Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1861-03-08


For instance, why may notsEany |
portion Of a new SConf.deracy, . year orstwo |
hence. nrbitrasily, sscede again. prrosely asd
portions Of the present Union nov clam to 81.
meh,a, ara nor being educated TO the exact
temper of doing this
Ia there such perfect identity Of interests
among the States 10 compose a new Union to
promote harmony only, aud prevent renewed
secession Plainly ths central idea of seces.
sion is the essemce of anarchy. majority
held in restraint by consti, utional checks and
limitations. ard always changing easily with
deliberate changes Of popular opinions and
sentiments. is the only true sovereign of a free
people. Whoever rejects it. does of necessity,
fly to anarchy or despotism. Unanimity is
impossible. The rule Of minority, parma-
nent arrangement. is wholly inadmissable so
or despotism in some form. ia all TINT is left,
do not forget the position assumed by some
that constitutional questions are to be decided
by the Supreme Court Nor do I deny that
suci, decisions must he binding IN any case
upon the parties to a suit. As to the object Of
that suit. while the are also entitled to very
high respect and consideration in all parallel
cnses by all other departments Of the Govern
ment; and while 1t IL obviously possible that
such decision may he ei roneous in any given
case. still the evil effect following ,,a Icing
limited I" meet that particular case with the
chance that It. may he over ruled aud never
become precedent for other cases. can better
be borne than could the evils of q different
practice At the time the candid citizen
mnst confess that IL the policy of tha Govern.
ment upon vital questions affecting the whole
people IL 10 he irr.vncshlv fixed by decisions
of The Supreme Courts, The instant they ar,
made in ordinary litigation be, ween parties in
personal actions. the people will have ceased
tn he their own rulers having to that extent
prao' irally resigned their Government in, II the
han''a "f that eminent tvi' unnl. Nor is there
IN this view. any assault nM,n the conrt and
Judges IT ia q duty f,"n which they may not
shrink to decide ca.,s "f property brought he
fore them. aud it ia 10 fanl; Of theirs if others
seek to tnrn their d-cisinns to Political purpo-
.es One SECTION Of on" country i.e'icvrs slave
rv is r;.'ht an. "nght t." b" cxt"uIt,l while ,:.-
other To ev"s II 's wrong and ought not tn b"
extended This is the only substantial dsruir,
as 1" tn. fugitive a'nve clause "f the Cunstitu-
tion aud the law for the suppression nf the for
-,gn slave trade. (aa nearly as any law "au
ever hp it, n cnu.muri'v here the moral a.r s..
Of the people inprrt-cilv supports IN. law
itseli) the great holy Of the peopi. abide hr
the dry legal obligation in both eases. nnd :.
few break over -Hoh. ] think ,hea. r,nnat H.,
perfectly cured, aud il would be worse in both
Cases. after the separation "f the sections than
before. The foreign slave trade Is now imp4r.
f-r,ly suppressed and would he ultimately r. :
fugitive slaves. n"w only PARTIAL, SUR +ni-rsi
w"ul'l MOI tie surrendered ut all hy the other
Physically speaking. we cannot srparatr--w-
cann"t remove our respective sect,nns from
eHch other. nor build iInpassah!e wall he
tween them. A husband and wife may b. di
v"rc"d. and 2" out of The presence aud beyond
The reach Of each other, but The different paris
Of our c"nntry cannot .lo this They cannot
bu, einain fnc- to face. and Intercourse, either
amicabIe or hostile, must continue ket -sn
them. In IL p"ssble. tien. to MAKE that inter
| course more advantageous or nlnre satisfactory
after separation than hsforei Can aliens make
treaties easier than friends can make laws :
Can treaties be more faithfully enforced be.
tween alena than laws can among friends !
Suppose you 60 to war, you canro, fight al
ways. and when, after much loss 10Th sidea.
and n" gain on either, y~u cease fighting, tho
identical old question, as To terms of inter
course are again upon you. This country. with
its institutin inns beiUh u to fhe people who in
habit it. Whenever they shall grow weary Of
| the existing Government. they can exercise the
Constit utional right to amend it, or the revolu
| tionary right to dsmenlbcr OIL overthrow it. I
cannot be ignorant of the fact that many
patriotic citizeDe are desirous Of having the
national Constitution. amended While make
| no recommendation Of amendment, l fully
recognize The rightful authority Of the people
oyer the whole subject. to be exercised in eth.
er Of the modes presented in the instrument
itself. and ! |hould under existing ci.oumstan-
ces. favor rather than oppose a fair opportuui,
ty being afforded the people to act upon it. I
will venture to -ndd that to me the convention
| .,ode seems preferable, in that it allows
amendments to originate with the people them
selves instead Of only permitting them t" take
or repels pro positions. originated by others not
especially chosen for the purpose, and which
| might not be precisely such ms they would
W,sh 70 e ther accept or refuse. i understand
| a proposed amendment to the Constitution.
| which amendment, however, have not seen,
has parsed Congress. tn the effreL that the Fed
| erai Government shall never Interfere with the
dom sifc institutions of the States, including
| that OF persons held 10 service. .-,,p.a..,.. :
10 avoid msconst ruciioB of what / have
| said. depart from my purpose not to speak
Of partieular amendments. so far as to say that,
holding such provision to nov he the implied
construction Of the law. I have no objection to
its baing made express and irevocnbie The
Chief Magistrate derives all his authority from
The people, snd they have conf rred none upun
him to fix terms for the separ tI,s States
The people themse yes can do this also if they
choose, but the Executive. AS such. has nothing
TO do with it; his duty is TO administer The
present Government IS it came to his hands.
aud to transmit It uni'npair-d by him 10 his
| sueeessor. Why should there not Ls patient
confidence in shs ultimats Justice, Of the peo-
Ia1f Is there any bs, ter or equal hope in the
world J. In our present differences .is either
arty w:th"ut tant oi being in the right
Mby thR Almighty 1knter Of nations with his
eternai truth. be your side of :he North, or
on. our Of the South. That truth aud that
justice will surely prevail 3, The Judgment of
lh's great ,ri,uhsI the Anl.ricnn people ~
| ,le forn Of government up.i.i wL,ch we live.
| Ills same people hive WISELY given their public
| servants hut li'tte power tor mischief, ai,L
! have with .qasi y slon. provided tor the re-
turn "f that it'ie I" their own hm.nls At very
shnri' i''n'eryais.'i While :hc i,rupe refdfn th.i,
virtue andy .sila"re. uo attn ,uirtration, by any
ex'.enr ~ wirke'llisss ar tolI, can very seri
ri"a%fy; rinjurs the GpvernHfsnt in tbs short
spac. 81 tour !eyus., Ny eonutryi,en,r J. think
| cai'uniy aud yell upon This whole subject
Nothing ,siuabi. chrrNa,:, los, hy taking time.
II tLyr" hs AL Obj .nt ~ hurry, an. ut yoos la
hot hns,r 'y strl which y"u won''i never
take d~iiberar y- ihat'"lj+cl will II. trust at.d
Ivy tsl ,ng.tis~, Hyl ne good lijert cdi' be
frustrated hy il. such If you IS ar. drsd,is-
fisd etii hav- the old cnsti, Ut ion unimp paired.
ssd a'r tha sssssniv~t rou.t Abe laws oi sy"ur
own framing un.!er u, whe The new ud'i,ns
tratfsh 7S'lt hsSe hor'esnedS, II it should