Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-03-06


find impunity in having them held to be un-
constitutional.
1t Is scarcely seyenty-two years since the
first Inauguration of a President under our Ma
tional Constitution. During that period fifteen
different and greatly distinguished citizens
have in succession administered the executive
branch of the Government. They have con-
Quoted it through many perils, and generally
with great success. Yet with all this scope for
precedent, now enter upon the same task for
the brief constitutional term of four years, un-
der great and peculiar difficulty. A disruption
| OF the Federal Union, heretofore only men
aced, is now formidably attempted. I hold
| that in contemplation of universal law and OF
| the Constitution, the union of these States Is
| perpetual. Perpetuity is implied, if not eX-
| pressed, in the fundamental laws of all nation
! al governments. 1t is safe to assert that the
Government proper never had provision IN
| its organic law for its own termination.
shall continue to execute all the express pro-
| visions of our National Constitution, and the
| Union will endure forever, it being impossible
| to destroy it except 10y some action not provi-
| ded for in the instrument itself. Again, II Inc
| United States be not government proper, but
| an association of States in the nature of con-
| tract merely, can it as contract be peaceaniy
/ unmade by less than all the parties who made
it One party to the contract may violate 1t,
or break it, to speak, but does it not require
| all to lawfully rescind it2
Descending from these general principles,
we find the proposition that in legal contem-
| plation of the case, Union is perpetual, con-
| frmed by the history of the Union itself. The
| Union is much older than the Constitution.
| 1t was formed in part by the articles of asso-
| citation in IVA. 1t was matured and continued.
| by the Declaration Of Independence in l176.
! 1t was further matured, and the faith of all the
then thirteen States expressly plighted and en-
gagged that it should be perpetual by the arti-
| LII. 81 I Hnn IN
| 1889. One of the declared objects for ordain-
| ing and establishing the Constitution, was to
| form more perfect Union but il the deStruc-
| ton of the Union by one or by part only OF
| the States be lawfully possible, the Union is
| less than before the Constitution; having lost
| the vital element of perpetuty, it follows from
| these views that no State upon its own mere
| motion can lawfully get out of the Union; that
resolves or ordinances to that effect are legal
| ly void, and that acts of violence within any
State or States against the authority of the
United States, are insurrectionary or revolu-
tionary, according to circumstances. -
l therefore consider that in view of the Con-
st tuition and laws The Union is nnbroken, and
to the extent of my ability shall take care, as
The Constitution expressly enjoins on me, that
the laws OF the Union be faithfully executed
in all the States. Doing that | deem to be
only simple duty on my part, and shall
perform it SO far as practicable, unless my
withhold the requisite means, or in some au-
thoritative manner direct the contrary. l
trust this will not be regarded as a menace
but only as the declared purpose OF the Union,
that will constitutionally defend and main
tain it. In doing this there need be no blood
shed or violence, and there shall be none un.
less it be forced upon the National authority.
The power cOnfded to me will be used to hold,
occupy, and possess the property and places
belonging to the government. and to collect
the duties on imports, but beyond what may
be necessary for these objects there will be no
nvasion,' no using of force against or among
the people anywhere. Where hostility to the
Unte1 States in any interior locality shall be
so great and so universal as to prevent compe-
tent resident citizens from holding Federal Of
hceS, there shall be no attempt to force obnox-
ious strangers among the people for that OBJ
Ject, while the strict legal right may exist in
the government to enforce the exercise of
these officers, the attempt to do would be !
SO irritating, and so nearly unfeasible with
all, that l deem it better to forego for time |
the uses of such officers.
The mails, unless repealed, will continue 10 |
be furnished in all parts of the Union so far as
possible. The people everywhere shall have |!
that sense of perfect security which the most |
favorable and calm thought and reflection on |
the part of the Government can give them. |
The course here indicated will be followed, |
unless current events and experience shall |
show modification or change to be proper, |
and in every case and exgency my best dis |
cretion shall be exercised according to cir |
cumstances actually existing, and with view |
and hope of peaceful! solution of the nation |
al troubles and the restoration OF traternal
sympathies and affections. That there are |
persons in one section or another who seek to
destroy the Union at all events, and are glad |
OF any pretext to do it, will neither affirm |
nor deny but if there be such, I need address ,
no word to them.
To those, however, who really love the T.
nion may not speak, before entering upon
so grave matter as the destruction of our
national fabric with all its benefits, its MEM
cries and its hopes Would it not be wise
to ascertain previously, why we do so? VIII |
you hazard so desperate a step while there is
any possibility that any portion of the ills you
fly from, have no real existence7 While the
certain ills you fly to are greater than all the
real ones you fly from, will you risk the COM
mission of so fearful mistake All profess
to be content in the Union, if all Constitu-
tional rights can be maintained. Is it true
then that any right plainly written in the Con-
stitutiOn has been denied | think not.
Happily the human mind is so constituted that
no party can reach to the audacity of doing
this. Think if you can of a single instance
in which plainly written provision of the
Constitution has ever been denied. If by the
mere force Of numbers, majority should de-
prIve minority of any clearly written Consti-
tutional right, it might in a moral point of
view, justify revolution. 1t certainly would,
if such right were vital one. But such is
not our case All the vital rights of minor-
ties and of individuals are so plainly secured
to them by affirmations and negations, guar
antees and prohibitions in the Constitution,
that controversies never arise concerning
them.
But no organic law can be framed with a