Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1861-01-17

fulcum planted in the middle. an
Webster and Calhoun the balancin
weights of the Northern and til
| Southern States. But the device
broken and with it Hope bids farswe
to Reason. Then if reason fail,
| where shall We seek remedy
/ Shall we resort to immediate seces
siou. answer DO. We were bor
into allegiance to our government
We owe it our lives and our fortune
rs long as it is willing and able e
protect US. The duties of aliAgi
aDce and protection are reciproca
between the citizeas and the gov.
ornment. When the government
refuses or is unable TO protect the
citizen he is absOlved from his duty
Of allegiance.
Then let US send out the rai!ying
cry and close around our govern
meuf, lay our grievances before it. in
woke It's justice anc its power to
stand befcro US, and join issue with
the licentious aggression that would
crush our rights and with them
the constitution of our country
Let all of lis South, and all the
friends our constitution North unite
in zone idea" aud as the question
now rests on the shoulders OF power,
let Us first fgh, tie aegrr ssors
through the force and power of the
The government may
take alarm at its own danger, and
4nccur ed by or united, earnest
md faithful demonstration, it may
stir up its slumbering sIgor, steady
Is tottering frame and trembling
limbs, and march out in a raEoply
anaI 10 the robust occasion. Ii
nay b. that our government has too
cng been playing st dalliance with
he danger, and with its confiding
md good natured idiosynerasies, too
osg slum5ered in D'.lilah's lap.
The enemy has been ipsidicus iD Its
.pproach: as Mr.. Seward says, that
hings, which could hardly be wbis-
,ered in the ear twenty-five years
go, are now proclaimed boldly inl
be Senate--clearly showing that The
,nemy threaded the out-wslks of con-
titutional liberty with moccasin
tep, but, as it approaches the citadel,
t marches with the tread of the
arthquake. The government must
low fgh, the battle at its own for
ress gate. 1t must be armed with
avs aad remedies 80 the extent OF
is military and naval powers. Con
,ressional Resolutions about rights
nd duties will be but straws and cob
webs 10 such a contest. Congress
low may plainly see its delinqnencles
o the past. They received abolition
petitions with one hand TO pl9ase the
North, bGI lai them on the table with
he other bard. 10 arpease The South.
After solemnll Resolring them u nun
lred iimas as dangerous TO the public
tranquility, assaiIing constitutional
rights. aud threatening 70 the integrity
If the Uuian, why did they not fass
aw 10 expel aud punish the member,
= ho Incurred the guilt Of Introducing
such petitions? They knew well
hat the constitutional rights OF Pc
Iition belonged to the aggrieved,
and not to the aggressor; yet they
permitted the abuse Of one coostitu-
tional right, and made themselves the
Of Aggr. ssion upon another
constitutions right. Why not pun.
ish the man.o the SINE principle, who
signs an abolition patition to te seat
10 Congress 10 assail constitutional
right? Why not punish, by Federal
law. every MN who becomes mem.
her OF an Abolition OF Emigr mt Az
Society. which have for ihelf oo-
=
!. ct The overthrow Of a constitution
Il rich.? Why ret break up these
nests of cocatrica's eggs which are
haleling and trsining up such mis-
creants as John Brown. Monigom'
.rv and the thousand others who are
plo,liuc serviia insurreetions, burn
Ing our houses, pluudering our bor.
ders numbering our citizens and
poisoning ocr wellt2 Ho, they claim
ihe righ, Of petition! and the right oil
association under their State char
ters!! H., Congress WAS afraid oil the
Ghost of the oldSeaIion acl, and SUI.
lsred itself to be hqrned around ano
over the constitution, and fought the
thing with a boxing glove, instead
of the batslesx of the law.
The Southern States, 10 sell oe
fence, haye gone to tho ex.eui Of she'