The Mountaineer. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1859-1861, 1861-03-16

both III official and private stations, Y
confofm 10 and abide by Ill these act
which stand unrepealed, than 10 violate
any 81 them Trusting 10 Gnd security j
having them held To- lie unconstitutional
III Is seyenty-two ycars since The fra
inauguration 6l President under our na
.tinnal Constitution During that period
fifteen different, and greatly distinguished
citizeIs, have in succession administered
the Executive Department. This branch
81 the government they have eonducted
through many peFils, generally with greal
success, yet with all this escape for pre-
cedrnee, now cntrF upon the same task,
fSr The Constitutional term Of fOnr years
.undcr great and peculiar difficulty Dis
runtion Of the federal Union, heretofore
only mcnaced. il now formidahly attenpt.
ed. Ihold, then, III contemplation Of uni
ycrsal law and the Constitution that The
union Of the States is perpetual. K;
Perpetuity is implies, IL not expressed
in the fundamental law 6f all national 20
vernmcnts. II Is safe to assert that tbs
Government proper had d provision ii ii;
organic law orlits own pcrpetuity. Con
tinne to execute all the express provisions
of orr national Constitution. antifile Union
viii endure forever. IL being imppssibi,
TO destroy Il. except hy some action moi
provided for IN the Instrument itself.
Again, if the United States be not /
government proper, but au association d
gfufne = fI,sf ~ 10 f *
III can il, as d contract, be peaceabIy un
made unless By all the parties who made
IL? One party to the Contract may VIC
late IL; break Il 50 to speak; but does il
not require Ill 10 lawfully reseind itl Dc
cendibg fIom these general principles, We
.fnd tie proposition, that In legal con.
temptation the Un;cn IS perpetual. con.
firmed BY history itself. Il. The Union il
much older than the Constitution. Ii
was formed, in fact, BY the articles Of
association in IIT4. Ii was matured
and continued BY the Declaration Of In
dependence, in I5T6. IL was further
matured on the faith or Ill the then tHir-
teen States, expressly plighted, and en-,
gagged that il should be perpetual. by
the article 81 Confederation, in 776. and
finally in IIS9, one OF the declared OBJ
jects for ordaining and establishing q
Consultation was TO form more perfect
Union BY all or by a part only Of the
States. Possibly the Union Is less than
before the Constitution, having lost the
vital element Of perpctuity. 1T follows
from these views, that no State npon its
own mere motion can lawfully get out of
the Union; that resolves and ordinances
to that effect are legally void. and that
acts Of violence within any State or
States against The authority Of the United
States are insnrrcciionary, or revolution
Try, according TO circumstances. j, there
lore, consider that Id view of the Consti-
tuition aud laws, tic Union ii nnbroken,
md 10 the extent Of my ability, shall
.ake care, as the Constitution itself cx-
aressly enjoihs, that the laws Of the
Uuiou be faithfully executed, in all The.
States. Doing this, dcem ii to lie only
simple duty on. my part, ard I shah
perform il, so far as practicable. unless
ny rightfuI master, The American people,
llIall withhold the requisite means. or IN
sctnc authoritative manner difctt thscoii.
trary. ,...s :> B. . III. "a s*< .. f : III.
/ trust that this viii not DO regarded
IS menace, but only; rs Tie declared
lurpeses0f Union; that it will bear HE
construction only 10 defend and maintain
itself In doing this there need 10 no
lloodshca or violence, aud there shall be
ionc, unless il be forced upon tie nation.
i authority. The power eopfded to me
viii be used TO hold, occupy and possess
he property and places lelougihg 10 tho
government. and to collect duties ON i'm.
,orts; but beyond what may be necessary
or these objects. there will lie no using
u force against or among people any
where. Where hostility to Tie United
states, IN any interior location, shall sbe
9 great and so universal, as to prevent
resident citizens from holding
federal Offices, there will be no attemntI
o force obnoxious strangers among the
'eople that object, While tile strict ie.I
al right may exist in the government 10 /
nforce the exercise Of thesa Offices, the
ttempt TO do so would be SO Irritating,
nd SO nearly impractieable withal, that
deem il better to forego for a time. Tile
se OF such Offices. The nails, unless re-
'eiled, will contiune to be furnished IN all
otntS Of the Union, so far aS possible,
The people everywhere Shall have that
ense of perfect security which is most
lEorabie to calm thoughts aud reflection, |
The course here Indicated viii be followed:
Mess current events and experience shall !
how a modification or change to be |
roper, and in every case: and exieeacy
" best discretion will be exercised &C.
ording to circumstances actually exist
lg, and with . view and hope Of a peace. |
ii solution Of the national troubles. and
be restoration Of the iraternal sympa-
HES and affections That there are per.
Dns IN one section or another. who seek |
destroy the Union at oil events. and
re glad OF any pretext 10 sd0 il. i will |
either affirm or deny; but if there be
ncli, l need address no words. To those.
oweyer, who rely on the Union, may / |
peak before entering upon so grave |
latter as the destruetion Of our national
l6ric, with all its benefits and its homes
Would il not be well to ascertain pre. |
iously why we do and will hazard so
esperate aStep while there is any possi. !
ility that any portion of Ills you fiy from |
ave no real existence. Will You, while |
nc certain Ills you fly to, are greater I
ban oil the real ones you fly from, risk /
he commission of so fearful a mistake9 |