The independent. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Kan.) 1860-1874, 1861-03-06

come within, the terms Of this olause
shall Be delivered mp. ,hef oaihs ar.
unanimous. Now.if they .tould make
the effort in good temper could they
not. with nearly the same uuanimity
frame and pass Law BY means of which
to keep good that unanimous oath p
There is some difference Of opinion
whether this clause should be enforced
by National or State authority. bal
surely that difference is not a very ma.
terial one. II the slave is 10 be surren.
dered, It can be Of but little conse-
quence to him or to others BY which
authority it is done. and sbeull any
one in any case be content that his oath
shall be uukept. or merely uusubstan.
tial controversy as to how it shall be
kept! Again. in any law upon this
subject. ought not all the safeguards ol
Liberty known in civilized or human
Jurisprudence 10 be Introduced. so that
a freeman may not in any case be SUR
rendered as slave? and might it not
be ~ell. at the same time. 10 provide
by law for the enforcement Of that
clause in the Constition which guaran-
tees the citizens Of each State shall
be entitled 10 all the privileges and i'm
nunilies Of citizens in the several
States.
ENFORCEMENT OF rnE Laws. -
take the official oath p0tsay With no
messal xs.iossx IND no purpose TO
ccnstrue The Constitution and Laws BY
any hypercri,ical rules: and while do
not caosse now to specify particular
acts Of Congress As proper TO be en-
forced. l do sugges. that it will be
much safer for all in official and private
stations to conform 10. and abide BY.
oil those acts shich stand unrepealed.
than to violate any Of them - trusting
to End security in having them held 10
be unconstitutional. F3fp
II is seventy.two years since the first
inauguration Of President under our
National Constitution. During that
period, fifteen different and greatly dis
tinyuishel citizens have. in succession.
adminis.ered the Executive branch Of
the Government. They have conducted
it through many peiils-gene,slIy with
great success; yet with all this scope
for precedent. l now enter upon the
same Iask Tor brief constitutional term
Of four years. u.drr great aud peculiar
difficulties. Disrupli.,n of the FEEDER.
al Union. heretofore only msnacsd. is
nov 6rmijsbly attempted. Ihold tina.
in contr mpla'ion Of universal law and
Tie Cuus,itu;ion.,hc Union Of the States
as perpetual. Perpctuity ic implied. il
no. expressed. in tue fundamental la~
Of all ns'ional Governments. II il safe
TO ".s~r, that H.. Government proper
had no provision in it. orgaaic Law for
its own termination. Continue 10 ex-
ecu,c all the express, provisions OF ou,
National Constitution. anil Tho Union
will endure forever, it bcin. impossible |
10 destroy iisx:rPt BY some action not |
provided Tor in The instrument itself.
Again: II the United States be not
Government proper. but an sssocia-
ton OF Safes in Tie nature Of a con.
t:act merely. can it. as . contract. be
pc"ceab'y unmade unless by al the par
lies who made ii! One party to a con-
tract may violate il. break it-so TO
speak-but does it no, require all "
lawfully rescind il? Descending from
these general principles. We find the
proposition that in legal contemplation
The Union is perpetual. confirmed by
he history itself.
4a TnE rxIos PEarErUAL.
The Upioh is much older than the
Constitution. 1t was formed in fac, Nv
he articles of association in l77a. LII,
vas matured and continued BY the De.
'Iarsiion Of Independence Of I776: ii
vns further ma,urcd on the faith 10
III the then thirteen States expressly 4
'liyl'ied and engaged that il should be
'erpetuated By the articles of eonl..l~r- Z
to" in 1878. and finally in 1889. ono I
{ the declared objects for ordainiing
I'D establishing a constitution vas u Z
pr" more pcrfec, uios. IL follows I
rom these views. that no State. upou Z
. own mere motion. can lawfully 90 .
ut Of the Union-that resolves and Q
rd'nances to that effect arc legally Z
o'd' and that acts Of violence within q
ny State OF States against the authors q
OF the United States. are insurrec. b