Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-07-10

uus "a the y NUN. ne original ones passed INTO
the Union even before they cast off their British
dependence, and the new ones came into the
Union directly from condition of de-
pendence, excepting Texas, and even Texas,
In its temporary independence, was never
designated as a State. The new ones only were
designated States on coming into tie Union, While
that name was only first adopted for the old ones
in and by the Declaration of Independence
Therein the United Colonies were declared free
and independent States. but even the object plain
ly was not to declare their Independence of one
another or of the Union but directly the contrary,
as their mutual pledge and their mutual action
before, at the time, and atterward, abunGantly
show. The express plighting of faith by each
and all OF the original thirteen States in the ar
tices of confederation, two years later, that
the Union shall be perpetual, is most conclusive.
Having never been States, either in sub
stance or name, outside the Union, whence
this magical omnipotence of States rights, as
sertng Claim of power TO lawfully destroy the
Union itself?
Much is said about the sovereignty of the
States, but the word, even, is not in the national
constitution, nor. it is believed, in any Of the
State constitutions. What is sovereignty in
the particular sense of the term2 Would Il be
far wrong to declare il a political community
without political superiorf Tested BY this, no
one of our States, except Texas, was a sover-
eighty, and even Texas gave up the character on
coming into the Union, by which act she ac-
knowledged the constitution of the United States,
and laws and treaties of the United States made
in pursuance Of the constitution to be for her su-
preme law.
The States have their status in the Union, and
they have no other legal status If they break
from this, they only do so against Law by revolt
ton. The Union, and not themselves separately,
procured their Independence and their liberty by
conquest and purchase. The Union gave each
of them whatever of independence and liberty IL
has. The Union is older than any of the States
and, in fact, it created them as States Origin
ally some dependent colonies made the Union,
and, IA return, the Union threw off their old de-
pendence for them, and made the States such as
they are..'' Not one of them ever had State
constitution independent of the Union. OF course
it Is not forgotten, that all the States formed
their constitutions before they entered the Union,
neyertheless dependent on and preparatory to
coming into the Union
PROFESSIONALLY the States have powers and
rights reserved to them by the National Constitu-
ticn, but among these surely are not included all
conceivable powers, however mischievous or de
structive, but at most such only as were known
in the world at the time as governmental powers.
and certainly power to destroy the Government
itself had never been known rs a governmental
or as a merely administrative power This rela-
tire matter of national power and State rights is
aprinciple-is no other than principle of gen.
eaity and locality. Whatever concerns the
whole should be confined to the whole General
Government; while whatever concerns State
should be left exclusively to the State This is
all there is of the original principle about il.
Whatever the National Constitution says in de-
6ning the boundaries between the two, as applied
to the principle, with exact accuracy, is not to be
Questioned We are all bound b. that definition
without question. a - -
What is now combated is the position that Sc
cession is consistent with the CONSTITUTIONS law
full and peaceful. 1t is not c0ntended that there
is any express law for it, and nothing should ever
be implied as law which leads to unjust and alb
surd consequences The nation purchased with
money the country out of which several Of these
States we're formed Is it just that they should
20 of withoutlsave, or without refunding? The
nation paid very large sums---in the aggregate.
from the aboriginal tripes- Is it just that she
should now go of without consent. or without
any returnf The nation is now in debt for money
applied for the benefit of these so called seeding
States in common with the rest. Is it just either
that creditors shall 90 unpaid. or the remaining
States pay the wholes A part Of the present
national debt was contracted to pay the old debts
of Texas Is it just that she shall leave and pay
no part Of this herself i;zs.-.s..' 3. ~,
ASdlil, ~ ouc OtabC may cCScAC, ~ Nu-
other, and, when all shall have seeded, none is
leit.to pay the debts Is this quite Just to cred
itorsY Did we notify them of this sage view Of
ours when we borrowed their money!. If we now
recognize this doctrine BY allowing tie seceders
to go in peace. it is difficult to see what We can
do If Others choose to 60, or to extort terms upor
which they will promise 70 remain. s-e7
The seceden insist that our Constitution nd
mits of secession. They have assumed to make
Il Al
of necessity, they have either discarded retanet
the right of Secession. As they insist IL exists IN
ours, if they have discarded it, they thereby ad
INIT that on principle il ought not to be in ours;
they have retained IL by their own construction o.
ours, they show that to be consistent they mus
secede from. one. another whenever they shall
find it the easiest way of settling their debts, O
effecting any other selfish. or unjust object. Tn,
principle itself is one of disintegration, and OF
which NO Government can possibly endure. /
. all the States save one should affect the powe
to drive that one out of the Union, it is pre-
.sumed the whole class of seeded politician
would at once deny the power and denounce tn
act as the greatest outrage upon States rights; bu
suppose that precisely the same act, instead O
being called driving them out, should be calle'
the seeding of the others from that one, it woul,
be exactly what 1.-THE ,seceders Claim to do
UNLESS indeed, to make the point that the one
oecA9so mbo'y, may "snHuh'
do that which the others: because they are Ia
majority may not rghtiully DO These Poii
t,cians are profound IN the rights OF minortes
iney are not parua, 70 tnst power rnlcn mac
the Constitution and speaks from the preamble
calling Itself we. me people. IL may wen o
quess'oneu wne,ner mere - so-asy ma,o'l'y u 'n'
legally quained voteFs OF any ota.e, exceps, per
haps, South Carolina, in favor of dsunion- Their
Is mucn reason 70 oeneae INA. unH e9n n'en Az
"a majority IN maus, no' ~ all y, 'nc 20
states Inc contrary has not been aemons'ra y
"a any cse ~ mem se'u's - ~ III =. YIN
even OF ng'nia ana lennessee' LOT 'ne resu''
elections held IN military camps wnefe the oayo
nets were al on one SIDE OF the question vo'es
upon, can scarcely De cons'oereo a. oem9ns.ia'
ing the popular sentiment AL sncn an eiecpon
all that large class who are at once isr the onloI
and against coercion would De coerceo 70 'o"
| against the Union -. 49, "A,
may be affirmed, without extravagance' ina
the Tree institutions which we ENJOY have develop
ed the powers and improved the condition OF ou
Whole people beyond any example IN tne wor'o