East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1861-03-07


now imperfectly suppressed, would be
perfectly revived, without restriction, in
one section; while fugitive slaves, now
only partially surrendered, would not be
surrendered) at all by the other.
Physically speaking, we cannot separ-
ate. We cannot remove our respective
sections Fl ON each other, nor build mn
impossible wall between them. A hus-
band and wife may be divorced and go
out Of the presence and beyond the reach
of each other; but the different parts OF
our country cannot do this. They can.
not but remain face to face, and inter-
course, either anicable or hostile, must
continue between them. Is it possible,
then, to make that intercourse more ad
vantegeous or more satisfactory after sep
aration than before? Can aliens make
treaties better than friends can make
laws? Can treaties be more faithfully en-
forced between aliens than laws can
among friends? Suppose you go to war
you cannot fight always, and when, alter
much loss on both sides and no gain on
either, you cease fighting, the identical
question as to terms OF intercourse ere
again upon you.
This country with its institutions, be-
longs to the people who inhsblt It,
Whenever they shall grow weary OF the
existing government, they can exercice
their constitutional right to amend 1t or
their revolutionary right to dlsmember
and overthrow it.
cannot be ignorant of the fact that
many worthy patriotic citizens are desl-
rous OF having the national constitution
amended While make no recommend
alton of amendment, l fully recognize the
full authority of the people over the
whole subject, to be exercised in either OF
the modes prescribed in the instrument
itself, and / should, under existing cir
cumstanccs, favor rather than oppose a
fair opportunity being afforded to act up
on it. will venture TO add that to me
the convention mode seems preferable, IN
that it deems amendments to originate
with the people themselves, instead OF
only permitting them to take or reject
propositions originated by Others not
especially chosen for the purpose, and
which might not precisely suit, as they
would wish others to accept or refuse.
understand proposed amendment to
the constitution-which amendment how
ever, have not seen-has passed Con
gress, to the effect that the Federal gov
eminent shall never interfere with the
domestic institutions of States, including
that of persons held to service. To avoid
misconstructon Of what have said, de-
part from my purpose not to speak OF
particular amendments so far as to say
that, holding such provision to now be
implied in the constitutional law, / have
objection to its being made express and
irrivocable.
The Chief Magistrate derives all his
authority from the people, and they have
conferred none upon him to fix the terms
for the separation of the States. The
people themselves alone can DO this, If
they choose; but the Executive, as such,
has nothing to do with it. His duty is
to administer the present government as
it came to his hands, and to transmit it,
unimpaired by him, to his successor
Why should there be a political conf
dence in the ultimate Justice of the peo-
pie? Is there any better or equal hope in
the world? In our present differences, is
either party without faith of being in the
right? If tho Almighty Ruler Of nations
with eternal truth and justice, be 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. BY the frame
of the government under which we live
this same people have wisely given their
public servants but little power for mis-
chief, and have, with equal wisdom, pro
vided for the return of that little to their
hands at very short intervals. While the
people retain their virtue and vigilance
no administration, by any extreme wick
edness or folly, can very seriously injure
the government in the short space of four
years.
My countrymen, one and all, think
calmly and well upon this whole subject.
Nothing valuable can be lost by taking
time. IL there be an object to hurry any
Of you in haste to step which you would
never take deliberately, that object will
be frustrated by taking time; but no
good object can be frustrated by it.
Such of you as are now dissatisfied still
have the old constitution, unimpaired on
the sensitive point, and the laws of your
own under it. The new administration
will have no power, if it would, to change
either. If it were admitted that you who
are dissatisfied hold the right side of tho
dispute, there still is no single reason for
precipitate action.
Intelligence, patriotism, Christianity,
and firm reliance on Him who never
has never forsaken this favorite land are
still competent to adjust in the best way
all our present difficulties. In your hands,
my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and
not in mine, is tho momentous issue Of
civil war. The government will not as
sail you. You can have no conflict with
out being yourselves the aggressors. You
have no oath registered in heaven to
destroy Improvement, while shall have
the most solemn duty to preserve
protect and defend it.
la m 10th to close. We are not enc.
mics, but friends. We must not be enc.