, 1861-07-02

requested TO resign. Bayard's term ex-
pires in 1853. Hence all this clap-trap and
fEheet-ircn thunder in behalf of peace"
The HERRSY OF SECESSION.
The carling idea Of John G. Calhoun
was to shirer the Union and set up great
slaye-holding Confederacy on this cont:
nent. The first thing to be done was to
invent theory conferring upon one por~
tion Of the Republic the right to separate
1rcm the other. Accordingly, the dogma
was espoused that the Constitution is Moth
ing but league Or treaty between States
in whose hands alone repose sovereignty.
He contended that the general Govern
ment was merely the agent Of sovereign
States, and that the Constitution was in
the nature Of power Of attorney, which
the principals might revoke at pleasure.
According to this yiew, which has been
accepted rs political gospel BY the rebels,
the Union is not and never was soyer-
cjgn power "anong the nations Of the
carth," but is nothing more than loose
alliance Of confederate sovereignties, in
dependent Of each other.
The German Zollverein is the model Of
tle American Onion Us expounded By CAL
houn and preached by Davis. The Con-
s,itution being, therefore, no more than ar
ticles Of treaty among independent States,
secession is only the abrogation Of treaty
by a sovereign act Of q sovereign power.
Instead Of being reasonable and reyo1u~
tionary, secession is q lawful and proper
method Of redressing whatever grievances
a State may imagine it has received from
its confederates. Therefore, say the in
surgents, the Government Of the United
States is Waging oppressive warfare with
eutjust cause crproyocation upona peace
ful and law.abiding people, who ask only
to be let alone" Attempting to re-
cover the forts, arsenals, custom-houscs,
treasure, mints, navy yards, and ships be-
longing B to the Union, firing On the Ma
tional flag, bombarding Federal forts, rails
ing armies to march and seize the Capitol
are not accounted acts Of war, but merely
legitimate exercises of State sovereignty.
1t would be sufficient answer to all the
deductions sought to be drawn from the
doctrine that Constitution is nothing but
a treaty between sovereign States, that
treaties; made between Independent power:
are binding, and cannot be abrogated with
out the consent Of both parties. If na'
tion breaks its treaty stipulations it iuvokes
war and must suffer the consequences
The violation Of treaties is the most fruit
ful source Of wars, end has led to the
bloodiest contests that iever Redeemed the
earth.
Suppose the French, English, Spanish
and Mexicans should say to this country
"We abrogate the treaties our nations
shave madc with you, and resume oul
" grants Of territory by virtue of aur rights
''of sovereignty
Thereupon France may lay hands OF
the aL6uisiana purchase" and take posses
sion Of Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri
Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska, Spain ma,
ciutche Florida End Eastern Texas Mex
leo resume her sovereignty over Western
Texas, New Mexico, and California; Eng
lard take possession Of Maine, Oregon
and Washington Territory. How woule
the deciples Of Calhoun relish this appli
cattcn Of their favorite dogma? If certain
states have the soTereigc right to annul tn
provisions ofthe treaty called the Constitu
tion, so have these powers the soyeeig1
right TO revoke their treaty stipulation
with our Government, and resume the ter
ritory ceded by them to us. And, accord
ing, to the secession doctrine, it would b
cruel and wrong on the part Of the Unite
States to employ any measures Of resis1
ance, az it would be " invasion" "coe,
cion," and "sntjugation." All those pon
ers would ask Of us would be "to be II
alone.' In the final settlement ofaccount
the sums paid to those Governments woul
be refunded to the United States VIII
should enot Herewith he contented an
happy:
Passing from the reduetio al odsnrdu
argument to direct issue with the dogms
~ NAautAp4 VIC AVlAs 1uaA llO ~oAotAeAtko
Of the United States is the organ
Law Of the Republic; that it
sn instrument defining the powers and d
ties Of a Government for sovereign n
ton. We hold with Webster, that the Co
stitution acts not through States, bnt {
recuy upon indiyiduals, and that the eli
zen owes his allegiance directly to the n
tiona1 Government, In tie formation
The present Constitution, SO far were Il
people Of the United States" from rcser
ing to the separate States any soverei&
right Of nul1itlcation Of secession, that e
cry stzte accepted as An ordinance fore7
this emphatic provision: aThis Constit
t'ticn and the laws Of the United Stat
(which shall be made in pursuance the1
"of. and MI treaties mades or which st;
4:be nxde under the authority Of the g,
",ed States; shcu b the supreme 1a.o Of |
land ; and the judges in eYe.y State sh
-'be bound thereby, anything in the Con-
+'tafion or h.os ef org 9tak to tie contra
4sdttei1hstanding.r
But re 60 back before the Constituti
was msde-back 10 the colonial days, a
et1irm that at the eginning the Origin
EL;t<d States were not 81 any momt