The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-09-06

both Houses of Congress and the Federal
judiciary. To preserve power, they fa-
vored every measure calculated to strength.
en- the government. In this spirit they
passed, in 1898, the notorious Alien and
Sedition Laws. The first authorized the
President to depart out of the territory of
the United States,"" I" all such aliens as he
shall judge dangerous to the peace and safe
ty OF the United States"
The Sedition Law inflicted fine not ex-
ceeding two thousand dollars, and imprison-
ment not exceeding two years, upon any
person guilty of writing, printing, uttering
or publishing or aiding in the same, of any
false, scandalous, or malicious writing or
writings, against the government of the
United States, or either House of Con-
gress of the United States, with an in
tent to defame the said government or either
House of the said Congress, or the Presi-
dent, or to bring them or either of them
into contempt or disrepute or to excite
against them, or either or any of them, the
hatred of the sgooG people of the United
| States"
The enactment Of these laws created is-
sues fatal to the Federalist Party. The L.
gislature of Virginia passed the celebrated
resolutions of '98, condemning those acts as
violations of the constitution, of the rights
of citizens, and sovereignty of the States |;
and also declared the doctrine of State inter-
position against the federal authority, in all
cases of deliberate, palpable and danger.
Gus" exercise of powers, not granted by the
constitution.
Massachusetts then being at the head of
the party in power, speaking through her
Legislature, pronounced, in reply to Virgil
mia, the alien and sedition acts not only
constitutional, but expedient and necessa-
p" and also declared that the constitution
dlu not make " the State Legislatures the
judges of the acts or measures OF the general
government"
The passage of these obnoxious laws,
more than any other cause, precipitated the
downfall of the Federalists, secured the tri>
umph of the Republican (democratic) party,
and the election of Jefferson to the Presi-
dency.
In every succeeding contest the FederaIists
lost ground. In all the controversies arising
out of the aggressions committed by Eng.
land on American commerce, they took the
unpopular side, and became obnoxious to
the charge OF British svmpathies.
The great enterprise of New England at
that time was commerce, and yet that Sec
ton, more than any other, was opposed to
the measures resorted to for the protection
of our cmmerce. This is explained by the
fact, that during the great continental war,
New England ships enjoyed great share of
the carrying trade of England, which was
highly lucrative, notwithstanding OCCASION
al aggressons, with impressment of sea-
men. The New England merchants were
willing to pocket the insults with the profits.
For this reason. as we'll as on account of
political hostility to the Democratic party,
then long in power, the New England
States, led on by MASSACHUSETTS, assumed.
an attitude OF direct Hostility to the: War:
Of. 1872; and, in the press, as well as in
public debate: :meuasea "a dissipation ;of the.
Union; which greatly alarmed President
Madison, and forced him to make peace,
without settlement of the question on
which war had been declared.
By this compromise, or rather absolute
concession, the New England States were
reconciled. The immediate cause of dis
content was removed, and the only oppor-
tunity at all favorable to their secession
withdrawn.
The first threat of secession made in Con-
gress was by Josiah Quincy, Massacha..
setts Representative. He disavowed being
himself secessionist, but warned the DEM
ocratic party, that persistent prosecution
of their policy would be likely to cause the
secession of his section. e,..s-,...,Y
subsequently the most distinguished
statesmen OF New England, representing
the legislatures Of Massachusetts,, Connects
icut and Rhode Island. and the mal.contents
Of New Hampshire and Vermont, assem-
bled in convention at Hartford, and for,
thirty days continued in secret session.
This was during the war in 1874. !,
In . very able report they detailed the
grievances of the New England States, to