Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-03-07

whole people. is to be irrevocably fixed by the
decisions OF the Supreme Court, the instant
they are made in ordinary litigation between
parties in personal actions, the people VIII
have ceased to be their own rulers, having to
that extent practically resigned their Govern
ment into the hands of that eminent tribunal.
Nor is there in this view any assault upon the
Court or the Judges
1t is a duty from which they may not shrink
to decide cases of property brought before
them, and it is no fault of theirs if others geek
to turn their decisions to political purposes
! One section of our couRtry believes Slavery Is
right, and ought to be extended, while the
other believes il is wrong, and ought not to be
extended. ..'
This is the only substantial dispute in the
| Fugitive Slave clause of the Constitution and
the laws for the suppression of the foreign
Slavc.trade are each as well enforced, perhaps
as any law can ever be in community where
the moral sense of the people imperiectiy sup
ports the law itself. ..
| The great body of the people abide by the
dry legal obligation in both cases, and few
break over in EACH This, / think cannot be
perfectly cured, and it wonld be worse in both
cases after the separation of the sections than
before The foreign Slavetrade, now mper
ecty suppressed, would be ultimately revived
without restriction, in one section, while fugi
tive slaves now only partially surrendered, would
not be surrendered at all by the other
| Physically speaking, we cannot separate
we cannot remove our respective sections from
each other, nor build all impossible wall be-
tween them A husband and wife may be d.
vorced, and 60 out OF the presence and beyond
the reach Of each other-but the different
parts OF our country cannot do this
They cannot but remain face to face, and
intercourse either amicable or hostile must
continue between them 1t is possible then TO
make that intercourse more advantageous or
more satisfactory after separation than before?
Can aliens make treaties easier than friends
can make laws Can treaties be more faith
| fully enforced between aliens than laws eau
among friends?
Suppose you go to war, you cannot light
always aid when, after much loss on both
sides ard no gain or either, you cease fighting,
the identical questions as TO terms of intcrcOur.
Sc are again upon you. This country, with its
institutions, belongs TO the people who inhabt
it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the
existing Government, they can exercise their
Constitutional right of amending or their re-
Volutionary right to dismember or overthrow
it. cannot he ignorant of the fact that many
worthy aad patriotic citizens are deSirOus of
having the National Constitution amended -
While make no recommendation of amend
ment, fully recognize the full authority of
the people over the whole subject to be exer-
cised in either of the modes prescribed in the
instrument itself, and should, under existing
circumstances, favor rather than oppose fair
opportunity being afforded to the people to
act upon it.
will venture to add that to me the Con
ventiOn mode seems preferable in thatit allows
amendment to originate, with the people them
selves, instead of only permitting them to take
or reject proposit ous originated by Others not
especially chosen for the purpose, and which
might not be precisely such as they would wish
either to accept or refuse. | understand o
proposed amendment to the Constitution, which
amendment, however, | have not SEEN has
passed Congress to the effect that the Federal
Government shall never interfere with the
domestic institutions of States including that
of persons held for service TO avoid mscon-
struction Of what | have said, | depart from
my purpose not to speak of particular amend
mentS, so far as to say that holding such a
provision to now be implied by constitutional
law have no objection to its being made ex
press and irrevocabe.
The Chief Magistrate derives all his author
ity from the people, and they have conferred
none upon him to fix the terms for a separa-
ton of the States The people themselves,
ALSO can do this if they choose, hut the Exc
cutive, as such, has nothing to do with it.
His duty il to administer the present Government a.
it come to his hands aud to transmit it unimpared by
llm to has nv should there be patient
confidence IN the ultimate justice Of the people: Is there
any better for equal hope in the world? In present
differences IS either party without faith OF being III the
right.
If the Almighty ruler of Nations with His eternal
truth aud Justice he your side of the North,
yours of the South that truth aud that justice will surely
prevail by the Judgment OF this great tribunal the Amer
lean people.
By the frame Of the Government under which we live
this people have wisely given their public servants
but little power for mischief and have with equal wis
dom provided for the retnm of that little to their own
hands at very short intervals While the people retain
their virture and vigilance Administration by ex
teme wickedness or folly can very seriously nJure the
Government in the short space of lonr years
My couutrymen, and all, think calmly and well
upon this whole subject Nothing valuable can be lost
by taking time.
If there be an object to hurry any of you in hot haste
to step which you wonld take deliberately, that
object will be trustated by taking time but no good
object can be frustrated by It, Such OF You as are now
dissatisfied still have the old Constitution unmpared
and the sensitive point the laws Of your framing
under it. while tho new Administration will have i'm
mediate power if it would to change either. If it were
admitted that you who dissatisfied hold the right
side in the dispute there still is single reason for pre-
cpitatc action.
intelligence patriotism Christianity and firm reli-
ance on Him who has yet forsahen this favored
land, still competent to adjust in the best way all our
present difficulties.
In your hands my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen and
not in mine, is the momcntous issue of civil The
Government will not aSsail you. You have
hict without being yourselves the aggressors.
You have oath registered in Heaven to destroy the
Government, while shall have the most solemn one to
preserve, protect and defend it,"
am 10th to close. We are not enemies but friends.