Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1861-01-24


= -da.l sYg,iof laa yd5is diydssiis asY
~ ss siesh y't2w5eil -1s& ,t''as.assl NJ -
- -
IndSed, NJ. PrssdSat, il think Il. viii be
wise 10 discard two prevslent ideas Or pvsjul
dices namely, Brst, that the Union b, TO be
aavcd by somebody IN particular and SEQ
ondlx, that IL il TO be saved by some cunning
and insinccro compact Of modification. I If
Irctnembet rightly, I sad something ike this
here 10 long ago ss 80, h afterwards in "a.
I The present danger discloses itself In this
form. eDisccntcnted citizens have Obtained
political bower in certain States, and they
are using this authority to overthrow the
Federal Government They delude them
selves with a belief that the State power they
have Acquired, enables them 10 discharge
themselves of allegiance to tho whole Re.
public. The honorable senator from Illinois
JMr. Douelas) SAYS saws we have right 20 coerce
q State, but we cannot. |, The President saws
that no State, has a right 10 seoeds, but Ne
have no cossaitutionafypuwsr susmake war
against State. The dilema results from
an assumption that those who, in such a
case, act against tile Fedcrrl Government.
act lawfully as State although ruanifestly
they have perverted the power of a State. 70
an anconstitutioual purpose. A class of poll
ticians in New England set up this theory
and attempted to practice upon IL in our
war with Great Britain. Mr.. Jefferson did
not hesitate to say that States must be kept
within their Constitutional sphere by impul-
sion, If they could net be held there BY at
traction. Secession was then held to be in
admissible in the face ofs public enemy
But if 1t is untenable in one case, it is neces-
sarily SO all others fully admit the origi-
nality, the sovereignty and the independence
Of tho several States within their sphere -
But Ihold the Federal Government to be
equally original sovereign and independent
within its sphere; and the Government of
the State can no more absolye the people re-
siding within It's limits from allegiance to the
Union, than the Government Of the Union
can absolve them from allegiance to the state.
The Constitution Of the United States, and
the laws made in pursuance thereof are the
suureme laws of the land. para,nonrt, TO an
legislation Of the States. whether made nm.
der the Constitution Or by even their organic
conventions. The Union can be dissolved.
not by secession, with or without armed
force, but only BY the voluntary consent j, Of
the people of the United States, collected
in the manner prescribed by the Constitu.
ton OF the U. 8. ~ ,.ss-l'ea =. - slrss
Congress, in the present case, ought no,
to be impassivc. 1t ought, If il can, to re
dress any real grievances Of the offended
States, and tl,eu. il ought 10 mnplv the Pres
Liilspt. viii al lhs. means, ,neesssasy ~ nss;,
tain the Union in the full exhibition and dis
Greet exercises Of its authority, Beyond this
with the proper activity on the part Of tn,
Executive, the responsibility Of saving tn,
Union belongs to the people, and they ar,
abundautly competent to discharge it.
fpropose, therefore, with great Difference
to address myself to the country upon tn