The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1861-01-29
A Voice from Springfield.


II has loug been customary with politicians wien.
any individual has attained su om'ncu, position
to consider the journal published In his immediate
locality, and agreeing with him in politics q,
his organ" and to hold him responsible Tor
its utteranccs. Though this has been proved fal.
lacious in many instances, II IL hardly probable,
that the nephew Of the President elect, cditny
paper IN lis own town. would prepare laborcd obi.
totial upon the grave questions now ag.tt'ing tie
country, without consulting his distnsu,slrI ry.t-
tive. It can then hardly he doubted that an cd t,rl
IN the Springfield journal, entitled "Thc II stt rt
Coercion and making War on q state" rtflctls t,e
views OF Mr. LiScoiN.
Commencing with u review VI Mr.. DuriiNSNSN
Aniual Message, aud Attorney General BlNoNS
opinion II says:
Both President aud Attorney General arrived lttlc
unfortunate and Hog cal conclusion that ia tho n.
stncc ofthis power oi "cocrcjng state" ur "uA
wal on state" the evils existing III Sruth Ct.,ur
were without remedy, save 10y cuncpss on and con-.
PROMISE satisfactory u the resisting state. Aud ms,
Subsequent syssiuns oi the SUBJECT the right l., 60.
CrCc state to remain w the Union ~ return tb p,
aCgianCc--thc right tp levy st itc to ru'rrr
the performance Of her duties and h execute the nwS
- seem to have btcn accepted ly all part'e =, tho
real issue.
Now, we do not choose to acccr, either Of these
alternatives. We announce our hearty aud unrr-
SCI we'd acceptance of doctrine that
l. Juuy,sS hIy no Constitutional right y r''r .nH
Or'T sue IfNis IUiUn'
2. Yi Constellation hI, not rrfI'|', Hpr do n, pm.
tjylDUs rfri,t In,'b|, dny rr'd'irn tha tyD
frUUl,w and he 'd',s gC the Union ont of witth q
sfdiI ~ t0IT ran dT1s'.
Tls doctrine is uf course inconsistent with the
theory q! secession tc. els tie presumption anil de
nice the ught. For, Ii 4 ,ttt' my scvcdc aud put
huHnli outside the TN'c ut constitutional duty, shn
nlso guct beyond the reach OF constitution, prutrr-
Uon. The tc broken she becomes u JOTtiyH state
tho Object " coercion and war, If never us
We uHy conquer and acquire" Nor territory, ~ We
did NV NJ rNlco and Cali"n.a, OF trcs, with ncr ~
We q Il with Mex CO.
Tie Con titutgon makes the terms Of IL, own
amendment. When amended according To thrtc
terms - ~ to discharge state, aul restore those
attributes oi sovereignty With which she had parted,
she may thcn "go out oi the Union Nov, II is III q
talk aud waste ptpcr, and \ thousand rdn1uCot aIu
nothing because vu.daard South & rnnl IL n truly
- st,tc uf this Union to day ns Ilnnl Tno duty nl
MIR, GusNS, ~ then Is simply to II '" N" lars Itt
the officers have resigned why not supply their
places with men who will lnf tcsignY aud IL they
resisted ther bring the inSc anl II the posse
no, str, NJ enough or ia thhI enough g. sustain the
officers. then bring the militia, then the army an
hundred thousand strong II need he. This il the "
wNsInNGroS guc'lCd to whiskcy nmrr,c'iun IN
rernsy iytuia- the very way that 4 Csdcn, rIERuF
tnnk ASTmOSY BuRSs ont of Bp,tn. II the
eNiug lnws do not provide nr the cNg,ncics uf the
r cscrt case let q en- bo made stronger what we
mean 10 ray ~, ut the laws n the United States hn
executed, with NJ tile force ru,siblr but with
cnpul to make sure wolk ot II. We are met, how
ever with the objection that ths H. COERCION this ~
Congress passed in pursuance OF the Constitution,
In full force In the state Of South Carolina They
operate without reference IN what the Legislature
Convention Of that state may do, AMI cannot hc
contravcncd int fur,d with ly state laws. All
| the states, South Carolina included, have soemuy
coysuancd that Il shall be 10. Aud each has parted
with the right to say that II shall not bo 80.
| There beng power then in the Log stature OF
South CarnIna to sCcede from the Unipn Is rem Lu,
only for the execution Of the laws " g. right Il
resisted, the resistance must he overcome II the
civil ann cannot do IT, the military must aid. II Or
ganizcd insurTscton follows 1t Il the duty ot tho
President t. " see that the laws he faithfully execu.
| ted" And II ten thousand armed men neccsSu
to execute the laws of Congress within state Il do
not follow that single law of that state need be dis.
turbed In It's operation, or single state right in
frng,d These things involve legal COERCION" not
Of the adh, but Of tho offender who ratsts
And no amount Of force necessary t. bs
used in esfnrCing n law Of Congress con-.
stitutcs "BIkiDJ Tdr on a Stue." The prICeeliny {
has nothing tn do with the state Nor haI the state
any concern with the proceeding. SUPPOSE the INT
ted States offices In South Carolina 10 bo again filed
ard the ncumlcnts protected and aided 10y the PreS.
ident In the performance of their duties. The tr,i.
tors now making war on the United States AMI yiu-
| latirg in various ways the laws, Arrestrd an
put upon trial. They plead in bar III" laws and OF.
dinaucCs Cf south Carolina. Tie court d"Gdcg tina,
the law uf Con yreyi charged to have been violated
Is "thc supreme law Of the land '" aud the state nw
opposing 1t ypd and the offender is without defense
stotc has NJ more right 10 oppose It's legislation
an act 81 Congrcss than courty city has - np
lOsu us resolves ur ordinance, u the aw %, stLtr