Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-01-07


this whole continent the abode Of freedom But he oe
mand that acquisitions Of free territory oud be con-
signed to slavery; that California should be rejected
from the Union because she came with Tree republican
In her hand, unveiled the deception practised
the pledge, given by leading advocates OF the annexa
tion Of Texas that II would open the way for thewh
dwai Of slavery from the temperate zone on Its march
mnge with the free blacks In the tropics OF Central
Amerca. The compromise Of 1850, providing for the
admission OF four additional slave States from Texas,
consecrated that portion aided from the New Mexican
conquest east Of the Rio orande and north OF the Mis-
souri, Compromise line to ireedom-although claimed by
Texas-and left all the resto the territory acquired to
the construction OF the Mexican mw which had abolished
slavery time existing there This was the second
hard pasfcation BY which Mr.. Clay hoped to Joy
forever the spectre Of dsunon founding on the prin
cpie OF the Ordinance Of l7e7 which had resigned to
slavery all the territory which properly apperained TO
the domain Of the slave States resevng tha belonging
TO the United Btates for settlement by Teemen exclusive
ly. The leading parties In their presidential piatiorms
in which they submitted their claims for the sanction Of
thepopular vote at the immediately ensuing elecnon
the Missouri Compromise. But both these compacts be-
tween the States the settlement OF the great sectional
issues were nulfed BY the Nebraska bill TINS
brought the civil In Kansas waged to defeat the
right OF the people to exclude slavery from the sanction
Of their constitutions and this falling, the State itself has
been excluded from admission into the Union. In viola
ton of the uniform practice Of the government from Its
establishment The repeal Of the Missouri Compromise
did not satisfy the Slave propagandists Il did not re,
the ban against slavery In the territory acquired
from Mexico, and which attach to other territories
thereafter acquired To secure the right OF taking and
holding their slaves In the territories and to forty
against Congressional interference, the Supreme Court
was invoked to establish part of the Constitution,
that the local. domestic, State Institution OF slavery was
property which man could carry with him and hold
rs properly wherever he could go himself and therefore
would be violation Of the Constitution to exclude the
Institution from any territory OF the United States As
the Constitution Of the United States Is equally supreme
10 the maintenance OF rights placed under its protection,
whether they contravened by the constitutions and
laws Of States Territories the Dred Scott decision as
Interpreted by the South opens the whole country to the
expansion OF slavery.
1t Is not the election OF President under the require
ments Of the Constitution which has given rise to the
movement in the South 1t not his opinion about the
extension OF slavery for that Is the same that was held
by the trainers of the Constitution Nor 10 Il about the
fugitive slave law the Judicial dec sion In the Dred Scott
case, other political issues. Nor st personal repug.
nance All parties agree that he Is honest capable and
faithful and clear In his reputation that the viTulence
OF party exerted In struggle for the highest place
and tho greatest patronage could not be tempted to as
sail 1t. The outbreak which has folio wed is not the e
feot in election disappointed parties The result
anticipated by ALL and the occasion 10 only seized up
signal for the explosion OF plot long IN aturing
in secret counsels, to accomplish Mr. Cahoun's new
scheme Of government for the slave Statestbe estab
ment Of souhen Confedeacy, which, in the language
recently pronounced by distinguished souther states
man, W expand as our growth and civilization shall
demand Mexico over the isles Of the sea, over the
faro southern tropics until shall establish great
confederation Of republics the greatest freeestand most
On the occasion Of my Inauguration felt II to be my
duty to my countrymen Of these hostile designs a.
ganst the federal Union But then they were In specua-
ton only Now they are In act Shall they be consumma
ted Shall the national government be degraded into
mere league between Independent States exsting only
by their suferance, subordinate TO them and subject to
destroyed at the pleasure OF any State Of the Coned
acy Or shall it continue to be maintained, II has al
ways been maintained. as q government proper-sove
reign within Its prescribed sphere the States
reign within their prescribed spheres-ounded on the
adoption Of the people the States and creating
direct relations between itself and the Individual citizen,
which stoe authority has power to impair disturb
and which nothing can dissolve but revolution.
Nearly twenty eight years ago, the people Of Ohio,
speaking through the General Assembly, declared what in
their Judgment are the constitutional relations between
the federal and State governments quote but Of
see5 OF resolves Of the General Asse nbly this sub
ject
.That the Federal Union exists In solemn compact
entered into by the voluntary consent Of the people Of
the United States and OF each and every stae and that
therefore, State claim the right to secede FROM
violate that compact and however grevous may be the
supposed real burhens OF State the only legitimate
fsmedy IN the wise and faithful exercise Of the elective
franchise and solemn responsibility Of the public
agents."
