The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-01-02

obligation to obey the Constitution and laws our comma,
country.
If there is right of secession, STILL is said there
right of revolution against unbearabe oppression Grant
this is not the country which deny that but it ought r.
be revolution against and not in favor Of oppression Il must
be justified by such clear and undeniab usurpaton m
will Justify rebellion before the civilized world OF VIVA, .
do the savehodng States complaint In what they been
oppressed? What right has denied hem We bav
had abundance of eloquent speech from them endless gen
era complaint of aggressions upon them and their rights BIZ,
the charge still lacks specification deny the whole indct
men There have been such aggressions No RICH, os
theirs has been denied refused them by Our personal
liberty laws furnish example of such denial They we
protection and safety free citizens Of the STATE
against kdnappers and with defeating reca
ton of actual fugitive slaves under the law of Congress Thai
law entirely wanting usual safeguards aans,
abuse of provisions that there is danger Q: is
being used for the nefaous practices Mich
gan sovereign and independent State and her first and
slightest duty guard the rights and liberties of her people
This she has sought do by the laws question 1t
gether her affair and with all due respect the States
the South does hold herself under obligation to Justify
her conduct in this regard them If they think these laws
unconstitutional then Courts Of the United
open Them have them declared and they may as
sured that neither mob violence any other power viii be
resorted prevent the full Of redress which they
may he entitled AS law abiding people invite Judicial
scrutiny into the Legislation Of the State and ready
abide its results We ask nothing which willing
others The State only seeks to maintain her rights
under constitution and laws Of Congress- Less than
she do
There seems however intention the Southern States
this peaceful method of trial provided by the Con
stution and the laws but told Immediately
repeal these laws or the government VIII he broken up and
the Constitution destroyed cannot advise TO listen
this appeal your fears willing that the State should
be humlatedby compliance with this demand accompanied By
threats OF violence and For myself will until The
Cotton repeal their and unconstitutional laws
which Imprisonment citizens OF the free States visit
ing parts business and guilty of crime and by
which such citizens sold into hopeless slavery will wait
until they To murder and maeat innocent citizens from
the North without the forms Of trial until the freedom
of speech and of the press guaranteed 10 by the Constitu
ton country restored in Southern half of the Ia
and until the reign OF and mob violence
When the madness which rules the hour past and
has r.buked crushed when the Southern States
threatening rebellion shall have returned their loyalty The
national constitution and government and 10 obedience 70 the
laws doubt the State will be willing Do towards
them only all that is just but also all that generous
know very well it said by eminent the free States
repeal these laws, because the South threat
because wish appease their wrath but because
the laws themselves wrong Yet be admitted that
confess the wrong which, the contrary
deny consciousness would have been quicken
ed a very peculiar Whatever may claim about it,
the Personal Liberty laws repealed the Judgment
country will be that done under the snartg Of the
Southern as and that will be correct Instead Of
tending peace in the country its effect
will be exactly the contrary II is that needed
now is patriotic fmness and decision All the present evils
either from greatly aggravated by the weak and
compromising policy OF timid IN the past Treason has
and encouraged by huatng exedicnts until
he maconents of the present. feel the tempozng
the Let have OF compromises
and appeal only for constitutional rights Besides is not
pretended that Personal Liberty laws have
fact had the effect prevent the execution OF the Fugitive
Slave law in n single instance They have stood
book And whenever appeal has been
made enforce that law, it has been uniformly
lone good faith though of Its provisions extremely
listasctul to the people.
1t at personal liberty laws that the
They openly the notion that their repeal Will
satisfy them Their the Constitution Of the United
That does their purposes AMI
hey demand amendment overthrow Its great doe
government by naorties stands IN the OF the
establishment Of the great slave Empire which they have set
themselves with the infamous African slave trade .cf
its pillars and another must be destroyed
Governor Pettus OF Mississippi III his late to the Leg
stature that State up his for secession with
his pregnant question: Can the lives liberty and property u
he people of Mississippi be safely entrusted the keeping
hat majority which must hereafter administer the
Federal Government That Is the real question: and the o
Shall the Government continue fathers made IL
Shall be administered by maorltles shall one be
constructed ruled by mnotes The people have, III
constitutional and legal chosen eminent citizen Of
he of Illinois President Of the United States, and the
South demand that shall repent OF it,
That has been accomplished by wiu majority and
demanded that the great principle OF free govern
rule of the majority We do neither the n
he other satisfied with the Constitution of
nv and will the laws enacted under it, and Dc
nand that the people Of all the other States do the
Safety path alone The Union be preserved
md the be enforced in all parts OF at whatever
The President is bound this by his oath and