The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1861-01-26
Cseroion Of . state.

We hear much said Of late upon the cossciop
Of State, az unjust and uncons itutional :. The.
last lseceders consider It their parameanS duty
to protest against it as the last of their Congress
sional duties. There Il none Of the former de-
6ant tone, none Of the confidence in their own
strength and the weakness Of the government,
but a fear lest that governmen Mt should put forth
er cou-ted conflict The bold acknowledge
ment Of Mr.. Iverson in the Senate that secession
vas nothing less than revolution, demanding the
resistance Of the Government, and only to be
mon tone of the ultra-Southern Representatives
But of late, when their threats have come to
be disregarded, this belligerent tone subsidies
into harmless supplcation to be allowed to ode
part in peace" And beginning to realize the
strength Of the Union and its resistless power,
their apologists are seeking to prevent any con-
dict by loud advocacy of the principle "that
the Federal Government has no right to coerce
State"
If by this it is meant that Congress cannot
COuptl ODcUlcuCc W tue laws lCOu U ASssAeo W
force, the proposition is true, for it is not rccog
nized that State, as State, can oppose the
laws. If the people of Des Moines County
| should determine to secede from Iowa, and place
impediments in the way Of the laws, the Gov
ernor and the General Assembly would call out
whatever force was necessary to put down such
a rebellion, but not as coercion of Des xoines
County, it would not be regarded As the
act of the County,-but as directed against per
sons resident in Des Moiues County, as the re
bellion of such persons.
Precisely the same is the position of South
| Carolina 1t cannot DO admitted that she, part
# the Union, can rebel against the Union.-
Such contingency was never contemplated by
the fathers, and no provisions were formed to
| meet it. A perpetual nation was formed with
| ample powers to protect itself and punish its
citizens for treason against it. The States could
! not commit such treason. Every act OF their
Legislatures con:ravening any provision Of the
Constitution is simply void, and nothing but
waste paper. The South Carolina ordinance of
! secession for example, as State act, cannot be
punished or noticed by Congress, for it is null
and void. But if any person or persons attempt
to act in accordance with one of these void
acts then that individual becomes trespasser
| against the Government, and will be punished
ccording to the grade Of his offence, the void
| state act being no excuse to him. And If such
individuals include the entire population of Il
State, the principle is not changed:-it is not a
State acting against the Government, but only a
| combination of individuals.
This is the view taken by those opposed to
coercion and we think is the right position, for
those believing the Union to be nation, rather
than temporary league Under it South Car
DINA may resolve and re-resoye till doomsday,
and still remain unchanged in her position, but
the moment one or more of her citizens attempts
an overt act of treason under one of her re-
solves, then there is the occasion for coercion
and force against such citizen.