Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-03-13
NEW SERlES-VOL. mo 81.

pose a now Union as to produce harmony only
and prevent renewed secession Plainly, the
central idea Of secession is the essence Of an
archy. majority held In restraint by Con-
stitutonal checks and limitations and always
changing easily with the deliberate changes of
popular opinions and sentiments is the only
true sovereign of free people. Whoever re-.
iccts it, does Of necessity fly to anarchy or to
despotsm. Unanimity is impossible, The
rule OF a minority as permanent arrange
meut, is wholly inadmissable, SO that rejectng
the majority principle, anarchy and deSpoliSm
iu'somo form is all that is left.
do not forget the position assumed by
some that constitutional questions are to be
decided by the Supreme Court, nor DO deny
that such decisions must bc binding in any
case upon the parties to suit as to the OBJ.
icct Of that suit, while they are also entitled
TO very high respect and consideration in all
parallel cases by all other Departments Of the
Government. And, while it is obviously pos
sblc that such decision may be erroneous in
any given case, still the effect following il be-
ing limited to that particular case, with the
chance that it may be oyerruled and never be-
como precedent for other cases can be bet
ter borne than could the evils Of a different
practice. At the same time the candid citi-
zen must confess, that if the policy of the
Government upou the vital questions, effect
ing the whole people, is to be rrevocably fix.
cd by the decisions Of the Supreme Court, the
instant they arc made ia ordinary litigation
between parties in personal actions the pGo-
pIc will have ceased to be their own ru ers.
having to that extent practically resigned
their government into the hands Of that emi-
ncnt tribunal. Nor is there in this view any
assault upon the Court or the Judges. IT is
duty from which they may not shrink to dc.
eide cases properly brought before them, and
J II is no fault Of theirs if others seek to turn
! their decisions to political purposes.
One section Of our country believes that sla-
very is right, and ought to be extended. while
the other believes that it is wrong, and ought
not to he extended. This is the only substan.
tial dispute, for the fugitive slave clause OF
the Constitution, and the law for the suppress
/ sion OF the foreign slave trade, are each as well
enforced perhaps as any law ever can be in a
community where the moral sense of the pco.
I pie imperfecly supports the law itself The
great body Of the people abide by the dry
E legal obligation in both cases and few break
over in each. This think cannot be perfect
: ly cured and it would be worse in both cases
/ atterthe separation of the sections than before.
! The foreign slave trade, now impcTfectly sup
/ pressed would be ultimately revived without
restriction in one section; while fugitive
slaves, now only partially surrendered, would
not be surrendered at all by the other.
Physically speaking, we cannot separate, we
cannot remove our respective sections from
each other, nor build an impossible wall be-
! tween them. A husband and wife may be di-
/ vorced and 60 ont Of the presence and beyond
the reach Of each other. Bnt the different
! parts of our country cannot do this. They
| cannot but remain face to face, and an inter
course either amcablc orhoStlc must continue
! between them. Isit possible then to make in
tercoursc moro advantageous or moro salts
| factory after separating than before Can
aliens make treaties easier than friends can
make laws Can treaties be more faithfully
enforced between aliens than law among
| friends Suppose you 60 to war, you cam
not fight always, and when, after much loss on
| both sides and mo gain on either. You cease
| fighting, the identical old questions as to
! terms of intercourse are again upon You.
| This country, with its Institutions, belongs to
the pcOpl, that iuhlhit it. Whenever they
shall grow weary Of the existing government,
they can exercise their Constitutional right OF
amending it, or their revolutionary right Ia
/ dismcmbrr or overthrow it. cannot be ig.
norIut OF the fact that many worthy and pa.
! triOiic citizens are dcsirouS OF having the ma.
tional Constitution amended While ! make
no recommendations Of amendments, fully
recognize the rightful authority Of the people
over the whole subject, to be exercised in
either Of the modes prescribed in the instru.
mcut itself. and / shonld. under existing cir
cnmsanccs favor rather than oppose, a fair
opportunity being afforded the people to act
upon II. will venture to add that to me the
Convention mode seems preferable, inasmuCh
as it allows the amendments to originate with
the people themselves instead only OF permit
ting them 10 take or reject proposition orig
mated by others not especially chosen for the
purpose, and which might not be prec iSely
such as they would Wish to either accept or
refuse.
understand proposed amendment to the
Constitution, which amendment however,
have not seen. has passed Congress. to the ef-
feet that the Federal Government shall never
interfere with the domestic institutions Of the
States including that Of persons held to SER
vice. To avoid a miscOnslruction OF what |
have said, depart from my purpose not TO
speak Of particular amendments so far as to
say, that, holding such provision to be now
Implied as constitutional law, have no obiec.
u5n to its being made express and JrevOcable.
The chief magistrate derives all bis authori.
ty from the people, and they have conferred
none upon him to liy terms for the separation
Of the States. The people themselves can do
this also if they choose but the executive, as
such, has nothing to DO with it. His duty is
? TO administer the present Government as il
came TO his hands and TO transmit II unim.
paired by him to his successor. Why should
there not be a patient confidence in the ulti'
mate Justice Of the people Is there any bet
t ter or equal hope in the world2 In our pres
ont differences, is either party without faith o
being in the right7 If the Almighty Ruler o.
Nations with bis eternal truth and justice be
on our side Of the North, or on yours OF hey
| South, that truth aud that Justice will surelt
, prevail by the judgment of this great tribunal
: the American people. By the frame Of III,
, Government under which we live, this sam,
r people have wisely given their public servants
{ but little power for mischief, and have witt
( equal wisdom provided for the return Of tina
D little to their own hands at very short inter
D walls. While the people retain their VIRTUE
: and vigilance, no Administration, by any ex
T treme of wickedness or folly, can very seri
a ously iniure the Government in the shor
= space Of four years.
o Ny C0untrymen-0ne and all, think calml.