The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-01-17

power Of the Constitution are TO be in, o
. pre'ed and applied. The very phras.
treason, felony, and o'her crime" in u
provision now in question come 20 Us fro
mat source, and without reference to
one At least OF these phrases is utterly pr
'ntell'g'ble. These considerations a,
conclusive ttat the Constitution at larp,
ana especially this clause of it, was draw
WIN direct reference 10 the system Of III
common law. as afforing tie guide to, j,
'xposition and administration.
iat the offences stated in these reoni
sitions are unknown to tho common law
Is TOO manifest to need remark
Although the rule Of the common Ia,
seems to be safe guide in determinip
%'at are crimes within the meaning q
t"e CONSTITUTION, have not been govcrne,
by that alone.
This provision Of the Constitution a
has already been stated, is a rule of inter
national law between the Safes. Uscon
struction may, therefore, be very proner
y determined by international law. Th,
extradl'lon OF criminals has never been ex
tended TO purely local offences. grow,nc
out OF domestic institutions, and the word
."crlmc' would undoubtedly be regarded
N 40 express compact between two
states as RELAXING not merely to grave Of
lenses deemfd wrong by tie general con.
science OF the Christian world, but a,
crimes by the laws and usages Of all civ.
ilizpd nations.
II, then, the crimes referred to in the
Constitution are lot any acts whatever.
VIII ich any S ate may capriciously declare
20 be such, the meaning of the Constitu
tion must be found in what are defined to
De crimes by the common law, Or recoy.
nized as such By the law Of nations. Ii
IS clear that neither the common nor in
'ernallonal law, recognizes tie acts nam.
"a 10 these acquisitions as ''crime," and
cannot admit. nor DO elieve az State
VIII admit that its citizens are subject I,
requisitions for any act which any other
State may declare to be a crime.
Such are the considerations that deter
mined my action 10 regard to the rrouisi.
tlons referred TO. Had | been clothed
with the legal authority. would lave
promptly surrendered the accused p,rles
But the sense of duty. fortified by the
long established practice of this depart
ment, did not permit me to trea. them as
malefactors for The purpose exhqdition
therefore declined to surrender them.
SECESSION.
You assemble at a ptriod Of ex,raordi
nary interest to the country. For eighty
years the people of the several States oil
The Coniederacy have lived in peace with
zach other. Ffalernal ties have bound
hem together, and fraternal offices have
,sen mutual prosperity and happiness
During this period the nations progress
las been uninterrupted. The great Dur.
,oses of its formation have b en- in steady
process OF cOnsummation. The wise pol. |
cy by which, for the most part, it has
'een governed in cherishing our resources
md culIivaling peace with all tie world
las elevated our character abroad, and
onhrmed our prosperity at home. From
people feeble in numbers and resources.
the beginning we have become one Of
he leading powers Of the world. In sg.
lcuture, manufactures, commerce and
"vigation, in all the useful arts, we are
the front rank Of nations, while the in.
uence of our civil institutions, founded ,
n the consent Of the people, and recog. ;
lzing tie equality of all men before Tie ,
Nv, and their naIienable rights to life. !
berty, and The pursuit Of happiness. is .
oderating the despotsm of other gov. :
'nments, and arousing tie oppressed !;
'tonallies of the world to the assertion
their rigI Is. At home the Republic !;
rs given to its citizens an extent Of pros.
'rty and happiness not enjoyed by any :
her people, while'abroad lhe title it con. t
RS of American citizen, is a nohler ere .
initial than was that of Roman citizen :,
hen the Caesars ruled. u
1t is not the election of a Presidcn. y
lder the requirements oil the ConStitu T.
On which has given rise to the move /,
ent in the South. 1t is not his opin- y ;,
n about tile extension OF Slavery, for y
at is the same that was held by the fra. - "
erS of the Constitution. Nor is it his =,
'sitlon about the Fugitive Slave Law, or :;
her political issues Nor is it personal ~ =,
pugnauce. All parties agree that he is r
nest. capable and faithful; and 50 clear T
his reputation that the virulence Of par. i; =
spirit exerled in struggle for the r r
CHEST place and the great, ST patronage d
uld not be tempted to aSsail it. r.
The outbreak which has followed is -,
the effect in an election on dissppoint r. f.,
parties The result was anticipates ~ ~
all, and the OCCASION is only seized ~
on as a single for the explosion of ~ 10
IT, long maturing in secret counsels. 10 4,
,omplish Mr.. Calhoun's new scheme Of n
vcrnment for the Slave Sta'es-the es. a.
'lishment ofa Soulherner Confederacy, IL
ich In the language recently pronoun a.
! by distinguished Southern Statesman 6,
i'll expand as our growth and c;viliza Of ~
II shall demand; over Mexico. over the "
rs OF the sea; over the far off Southern If
pics, until We shall establish a great 0r
federation of republics, the greatest, 90
est and most useful the world has ever n
m" 81
On the occasion of my inauguration. "
it to be my duty to warn my coun. to,
men of TIL se hostile designs agains, Al;
Federal Onion. Bnt then they were of
speculation only. Now they are il act. IF
al they be oonsummated? Shall tue n
tional Government be degraded into IN
re league between Independent States, ri.