The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1861-01-09

or rom his own inclnation-draw the SWORD
on q whole community of our people, scatter
desolation and carnage throughout State which
be her conduct ever SO unjusuhabIe, has at least
some cause OF fcomplaint-must itoccur as If by
the inexprable laws Of ate7 Where, in our
senatorial oath, can such an obligation be dis.
tinguishedY No, sir, we cannot avoid the re
sponsibility Of such calamities, II they should
occur, by charging It upon the Contribution oi
the United States or upon our oath Of Office -
We will be responsible for bloodshed, !or civil
war, for anarchy, If we do not avoid them
We can AVOID them; but our responsibility we
cannot avoid-responsibility to God and our
country, and to all the civilized world.
My colleague thinks it Of no consequence
whether the mails be or be not carried in South
Carolina; the people need not have them, he
says, If they do not wish them. Nor does he
consider it ofany consequence whether the dis.
trict and circuit courts ofthe United States are
open or closed in that State from this time forth
But, sir, the people Of all the States are in err
ested in the carriage Of the mails through
Siuth Carolina, and the receip' and delivery Of
letters within it. And so with regard to the
administration Of justice. It is OF more impor-
tance to the citizens OF other States than to
the citizens Of South Carolina that the courts
ofthe Federal Government should be kept open;
because citizen OF South Carolina cannot be
plaintiff IN those cases except in few cases
We must diclde the whole proposition one
way or another. Shall we employ soldiers to
carry the mail and deliver letters within the
limits of South Carolina? Shall we appoint as
judges The citizens of another State; and shall
we surround them. while sitting upon the bench
with federal bayonets? This will cost money
at least, and great deal Of it We must bur-
den and tax our own constituents, there fore,
to meet an expenditure SO enormous. Why
should we impoversh ourselves in order to en-
force our laws against an unwilling people; and
that, too when we might win them back with
no loss Of money, and only an expenditure Of
kin lness?
My colleagues idea seems to be that, because
an act Of Congress for collecting duties at
Charleston may not be executed for two or
three months, or even for longer time,
it behooves us to employ arms, and en-
gage in war. Granted that South Car
olina will violate the Constitution OF the Uni
ted States; must we, for that reason, and with
out any regard to consequences, draw the sword ?
The Sena or from New Hampshire Mr.. Clark
Seems araId that the "public property" in Fort
Moultre and Fort Sumpter is not safe, and
wishes the President tn inform Us Immediately
how many soldiers are IN garrison at each;
whether they are able to defend themselves
against an attack; what arms and ammunition
they have; and, above all, what orders, secret
or otherwise, have been transmitted to them.
so we'll suggested by the Senator from Missis-
sppi Mr.. Davis in response, npmely: that II
any attack be apprchended, the worst thing we
could do, possibly, would be to inform the as
salants, through the newspapers, of the num-
ber Of each garrison; the commands under
which it must act; what is the armament Of the
fortresses, or their capacity to be defended. -
apprehend no attack at present, unless addi.
tonal troops be ordered th,her; and, ra her
than do that as an act Of mercy to the officers
and soldiers now stationed at Charleston,
would have thom Withdrawn. God forbid that
the glories Of Fort Moultrie, won from the Bri-
tish feet and army in 1776, should ever be
washed away in the blood Of our own soldiers
and citizens! We are magnanrmons enough,
hope, II we must have war with South Caro-.
lima, not to point the guns Of any fortress erec.
ted for the defence Of Charleston harbor against
foreign enemies, into the st reefs Of the city be-
fore which they stand. "
As to this idea that we must vindicate tn,
Constitution of the United States BY force o
arms up, all occasions and without alterna
tive, when we know that civil war will inevi,a
bly, ensue, dene 1t. Why, sir, let us exam
inc the Constitution by that rule. Here, fo
example, is the tenth section Of the first article
"No STATE shall enter into any treaty, alliance o.
confederation" Suppose State should do SO
it would be palpable breach Of duty on he
part, but would any Congress of the United
State declare war against her? "0r grant let
tas Of marqae and reprisal; coin money" Tha
is vital p,wer; it is delegated to Congress n
terms by another clause, and here. as We OBJ
serve. it is expressly forbidden to the States
oelieve that some OF the States have coine,
money, nevertheless, and one of them may at
tempt it, for aught we can do, to morrow. Yol
would not attack>any State government: SO m,
colleague said. What then? viii you sen,
our Army to tear down the mint; and, in cas-
an officer OF the State resists, will you prose
cute him for treason? Emit bills Of csetla.''-
Several States have emitted them; but no pun
ishment was ever proposed MAKE anytain
but gold and siiver coin tender in payment 0
debts; pass any bin Of ata;nde-, er pvt acto ,au
or law impairtng the Obligation Of contracts: b
grant any title Of mobility" Suppose that Soutl
Carolina should grant title Of nobility to som
man i under, TODD the Senator from Tennes
see to be apprehensiye yesterday on that point
will you dispense the legislature by force q
arms, or enact law requiring the man to re
nouncs bis title, orsuffer the penalty Of treason
! You would not, | fancy, do any Of these things
subsequently, in the same section I read:
"No State SHALL without the consent Of Con
gress, lay any dnty OF tonnage; keep troops 0
ships o war in time Of peace; enter into an
agreement or compact with another State o
with a 'oreign power; or engagein war. unles
actually invaded, or in such immnenr DANCE
as will not admit Of delay"
presume there is no doubs that South Car
| AIna nn,n has troons and naIhans shina Z