Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1861-07-11


while that name was first adopted for the |
old ones in and by the Colonies, which |
were declared to be free and indepen-
dent States but even then the object
plainly was not to declare their indie
pendence OF one another or of the Union, |
but directly the contrary, as their mutual
action before, ut the time, and afterwards, I
absolutely shows the express pliehtine Of
faith by each and all of the original thirteen
in the articles Of the confederation two wears |
later: That the Union shall be perpetual
ismost conclusive Having never been States
| either in existance or in name outside of the
Union, whence the magical omnipotence Of
State Rights asserting q claim to power to
lawfully destroy the Union itself? Much is
said about the sovereignty of the States,
but the word even, is not in the National
Constitution, nor as is believed in any of the
State Constitutions What is sovereignty
in the political sense of the term2 Would
1t be far wrong to define it? A political
community without political superior.
Tested by this, none of our States, except
Texas, ever was a sovereignty. Even Texas
gave up the character on coming into the
Union, by which act she acknowledged the
Constitution of the United States, and the
laws and treaties of the United States, made
in pursuance Of the Constitution, to be for
her the supreme law of the land. The States
have their status in the Union, and they
have no other legal status if they break from
this. They can only do so against law by
revolution. The Union, and not themselves,
separated, procured their independence and
their liberty by conquest or purchase the
Union gave each of. them whatever indepen-
dence and liberty il had the Union is older
than any Of the States, and, in fact, it crea-
ted them rs States.
Originally some dependent colonies made the Union
and in turn the Union threw o,heir old dependence
them and made them States such they Not o
them had State Constitution independent OF the
Union OF course it Is forgotten thai all the new State.
framed their Constitutions before they entered the Union
Nevertheless dependent upon and preparatory coming
Unon unquesonaby the States have powers snd
rights reserved them in and by the National Constu
ton but among these surely are not included ali concciv
able powers however miscevous destructive, which
known IN the world at the time as the governmen,a
powers-and certainly power destroy the Cove
itself has never beer known governmental but merel,
administrative power. This relative Of nationa
principle Of generality and locality. Whatever concern
the whole should be con6ded the whoe-,o the Gener
should be left exclusively the State This Il all Their
= oi original principle abou! it, Whether the naiona
Constitution, n defining boundaries between the hn
applied the principle with exnct accuracy, is not to b.
questioned We are also bound by that defining whou
question What s now owl eSn, stsd Is the position !a
peaceful It's not conteded that there Is any expires
law for Il and nothing should ever be implied Law
s which leads 10 nruustpr absurd consequences The ma
tion purchased with money the countries OF which sever
OF these States were formed Is just they shall
OIL without leave-wlthOut reIndmgl The nnon pai
very large sums in the aggregae-I believe upwards Of
hundred milTonsto relieve Florida Of the aborgina
without making my rciurn The nation i now in del
money applied for the benefit OF these called seced
ed States IN with the rest l. lust either thu
creditors shall so unpaid, the remaining States pay
While par oi the present national debt contracte
10 pay the old debts OF Texas is that she shall leav
Ami State
secede 50 may another aud when all shall have seccde
none Is lei! pa the debts Is quite jus, creditors
DID we notify them oil this sage view OF when
j. borrowed their money! II we recognize this doc
tle by allowing the seceders go in peace it is di:fcu
to see what we can do il others choose 20 exto
terms upon which they will PROMISE remain. The sc
ccder. insist that Constiton admits secession
They have assumed TO make national constitution
their own which, oinecrssiy they have either dscar
ed retained the right Of secession they stit exis,
in ours. IL they have discarded they thereby admit
principle ought be IN ours ii they ha VIC retain
ed By their own construction Of ours they show that
ever they sha find the easier way Of settling their deb
For eiecng any other selfish unjust object The pm
ciplc itself Is one OF d,ntcsation and upon which
Government can possibly endure. lf all the States
one should assert the power 10 drive that OF h
Union is presumed The whole class Of seceder politician
woud at once deny the power, and denounce the net
prcerly act, Of being cuiied driving ,hei
!, one would be exacy whit he seceier claim 10 d,
unless, ndeed they make the point tint the one b.
