Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1861-08-10

uHNo1 tudh 'h'" Oio NohstibuOluH hHOulu
be repeatedly and fagfantly violated, and
public liberty and private right tramplcd
under foot AS for Harpor's Ferry and
the Norfolk navy-'yard, they rather needed
protection against the Administration, by
whose orders, millions of property were
wantonly destroyed, which was not in the
slightest danger from any quarter, at the
date Of the proclamation.
But, sir, Congress was not assembled
at onco, as Congress should have b cen,
and the great question Of civil war submit
ted TO their deliberations. The reprcsen-
tatives of the States and of the people,
were not allowed the slightest voico in this,
the most momentuous question ever pre-
sented to any Government. The cntiro
responsibility of the whole work was bold.
ly assumed by the Executive, and all the
powers required for the purposes in hand
wero boldly usurpod from either the States
or the people, or from the legislat de-
partment while the voice of the judiciary,
the las. refuge of liberty, was turned away
from with contempt.
Sir, the right of blockade-and begin
with it's a beligcrent right, incident to
state of war, and it cannot be exercised
until war has been declared or recognized;
and Congress alone can declare or recog-
nize war. But Congress had not declared
or recognized war. On the contrary, they
had but little whilo before expressly re-
fused to declare it, or to arm the Presi>
dent with the power to mako it. And
thus the President, is declaring blockade
Of certain ports in the States of the South +,
and in applying it to the rules governing
blockades as between independent powers,
violated the Constitution.
But, if on the other hand, he meant to
deal these States as still in the Union, and
subject to Federal authority, then he usur-
ped power which belonged to Congress
alone-the power to abolish and close up
ports OF entry; power, too, which Con.
gres had also but few weeks before re.
fused to exercise. And yet, without the
repeal or abolition Of ports Of entry, any
attempt by either Congress or the Presi-
dent to blockade these ports is violation of
the spirit, if not of the letter, of that clause
Of the Constitution which declares that
"no preference shall be given by any reg
ulation OF commerce or revenue to the
ports of one State over those of another"
Sir, upon this point do not speak with
out the highest authority. In the very
midst of the South Carolina notification
controversy, it was suggested that in the
recess of Congress, and without law to
govern him, the President Andrew Jack.
son, meant to send down feet to Charles.
ton and blockade the port. But the bare
suggestion called forth the indignant pro.
test of Daniel Webster, himself the arch
enemy of notification, and whose brightest
laarels were won in three years conflict in
the Senate Chamber with its ablcst cham.
pions. In an address, in October, 1882
at Worcester, Massachusetts,, to national
Republican convention-it was before the
birth, or christening at least, of the Wing
party-thc great cxpounder Of the Con-
stitution said =
''We are told, sir, that the President
will Immediately employ the military
force, and at once blockade Charleston A
military remedy, a remedy by direct be-
ligerent operation, has thus been suggested +,
and nothing else has been suggested, as
the intended means ofpreserving the Union.
Sir, there is no little reason to think that
this suggestion is true. We cannot be al
together unmindful of the past, and there
fore we cannot be altogether unapprehen
sive for the future. For one, sir, / raise
my voice beforehand, against the unautho-
rised employment of military power, and
against supcrseding the authority of the
laws, by an armed force, under pretense
of putting down notification. THE PREsI-
DENT HAS NO Authority TO BLOCKADE
CHARLESTON"
Jackson jackson, sir the great Jack
son did not dare to do it without autho.
rity of Congress but our Jackson of to,
day, the little jackson at the other end of
the avenue, and the mimic jackson around
him, do blockade, not only Charleston har-
Dor, but the whole southern coast, three
thousand miles in extent, by a single
stroke of the pen.
@The President has no authority to en-
ploy military force till he shall be duly
required'-
Mark the word:
REQUIRED so to do by law and the civil
authorities His duty is to cause the laws
to be executed. Ills duty is to support
THE CIVIL AUTHORITY =