The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1861-03-06

Nor is there ia this view any Rssault upon
the Court or the Judges. 1t Is . duty from
which they may not shrink, TO decide Gases
properly brought before it. II lie 10 fault Of
heirs II Others seek to turn their decisions
TO political purposes.
Onu section Of our country believes slave
| ry 10 right and ought to BIO extended, while
the other believes it is wrong and ought not
to be extended. This 10 tho only substantial
dispute. The fugitive slave clauee in tho
constitution, and that for the suppression Of
the foreign slave trade, arc az we'll enforced,
perhaps, az any law can ever be in com
munity where the moral sense of the people
imperfectly supports the law itself. The
great body OF the people, Ridsd ty The dry
/ legal obligation, ia both cases, and few
break over in each. This. think, cannot be
perfectly cured and it would be worse in
bath eascs after the separation OF the SEQ
tions than before. Tho foreign slave
| trade. nax imPesseetiy suppressed, would
be impcrfectly revived, without restric-
ton in one section, while fugitive slaves
now only partially surrendered would not
DO surrendered at all by the other. Phys
icallv 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
divorced, and 20 out Of the presence and ha--
you'd the reach OF each other but the diff
fcrens parts OF our country cannot do this
they cannot but remain face to face, and 10.
tercoursc, either amicable or hostile must
continue between them. Is it possible, then.
TO make that 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 enforced between aliens, than
laws among friendsp Suppose you 60 TO
war, you cannot fight always, and when, af.
ter muah loss on both sides, and no gain on
either, you cease fighting, the Identical qucs-
tions AZ to terms Of int~rconrs. are again
upon you. This country, with its institu.
tions, belongs 70 the people who inhabit it.
Whenever they grow weary Of tho existing
government they can exercise their constitu-
.ional right in amending, or their revolution.
airy right to dismemder or overthrow il.
ain not ignorant Of the fact that many
worthy aud patriotic citisens are DESTROYS Of
having the National Constitution nmcnded.
While make no recommendation OF amend.
mont, fully recognize the full authority OF
the people over the whole subject, to be ex-
crclsed in either of the modes pres cribed in
the instrument itself, and | should, under ex-
listing circumstances, favor, rather than on.
pose fair opportunity being afforded the
people to act upon il. will venture 90 add
that, to me, the convention SCENE preferable
in that il leaves amendments TO originate
with the people themselves, instead Of only
permitting them 10 take or reject PROPOSE
tons originated by others, not especially
chosen for the purpose, and which might not
precisely suit, MS they would wish others to
DO presented, TO ACCEPT or refuse.
| understand proposed amendment to the
Constitutions hlch amendment, however,
have not seen--has passed Congress, to the
effect that tho Federal Government shall new
er interfere with the domestic institutions Of
States, including that Of persons held to ser
vice. To avoid misconstruction Of what
have said, | depart from my purpose, not to
speak OF particular amendments, so far 81 to
say that holding such provisions, now i'm.
piled Constitutional law. | have no objections
to it's being made express and revocable. -
Ths Chief Magistrate derives all his author-
ty from the people, and they have conferred
none upon him to fix the terms for the scpa-
ration OF the States; the people themselves
alone can do this If they choose, but the Ex-
ecuslve, as, such, has nothing to do with IL
his duty il to administer the present Gov ern-
ment as il comes to bis hands and transmit
il, unimpaired by him, to his successor.
Why could there not be a patient conf
dence in the ultimate justice Of the penple
Is tbofe any better or equal hore in the
word for our present differences? Il either
party without faith of being ia the rixht?-
Ii the Almighty Ruler Of nations with e,cr-
nal truth and Justice he on your side of the
North, or on yours OF the South, that truth
and justice will surely prevail. By the
Judgment OF this great tribunal, the great
American people, BIZ the frame OF the Gov
eminent nnder which We live, this asms peo-
pie have wisely given their public servants
but little power for mischief, and have with
equal wisdom provided for the return OF
that little to their own hands 1t verv short
intervals.
While the people retain their virtue and
| vigilance, no administration, BY any ex-
tremc wlckodness or folly, can seriously in
Jure tho Government in the short space of
four years. My countrymen. think calmly
and well upon this whole subject. Nothing
valuable can be lost by taking time. II there
be an object to hurry any OF you in hot haste
to step which you woul1 never take delib-
erately, that object will be frustrated BY
taxing time; but DO good object will be frus
trated by II. Such Of you us are now dis
satisfied still have the old Constitution un-
impa'fed--anj, on the sensitive point, the
laws OF your own framing under il. The
new administration will have no immedia te
power, i II would, to change either.
IL IT were admitted that you who are dis
satisfied, hold the right aide or the dispute,
there still - % single reason for preopisats
action. Intelligence, patriotism, Christian
ity, and firm reliance on Him who has new.
or yet forsakeD this favored land, ore still
compesent TO adjust, in the best way, oil our
present difficulties. In your hands, my dis
satisned fellow countrymen, and not 10 mine,
10 the momentous issue Of civil war. The
government will not assail you. You can
have no conilini Without being yourselves tho
aggressors.. You have no oath registered in
Heaven to destroy the governments, while
nave the most solemn one to preserve, pro-
l tAct. and defend n / apa LII - alos> -