Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1861-03-08

the Intention OF the law given, is the1 1nw. All
members Of Congress swear their support TO
the whole Constitution to2this provision. as
mnch as TO any other. To the proposition.
terms Of this clause, shall be delivered up. their
oa,hs are unanimous. Now. if they would
make The effort in good temper, could they not
with nearly equal unanimity frame and pass a
law by means OF which 10 keep good that
| unanimous oath? There is some differ ence Of
opinion whether this clause should be enforced
by national or by State authority; hut surely
that difference is not 4 very material one If
the slave is to be surrendered, il cn he Of but
little consequence TO him or 10 others by whiol,
authority it is done; md should any one in
| any case be content that his oath shall 90 uu-
kept n merely unsubstantia controversy rs
to how it shall be kept2 Again, in any law
upon this subject, ought not all the safeguards
| Of liberty known in civilized and humane juris-
prudence to be introduced. go that free man
| be not in any case surrendered n slave. and
might it not be well, nt the same time, to pro-
vide hy law for the enforcement of that clause
| in the Constitution which guarantees that 1.-THE
citizens of each State shnll be entitled to all
privileges and immunities of citizens in the
several States"
I take the official oath to-day with no mental
reservations, and with no purpose TO construe
the Constitution or law. hy any hypocritica
| rules; mud while d" not choose now 10 specify
particular acts Of Congress as proper TO be en-
! forcri. do Suggest that it. will he much safer
! for ALL both IL otF'cnl aud private s,ntinns. TO
conform to aud abide hv all those acts which
| stand umr~peaed than /" violate any Of them
trusting to fnd i,npun,v in having them held to
| be unconstitutional.
| II is seventy Two years aiuce the frat inaugu-
rati"n of Il President under our Nntiounl Consti-
tnt'm. During tina, pen isd. fifteen diffs aud
great. distinguished citizens have in succ-.si"n
| administered the Executive branch of the Gov
! led tItrOn mol
many pers. aud generally with great sncc~ss
| Yet. with NIL this sc"ps for precedent, now rn
ter upon the sam. tark for tho brief t:on.titu-
tionnl term "f fonr Years. under rrrst aud prcu-
liar dRcnli"a disruption of TIL Federal
| Union. heretofore mentinIe,l, is now fnrndai.i,
attempted I hold il,nt in contemplation ni
universal law and Of the Con. .tiiut,o". tn"
| Union Of these State is perpetual. P-rpa,uity
% implied. il not expressed. IL. the fuuls ent nj
law "f national Governments. II il safe to ns-
s"rt that no Government proper ever had a pro-
visions in lis organic law fnr its terminal
Continue to execute ail the extr"Es pr,,vis ons IT
| our national Constitution aud tn" Union " i'll en-
dure forever; it lring 'mlu.ssih I" destroy i,
except by some acinn not provided far in ti.
insirument itself Again. If the United states
t. moi ~ Government uroper. but al association
If states in III. nntnre Of contr,ct merri, cnn
| it., as n contract. lie prnctic,hy unm4d- by iesa
than all the parties wha made it? On- party
1" contract muy violate II break IT, -, u, are..k
but d~s il not require all TO lawfully resrind j, I
| Descending from these genet al prinriplps, W.
fluid this proposition, that in legal complication,
the Union is perpetual. confirmed b, The Unl"u
itself. The Unnn il much cier than the Con-
siitution; 1t WAS formed in fact by the u, ,icles
of nssociaton in l774 II was nlniureh and con
t,nmd by the Declaration Of Jurisprudence in
1915.
H. was further matured aud the faith If all
these thirteen States expressly pl-dgrd aud en-
gagged Tint il should be psrp.tual. The Art,ci-s
of Confederation in ITS. and finally In 1887,
one Of tho declared objects f'r ordsiniug and
establishing thr Constitution wae to firm a more
perfect Union. But il destruction Of The Un,on
by one or by part only OF the States h- IsU-
fully possible the Union is less Perfect Than Dr.
fore-the Constitution having lost thr vital rle-
meut Of psrpetuity. II foiuws from (these views
that DO State. upon its own mere motion. cnn
lawfully g ont Of the Union that resolves aud
ordiDances to that effect are legally void. aud
that acts of violence within any State or States
against the authority of the United States n,e
ilsurrec,s""ary or revolutionary. according to
circumstances. l, therefore, consider that, In
view Of the Constitution AID the laws, the Un-
ion il unbroken. aud to the extent IF my ability,
shall take care,. as tho Constitution itself ex-
pressy enjoins upon me. that the law. of the
Uhion he faithfully executed in nli the S,ates-
Dnug this. deem to be only simple duty on
my part and shall perform it 80 far az prscti-
cable, niless my rightful lGmaster. the American
people. shall withhold the requai,e means, ,or,
in snnpe Hn,iiori1ed manner, direct the con- rary
Thrust This wil,h he-regarded at menace, bu,
as The declared purpose of the Union, that il will
constituiionbliy defend aud maintain useli In
doja9 this there need beno boodsh ed or violence
and there shall bu none, .lnless !, be forced upon
the national authority The power con6ded TO
me will be used 10 hold. occupy and fpoasess the
i.p'operty and piaces' belonging 10 she Cove n.
Inent, and tocoilect tho duties and .impos,s. but
beyond what may he necessary for these objects
there will be- no invasion, no usiDg Of force
sganst or among :he people anywhere. Where
hostility to t'e United States in any interior 10.
eahty shail be great and 80 unusual az to ORE.
vent competent. resident eitizns ,frorn ho;dnp
the F-dersi Offices, there will be no attempt ID
force obnoxious strangers amang tho People for
that obj-e,. While tho strict legal right may
eaist in the Government to enforce the exercise
( of these offoes. tho atr,npt 70 do 80 would be
20 irrational and so nearly impra cticshle wiiha
that deem i better to torsgo,, fof tbe time tn
uses Of snah- ofIieea The ti1aiIe. uusss repriled
viii continue TO be tusuisbe cd in all pur,s Of the
Union. SO far ~ Possible. the people every
have tha. fei'ss Of psrfect security which 10
nost favorable to cool thought and r-Hec,ion.-
} The course here indicated will bs followed. uu-
iesw current even,s a6d experiences shall show .
modification Or change to be proper; and in
every case aud -x,gency. NV beat disrr elton will
be exerc'sr.i accnrd'ug 10 circumstances Actually
q Eessi'ngf sad sith 0 jew and hope OF p-ace
fol sou ion Of the national troubles, aud The resO
ration OF fraternaI sympath,rs an1 ais ctio,,s
That thrre pre- ps,snns 10 one seetipR os an,h..
! whip seek 70 destroy The Urioa Ut all events, aud
fsfS Glad df my pfrtext tn 90 it'll will nrith.I
afdrm.or DENY, hus ,f tb.,e be- aueh, y need al
dress no word u them To ttme. however wh.
Seaifi hive the U"ion. may ] not speak h-Er-
senieriiiH upon 50 graves nsSti Of the d-riruc-
lion 81 oar gatpHai fahrie. with sl its brnsfit.
its mernor,es, hS hoPest Weuld Il not t,p wisr
f t6taseeffsi" PEseissiy why I've do I'LL Will yo,