Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-05-24

State, who are loyal to the Uaion, shall be
protected in their constitutional rights, even
though largs majority, throngh The forms
Of law, attempt 10 destroy fheir libertles
make war upon the National Governmppt
and estahlishR y despot;c instead Of a rehubll-
can form ofFoyernment. 81 F(p
Mr.. Chairman, ! have introduced the sub-
iect matter Of the Rhode Island controversy
here for the double purpose Of showing the
power conferred on the Federal Government
by the National Cousfituiion, and the duty
Of the Goyernment in contingencies that now
seem likely to happen. Suppose yfpe or ten,
or even allthe slave States, Should, with the
sanction Of a maiofity Of their citizens, and
under the forms OF law enacted by their
present recognized authorities, Join Sogtl;
CarOlina n her treasonahle meVemenls =
Whatwould Be the daty Of the General Gov
eminent toward the patriotic and loyal mi
nority In these States. Undoubtedly there
cat be but one answer to this question. Il
IS their duty TO protect aud secure them in
the enjoyment Of all their constitutional
l rights, and by .forer, if necessary. And
though the loyal citizens should DO largely
In the minority, IL they remain faithful 10
the Constitution and the Union, they may
and should disregard the action and usurpa-
tons OF majority, refuse TO recognize their
reasonable proceetings either by declaring
the States sovereign and independent, chang
| ing the State Constitutions, or, By acts Of
their Conventions, ,absolving all citizens flom
their allegiAuoe to the National Government.
Those who remain loyal and refuse 70 reeog-
ni2e such revolutionary proceedings, may
continue 60 act under the old Constitution
aDd aTavvo ~ Et,,en .et,l,h F-oo5,,y,o
bic action had taken place, elect their Gov
ernor, State officers, and members Of the Leg
islature and Congress, at the time and in the
manner prescribed BY the laws existing plior
to the usurpation. stI.1 o 41.ai.
The Governors thus elected could call upon
che President of the United States for aid 70
suppress the rebellion, and IL would be bis
duty togrant Il. There is no doubt but what
| Congress would recognize such a Goverl-
ment. The Legislature thus elected could
choose United States Senators 70 fll any
vacancies that might exist either from the
expiration of the teFms of the present Seua-
tors, their resignation, or expulsion because
engagedin conspiracy 70 overthrow the
present National Government The Senators
and Representatives in Congress thus elected
by the loyal citizens of any of the Sc
ceding States wenld undoubtedly be admit
ted TO oseats-- each House, by the Constitution,
| being the sOls judge Of the qualification Of
| its own members. In this manner, the Ma
! tionsl Government could fhlfll and discharge
| its constitutional obligations By securing TO
each State a republican form Of government
suppress rebellion, and protect the lives, lib
critics, and property, of the loyal citizens. If
it be said, however, that the mgjoritg would
vote down the minority, OF, by force and mob
law, prevent such an expression of their
opinions at the ballot-box; or the revolution
lists might elect Governor aud Legislature,
members Of Congress, and Senator'S, with the
understanding that they should not serve,
and that such scheme as is proposed for the
minority to act upon is imprac:icable; then,
! answer, that the duty of all loyal citizens
I would be to assemble and petition Congress
for redress of their grievances, the protec-
ton Of their lives and property, and the
security Of all their constitutional rights, in
Gliding a republican form of State govern
ment ia' t a-'- -- @
The National Government justly and proud
i ly boasts Of having protected one poor and
friendless foreigner, who had only declared
his intention 10 become an American citizen,
Z AA0tu NnG QonH0bAoll VI AueAlAhl ~ klu AlhAuAA
| Of bloody and expensive war. If then,
there be but one ofits own citizens, born and
bred on its own soil, who, despite the threat
eRed punishment of traitors in rebellion
against the United STATES, remains loyal to
the Constitution and Union, shall he not be
protected in his life, liberty and property,
by the National Government If the Gen
eral Government have not power to protect
the rights of all loyal citizens, then the Gov
sTnnaSnt Is failure and that provision of
the National Constitution which says 4" The
UHited Stats shall guarantee 10 epeTy State an
! The Union aFspablicdn form of g0DeeRmegtp is
a dead letter, and worse than useless. But
Mr. Chairman, with a proper administration
! OF the National Government it will neither
be dead letter nor useless, and the future
history Of this Government will prove how
wisely, and with what ssgacity and fore
thought, our fathers acted, when they inserted
this invalnsble provision in the Constitution,
requiring the whole people to aid in suppress
sing rebellion, and securing the rights of all
who either by numbers or military usurpstion,
might be oVeFpoweTed in any particular State
or States. p. t-.~t'
Mr.. Chairman, all governments must from
the very nature Of the case, use force to exc
cute their executive, Legislative, and judicial
DEGREES, IL resisted. This is apower insep-
arabic from all Governments. II the city
of New York, to-day, by the unanimous voice
OF her citizens, were 70 declare herselfR SOW
ereign and independent city and set up 9
! Government Of her own, put the authorityqoI
the Federal and State G0yerumeptsat defiance,
and collect and appropriate all the revenue
derived from duties on imports, thus cutting
of more than half the entire revenue of the
National Government does eny sane man
suppose for a moment that this Government
would tolerate it2 By no means Ifit be-
came necessary to subdue her, the Govern /
ment would lay the entire city in ruins.
Martial law would be declared, blockade
proclaimed, the property Of all rebels confs-
Gated, and the leading traitors hanged or shot
The city Of New York contains nearly mil
lion Of finhaitants-slmOst, If not quite, four
! times the number of whites in South Carolina
and, / believe, more wealth than any one
Southern State, nnless it be Virginia. The
people living in the city Of New York have
just the same right to declare themselves out
Of the Union that the people of any one or
more Of the Southern States haEe--nO mere,
no less. And that right Is the inherent right
of revolution. The Government once invol-
we'd in war, in its effsrts to enforce the laws
and put down rebellion, could know no rule
but success. A blockade, martial law, the
con6scation Of all property, real and personal,
Of the insurgents, the execution Of all the
leading rebels, and the gemOUal BY force If
neeessdry, of the cause that produced the rebel
lion. - ts.. .-,.rs
This is no new doctrine. John Quincy
Adams, nearly twenty years ago, in the House
of Representatives, in speaking Of the war
power, said: - 5000 A
"When your country is actually in war,
whether it be a war OF invasion or a war Of
insarrection, Congress has power to carry on
the war, and must carry it on according 10
the laws of war and by the laws of war an
invaded country has all its laws and munic,
pal Institutions swept by the beard aud mar
| Ill law takes the place Of them. This power