The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1861-06-26


that the Constitution and Laws OF the Unite
states are still in force within the secede
States just as they are within any Of the 9th,
States, and to maintain this position armies AT
7 lrsp.dly gathering on the borders OF the 81
ceded States.
II there could be any intervention BY whic
the shedding Of blood and the desolation ofci,
II war could be avoided, the practical goo
sense oi the American people might discevt
> Some mode OF adjusting the difficulties, whic
woul be alike honorable and beneficial to boz
the oontending parties. But while one side d.
mands the recognition OF its sovereignty an
the other insists that such recognition is q cor
stitntionai impossibilty, it is manifest that theI
/ can be no srbiter but the sword, unless tn
people themselves, acting upon and throug
their representatives, State and national sha
interpose, arrest the strife, and enforce q sci
tlemont without bloodshed If any terms OF ad
Jrstment would be satisfactory 10 both parties
which would fall short o. the recognition OF tn
sovereignty Of the seeded State, and still sat
isty them, and short Of the obedience ofthe Sc
iceded States to the Constitution and laws of th
United States, and still satisfy the people of th
United States, it is the. duty of each party Il
notify the other OF such terms as would be sat
isfactory, so that an attempt at adiustmen
might be made
But we repeat, If the recognition of the SOY.
ereignty of the seeded States continue sine oatc
non, and ifthe government continue to iisclai n
the constitutional power to make such rec
ognition, there is TO peaceful ISOLATION of tht
difficulty possible other than such as people
themselves may by their actions produce
1t is proper for US 10 say that in Our opior
the Constitution delegates to no one department
! Of the Government nor TO all of them combined
the power to destroy the Government itself, as
would be done by the division OF the country
into seperate contederacies, and that obligation
exists to maintain the Constitution of the
United States, and to preserve the Union un,
impaired
1t has been suggested in quarters entitled to
the highest respect, that the independence Of
the State which have seeded might be acknowl-
edged by a National Convention, adopting an
amendment to the Constitution for that purpose,
as such an amendment would have the support
and acquiescence of the seeded States. But
we leave that for the decision of the people and
their representatives when they shall eel the
imperative necessity ofsuch settlements.
We now turn to che consideration OF what
ought to be done for the purpose Of quieting ap
prehension within the few slave States which
still adhere to tho Union established by their
fathers!
We ask no concession of new or additional
rights. We do not fear any immediate en-
croachment upon our rights as slave State The
amendment to the Constitution proposed by the
last Congress gives assurance that at present
there is no danger that our rights will be assail-
ed. But VIC are few IN humber and the prepon
derance Of the free States is continually increas
5Y,r ho ,r,t 20 80. l. u
by the sense Of justice in the minds OF the free
SNtes may be lost by change in popular feel
ing in the future. One great object in constitu-
tons is to protect the rights OF sninenties.
Ia the Constitution there are grants oil pow
er to the Congress Of the United States winch
might be perverted to our injury, contrary to
the spirit of the instrument, and still! the letter
OF the grant claimed to authorize the injurious
legislation Such are, the powers to REGULATE
commerce between the States" and the power
Of exclusive legislation over the District Of Co
lumbia," and "over the forts, dock yards and
arsenals in the several States" 1t would not
now be claimed by Congress that these grants
authorized the abolition of slavery in the Dis.
trict OF Columbia while Maryland and Virginia
remain slave State, nor the like abolition in
forts and other places within slave States But
what will be claimed in the future we cannot
know SO, also, in relation to the Territories
belonging to the United States. While we are
aware that all the Territories, then unorganzed
were organized by the acts of the last Congress
which contain no prohibition OF slavery and
while we know that this was the action o Con-
sress in which the nee States had the control
at the time the acts were passed, still these are
but acts OF Congress subject TO repeal or altera-
ton, as public feeling may charge their tempo
rary excitement.
II is just that the rights OF the Slave States
nov in a small minority cf the whole States,
should be guarded in the particulars mentioned
by such constitutional guarantees as shall rem
der them secure against future legialation in
times Of excitement. Our DISTINGUISHED fellow.
titzen, Hon: John j Crttenden, for the PURPOSE
Of securing by constitutional guarantee rights
1lready passed, presented 10 Congress certain
to amend the Constitution which
met with general approval, and those PROPOSE
Lions as originally offered or any that are equiv
alent, would be now satisfactory, and would
juliet approximations that exists to some extent
IN the minds ofreal friends of the Union. and
which are indnstrionsly excited by those who
ire enemies Of the Union and of tho people.
Whether any such constitutional guarantees
would have the effect o reconcling any Of the
seeded States to the government from which
hey have torn themselves away we cafinot say,
out we allow ourselves to hope that the masses
n those States will in time learn that the dan.
gers they were made to fear were greatlp exag.
e rated. and that they will then be disposed to
listen to the calls olinterest and Of patriotism,
md return to the family rom which they have
yone out. Ono effect OF giving such gbarahtees,
certainly, will be to Prove to he world, by the
rank recogni,ioh OF the rights of the lew slave
States adhering to the Union, that States which
rave seeded have abandoned the best govern
nent in the world without any good or suffici
mt cause.
II may be urged that there are not now
sufficient number OF States remaining in the
Union to ratify any such constitutional amend
nents as will furnish the guarantees we require.
But 1t Is to be remembered that there is n6 time
ixed by the Constitution for such ratification. |
md if they should be ratified by the free States,
hen at the end the present civil war, termi |
ia &s 1t may, either in the restoration Of the /
Il the seeded State to the Union, or the estab. |
ishment of their seperate national existance,
here will be the number of States REQUIRED for |
he ratification. fi ,e I7A4a t4l t
Fellow. citizens 6fthe United States yoti are
bout to be engaged in war III which the hor-
ors that ordinarily attend that state are likely
0 be aggravated by the fact that you are ofthe
alne family and have long lived together in in.
innate intercourse and in friendly relation The
ind feelings that once existed have been chang.
d to her bitterness, soon to degenerate, It NAV l.
e, into deadly animosity. We desire 70 re-
mind yot that you are contending about q aues
ion iptibcipls, opon which we would ain be
ieve that you ale each side Convinced that you
re right. 1t is no longer question of party
oltics, no longer aquestion about the right to
od slaves in territories, or to retake them
vhen they escape; the question DOW to be set
led is, whether we shall live in the same Union