighlful significance
Of the act which they had committed in
hecdlessly breaking the vase which i'm
prisoDed the slumbcring demon of civil
war; or else premature but most rapid
development Of the daring plot TO foster
and promote secession, and then to set
mp new and strong form Of government
in the States which might remain in the
Union.
But whatever may have been the par.
pose, ! assert here today, as u represen-
tative, that every principle act Of the ad.
minis'raton since, has been glaring
usurpation Of power, and a palpablc and
dangerous violation Of that very Cousti.
tuition which this civil war is proiessedy
wagcd to support Sir, pass by the
proclamation Of the 18th Of April, sum.
morning the militia-not to defend this
CAPITAL there is not a word about the
capital in the proclamation, and there
was then no possible danger 10 il from
any qnatter but to retake and occupy
forts and property thousand miles III
-.-summonlng, ! say, the militia 20 sup
press the so-called Instruction. do
no, believe, indeed no man believed in
/ February last, when Mr. Stanton, oil
Ohio, introduced his bill to enlarge the
act Of 1875, that that act ever contcm-
plated the case Of general revolution
and f resistance by an organized gbr.
eminent But no matter. The militia
[ thus called out, with shadow, al least,
Of authority, and foe period extending
one month after the assembling Of Con.
grese, were amply sufficient to protect
/ the capital against any force which was
then likely to be sent against it-and
the event has proved it--and ample
enough also to suppress the outbreak IN
Maryland Every other principal act Of
the administration nigh, very well have
been postponed, and ought 10 have been
postponed until the meeting OF Congress,
| or, # the ex gencies Of the occasion de.
manded it, Congress should forthwith
I have been assembled What If two or
! three States should not have been repre-
senled although even this need not have
/ happened but better this, a thousand
/ times. than that the constitution should
be repeatedly and hagran'ly violated,
and public liberty and private right
tramplcd under foot. As for Harper 3
Ferry aud the Norfolk navy yard, they
rather needed protection against the adj
mins,ra,ion, by whose orders millions
of property were wanlouly destroyed
which was not IN the slightest danger
FROM any quarter "a. the date OF the pro
clamation.
But, sir, Congress was not assembled
at once, as Congress should have been,
aud the great question OF civil war sub
mi,,ed to their deliberations The rep
resentativcs of the States and Of the
people were not allowed the slightest
voice in this the mos, momcntous ques-
ton ever presented to any government.
The entire responsibility oi the whole
work was boldly assumed by tho eyecn-
tive, and all the powers required for the
purposes in hand were boldly usurped
from either the States or the people. or
flom the legislative department while
the voice # the Judiciary, that last sei-
ugs and hope II liberty, was turned
away from with contempt
Sir, the right of blocksde-and be
[ gin W ih it's bellIgcrcnt right, ihr..
dent t. a state IF war, and it cannot be
exercised until war has been declared or
recognized aud Congress alone can de-
clare or recognize war. But Congress
has no, declared or recognized war. On
the contrary, it had but little while
before cxprcssly refused to declare II, OF
10 arm the Presidon, with the power 70
make it And thus the President, III de
/ caring a blockade OF certain ports IN the
I States of the South, and IN applying Ia
il tho rules governing hloekades as be
tween independent powers, violated the
| Constitution.
pu, If. on the other hand, ne meant TO
deal with these States ~ still IN the
/ Union, and subject 10 federal authority,
then he usurped a power which belongs
| 10 Congress alone--,ho power 10 abolish
aud close up ports OF entry power,
7 too. which Congress had also refused a
few weeks before 10 exercise. And yet,
without the repeal or abolition OF ports
Of entry any attempt ty either Congress
/ or the President to blockade these ports
( is violation Of the spirit. # not the
/ letter. Of that clause OF the Constitution
which declares that =" no preference shall
be given by any regulation Of commerce
or revenue TO the ports Of one State over
those of another
sir, upon this point do not speak
without the highest authority. In the
very midst of the South Carolina nnlli-
iicatiou controversy, 1t was suggested,
] IN 'hc recess Of Congress, and without \
I.v to govern him, the President, An
drew jackson, meant to send down
/ fleet 10 Charleston and blockade the port
/ But the bare suggestion called forth The
/ Indignant protest Of Daniel Webster
/ himself tie arch enemy Of notification
and whose brightest laas, Is were Won
IN the three years conflict IN the Senate
chamber with its ablcst champions, III
an address,, IN October, 1881, at Wosees
ter. Massachusetts, before national re
publican convention 1T was before thu
birth. or christening at least. OF the wing
party--,hc great expounder OF the Con
stituiion said
we are told sir, the President vii
Immediately employ the military force
and a, once blockad Charleston. A
military remedy, remedy by direct bel
l,gcrcni operation. has TIM. been sng
gesisd, and nothing else has been sng
ges,ed. as the intended means OF pre-
serving the Union. Sir. there 's no III
tie reason 20 think that this Suggestion
is true. We cannot he altogether un
- g.