Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-12-31
The Two Forces Arrayed against the
Constitutions.

It should be deeply engraven on the heart OF
every American that there can be no separa
tion of the States Of this Union, without setting
aside the Federal Constitution The members
of the different Departments which combined
constitute the Government, capuot recognize
any State as out of the Union, without violating
that Constitution which they have sworn to
maintain. tIaa
The Confederates have violated the Constitu.
tlon in seeding from the Union. That instru-
ment being both the bond of Union and the
guarantee Of State rights, their talk about the
obligations Of the former and the sscredness Of
the latter is idle II they really desired to have
the advantages Of both, they should have. re-
mained in the Union.
Butthe course the Radical Republicans propose
to pursue would be no less violation of the Con-
stitution than the act Of secession. 1t is just as
unconstitutional to set aside State Govern.
ment and substitute another, provisional or ter.
ritorial, as II Is to declare the State out of the
Union. 1t would be in fact tantamount to such
declaration. The Radicals, whatever their
professions to the contrary, have as little re-
gard for the Constitution and the Union as the
Confederates Both may be included in the
same category. If the policy Of either prevail,
the Constitution must go by the board, and the
Union as it exists under the Constitution along
with it. The admitted secession of States and
the annihilation or reorganization of States
without their consent amount to the same thing.
Either puts an end to the present Union by null
liiying or making void the Federal Constitu-
tion.
What secret plaus may be harbored by "men
in authority" we know not. But there seems
to b0 an almost unanimous determination on
the part Of the people that there shall never be
recognized separation or division of this
Union. The common-sense Of every man teach
es him that such catastrophe would reduce
everything back to chaos-to a similar or q
worse state than supervened between the close
of the Revolution and the formation of our pre-
sent Union. It would lead to the formation of
two strong central military governments, to the
oblileration OF States and State rights, to the
restriction Of personal liberty and personal
Fights, to the creation of national debts and
standing armies, to the leyyiDg of enormous
ssxes, and to perpetual warfare between the
rival governments.
But the policy which seeks to annihilate
States and States rights, by substituting
Federal for State Jurisdiction, and annul.
ling State institutions which the Constitution
has recognized and guaranteed, would culmi.
nate in disasters equally great, If not greater.
Tho war would cease to be one for the "ciush.
ing ont" Of rebellion, and would become a
struggle for the Conquest and subjugatonp Of
States. Such contest could not but be pro-
sracsed through a long series Of years, and
might not be ended in a generation, Such an
attempt would be 80 mnnifestly in detogation
Of the Constitution that that instrument, If noV
formally changed according to the provisions for
its amendment or alteration, which nall pTob-
ability would beimposiEbIe, would become q
dead letter. Instond Of Constitution, we
should hare The viii Of central government
o. despotIsm at Washington or the Federal