This Is the judgment OF Ohio to day.
There never people 50 throughly bound together
as nation the people Of the United Statss. The
founders OF the took possession Of the
try under the authority Of the parent sae acknowedg
ing i sovereignty binding all the colonies together
portion Of the same realm. When they resolved upon
separation, against the consent of the supreme power
they entered upon war 10 establish republican govern
ment embracing the ccnderated colonies take their
places among the nations Of the EARTH as one and an In
dependent people, constituting another nation, Of which
the Articles OF Confederation, establishing II the ba
81, OF perpetual union the evidence to the world
and the covenant among themselves The Constitution
othe United States was the repetition Of this grand
tonal act and being more emphatcally the act Of the
whole people, they declared in the preamble I'VE, the
people, ordain, &C., giving the scope Of the nations
unctons proclaming one Of the main objects to be to
make more perect the union already established as
perpetual" What nation ever presented SO perfect
record OF Its existence as national government and Of
the indssoluble unon' cemented among the municple
commemorative in charge OF the local. internal affairs Of
people, as the Constitution Of the United states Every
new tate is brought into the Union by Of the ma
uonal government, and OF foreign birth can be-
come cizen without swearing allegiance to it, Itao
quires territory, provides 1t with population nurtures
them In infancy, and introduces them as States at mat
rity. II has authority to annul such constitutions and
laws Of the States as conravene the provisions Of
the Federal Consultation. All State Executives, LeRis
laureB and judicial tribunals have accepted II from The
day II was proclaimed as the supreme Law OF the land
The Constitution gives the right OF eminent domain even
ove9 the soil OF the States the seacoas harbors for
national and constitutional purposes through which to
establish post-ofces and routes custom houses, forts
navy YARDS arsenas, everything necessary
the national defence and to the administration Of the
government Can State secede and main the power
and right OF self preservation inherent in the
which peryades the governments, stse and Natona and
acting By Its officers directly on the citizen?
Shall tho artery that gives life to the great valley
the West be at the mercy Of hostile commupties and
subject TO be severed from the gulf stream through which
the interior States reach and embrace their seaboard sis
ter? lthere we're nothing else in the nteposition of
foreign power upon the grand trunk OF the mighty fsod
whose branches bear.he fruit the riches of the con
nentti Is enough to array the country against H. that
would break the symmeiry nature has given for the
full development Of the vast republic reaching from
TO ocean Ill
The right of secession is the right 10 tear limb from
the body, and in the supposed OF the secession Of
States on the lower Mississippi IL the right OF domain
over all Its sources would not attach 10 the seeding
States, at least tericusy conflict with the free
enjoyment ofopposing rights, and eventually lead dis.
scDsoDs not war between the States directly
in the navigation Of that great highway Of the worlds
commerce. 7t r F7I
within its jurisdiction. To dismember It, Is so far TO de-
sroy IT, 1t constitutes Union, and separation Is war
against It, Secession and rnion Incompatible idea
The attempt to assert the right attaching To both as con
ssent with the same Constitution Is absurdty; the
but the negative OF the other and they cannot be
reconciled.
But the disconents which have grown nm between the
States may and ought to be reconeiled. y ft ..H
The fugitive slave law provides for the execution Of
duty imposed by ths Consultation Unfortunately Il
contains clauses insulting to tie just pride and 10 the
conscience Of the section Of the country On which II ia
brought to bear. II difficult TO execute law revolt
ing to the public opinion where 1t Is to operate Yet
this law has been executed by the federal officers not
wihstandg, and under honest administration il may
have full effect. II tie clauses, offensive and deroga.
tory to those who required to execute be repealed
there ls no doubt the personal liberty laws which OBJ
eructs Its proper execution II any such there be- passed
from whatever motive Would be repealed or essentially
modihed. This ought to be done. The obnoxious fea
ares Of the fugitive slave statute were inserted at the in
Us execution, and plotting to defeat II that the bates
Tor whose beneti was passed might be excited 10 Join
In schemes Of breaking the Union, which manifest
~ the object OF those that make the camor about the OBJ
sructlon Of the fugitive save act justify secession
Jhe states really wronged II any, by the legislation Of
the Tree states are loyal TO the Union and do not rye
ther wrongs to overthrow But those who have plotted
thefatal measure create daecticn In the loyal States
BY throwing themselves into the breach to defend their
rights, and calling on them for support.
0ntN aha hxt Inn Nla