because they are majory may not riyfu'y do. Thes
politicians subtle and profound on ,e rights OF minor
r sttion gives, adhich speaks from its preamble in III
,fl words we, the people, II may well be questone
Of !: Of the aSsi
favor oil dlsunon There is much to believe TIT
The U,llo men are IN the majority in many not in ever
oil the called seeded States The contrary he
o not been demoistratcdn ay Of them II is venture
10 airm this even Of Virginia and Tennessee; for The
suit oi al election held IN military camps where the bay
Duets all the side ol the question voted upon ca
scaceybe considered demonstrating popular sent
mcn AT such an election that large cluss who
Tor the Union and against coercion would be eoc
/. ced to vote against the Union
may be affirmed without extravagance, that the fire
IS institutions enjoy, have developed the powers md in
= provrdtne condition ol our whole people, beyond any
: ample IN inc world 0tthis we now have striking an
an impressive illustration. So urge array the Go,
ermeiit has now OH foot before known-wil
Q out soer IN but who had taken his place there OF
own ree choice. But than this there are many reg
mens whose members and another possess full pra
iea knowledge Of all The arts sciences proies
N Whatever else useful ecgtis known in the world
there Is scarcely from which there could not be q
ected President Cabinet Congress, and perhaps
l. court abundaniy competent TO administer the Cover
en itself NordoI say thsis in the army Of o,
late friends adversaries in this contest Bui II Il
70 much the better reason why the Government whic
has conferred such benefits on both then and u.s. shou
not be broken up. Whoever in any section proposes
abandon such government would do well 70 eonsid'
ter he is likely TO get in its steadwhrther the substitu
Will give OF be intended to give much Of good 10 tl
ts people, There foreshadowiugs OIL this subec
Our adversares have adopted declarations Of ind
y pendence in which, unlike tho good old pened
while they have adopted temporary national Const,
ton In the preamble OF which, unlike our good old on
signed by Washington, they omit I'VE the peoplen au
substitute I'VE, the deputies Of the sovereign and ndeRei
~ dent States" Why this pressing out Of view the rights
men and the authority Of the people This 10 essential
peoples the side OF the world that the for
and substance Of Government whose leading object Is
elevate the condition omen m artificial weights froI
our shoulders TO ceave To the paths Of laudable pursuit
J. ALL 10 afford all unieered and fair chance
the race oil life, yielding 10 the partial and temporary de-
potisn from necessity This Ia the leading object Of tn
II Government tor whose success we contend. am mo-
happy to believe that the plain people understand and
precate this. Is worthy ofnoe that while In this III
Governments hour o trial large numbers Of those in h
army and navy who have been favored with tho office
pered them, soldier or common sailor
known TO have deserted his flag Great honor Ia
those officers who remained true, despite the example
their reach~rous associates but the greatest honor
most important fact OF ALL IL the nnanlniiy md Rrmnes
OF the soldiers and sailors TO the Ia,
man. FAR KNOWN they successfully resisted the ira
tor0us efforts OF those whose commands but hour beor
they obeyed absolute law This the pa,riotc nsne
OF plain people, They understood without an nrgure,
that the destroying ofthe Government which was made
Washington means no good TO them Our popular Gov
l. ernment has often been called experiment Tw
,f points IN our people have already scted-he
n establishing and the successful administration Of III
q Onr sl reruns-its successful maintenance against
formidable internal attempt to overhrown Ills 70
them 70 demonstrate TO the world that those who fair
carry m election can also suppress rebellou thai bal
lots the rghu and peaceful OF bullets
that when ballots have fairly and costuiiohaly de
cded there be successful appeal back bullets
thut there IN hal