The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1861-03-07

other. TIA minority, in such n case
will seccde rather than acquiescc, they
make \ precedent which will in turn
ruin and divide them; for y minority
Of their W body viii sccedc from
them whenever . majority refuse to
be controlled BY such \ minority. tos
instance, why nay not any PORTION OF =
new confcderacv. = year or two hence,
arbitrarily secede again precisely rs a
portion Of the present Union now clam
to seccie from il? All who cherish
disunion sentiments are now beng ed
ucated to the exact temper OF dong
this. There is mot suc', perfect iden-
titv Of interest among the States q com-
pose a new Union rs to produce harilo-
ny only and prevent a new secession.
Plainly the central idea OF secession Is
the essence Of anarchy. 4 majority
hid in restraint by constitutional
checks and limitations, and always
changing easily. with deliberate changes
Of popular opinions and sentiments, IS
the only true sovereignty ola free peo-
pie. Whoever rejects [it] does OF ne.
cessity fv 10 anarchy or despotism.
Tnanimity is impossible. The rule of
the minority. as, a permanent arrange
ment, is wholly inadmissible. SO Mat'
rejecting the majority principle, anarchy
or despotism. in some form, is all that
3 left. I do not forget the position
assumed BY some, that constitutional
questions are to be decided by the
Supreme Court, nor do i deny that
such decisions must be binding in any
case 10 the parties to a sui. IA lfoI me
object oftha. suit: whilcthe.y are also
entitled to a very high respect and con
slderation in all parallel cases by all
other departments Of the Governments;
and while it is obviously possible that
such decision may be in any
given case, still the evil effect following
i, being limited 70 Thar particular case.
with the chance thatir may be overruled
and never become 4 precedent for other
cases,can better be horEethan could the
evils of different practice. At the
same time the candid citizen must con-
fess that if the policy Of the govern
mcnt upon a vital question affecting the
whole people is to be irrevocably fixed
by the decisions ofthe Supreme Court,
the instant they are made, las in ordi-
nary litigation between parties i'll per-
sonal actions the people will have ceas-
ed to be their own rulers to the extent,
practically, Of resigning their govern
ment into the hands Of that eminent tri-
bnnal. Nor is there in this view any
assault upon the corrt or the Judges.
It is a duty from which they may not
shrink to decide cases properly brought
before them. Il is no fault Of theirs,
il others seek to turn their decision to
political purposes. One section OF the
country believes slavery is right and
ought to be extended, while the other
believes It is wron. and ought not to
be extended. This is the only substan-
tial dispute. The Fugitive Slave clause
in the Constitution, and the law for the
suppression Of the foreign slave trade.
are as well enforced perhaps as any
law can cver he in a community where
the moral sense Of the people imperfect
~ supports the law itself. The great
body Of the people abide by the dry,
legal obligation in both cases. and a
few break over in each. This. | think.
cannot be perfectly cured. and 1t would
he worse in both eases after the sepa-
ration Of the sections than before.
The foreign slave trade. now imperfect.
" suppressed. would be impcrfectlv re
vived. without restriction in one section,
while fugitive slaves now only partially
surrendered would NOT he surrendered
at all by the other. Physically speaking
we cannot. separate-wc canno remove
our attractive sections from each other,
nor build an impossible wall between
them. "A husband and wife may be
divorced and 90 out Of the presence OF
and beyond the reach Of each other !;
but the different parts Of II country
cannot do this They cannot but re-
main face to face. and intercourse. either
amicable or hostile, must continue be-
tween them. Is it possible then to make
tlat:intercourse more advantageous or
more satisfactory after separation
than before Can aliens make treaties
better than friends can make laws :?
Can treaties be more faithfully cnforc-
Ell between aliens than laws among
friends? Suppose you 90 to war; YOU
cannot fight ALWAYS; and when, after
much loss ON both sides. and no gain
on either, you ceasc fighting, the iden-
teal question as to terms Of intercourse
are again upon you.
This country, with its institutions
belongs to the people who inhabit it.
Whenever they grow weary OF the ex-
listing Government, they can exercise
their constitutional right in amending,
or their revolutionary right to dis'nem-
Der or overthrow it. l cannot be igno-
rant Of the fact that many worthy and
patriotic citizens are DESTROYS of ,aving
the National Constitution amended
While l make no rec ,mmendation Of
amendment, l fully recognize the full
authority Of the people o,e the whole
subject, to be exercised in either of the
modes prescribed in the instrument it.
self, and should, under existing circnm.
stances, favor rather than oppose 4 fair
opportunity being afforded the people