The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-02-06

|
ton and am ready to say that, so far a!
he was concerned, he carried it out. Gen
Pierce carried it out, and the present Execu
tive. So far as they have the power, they
have done their duty faithfully"
Mr.. Holt, State Senator in the Georgi'
Legislature, is reported to have said:
"Who, ask senator's has ever made tn,
charge, in all the discussions on this question
that the Government of the United States
in its governmental capacity, has brough
any oppression upon you-committed any
aggression on your rights
! 81 stand:ready to answer the charge SHOULD
it be made. True, Massachusetts has viola
ted the compact true, Connecticut has vic
lated it /; true, Legislatures of other State:
! have passed measures obnoxious to the Soutf
and it is equally true that the Congress o
the United States, in answer to the demand
of the South, has passed the fugitive slave
law and it is equally true that, when ap
plication has been made to the President O,
the United States for the enforcement of the
rights of the South, under this law, he has
poured forth the Federal Treasury and made
use of the Federal bayonet. 1t is true, sir
that when your rights have been questioned
its Supreme Court has maintained them
1t is true, sir, that, for the eighty years oI
the existence of this Government, it has
never tra,npled upon your sovereignty, and
never refused you redress for any wrong
The commotion at the South does not
therefore, arise from the failure of the Fede
raj Government to carry into effect the pro
visions of the Constitution on the subject O.
the rendition of fugitives from labor.
2. 1t is demanded that the individual
States should not enact laws in violation o
the Constitution OF the United States.
This is admitted by all. None deny The
obligation to conform the legislation of the
individual States to the requirements Of the
| fundamental law of the nation In fact, "the
members of the several State Legislatures
and Governors" are required by the sixth
article of the Federal Constitution, before
they assume the duties of their respective
offices, to bind themselves by oath or affir
nation to support its provisions The mem
bers ofevery State Legislature take the oath
of Office. They cannot, therefore, enact any
law in conflict with the provisions of the
Constitution without violating this solemn
obligation.
| But it is alleged that the Legislatures o.
the free States have, in fact, enacted laws
that do conflict with the constitutional right
of the people of the slave States, styled, ''per
sonal liberty bills" The late Democratic
national convention, which nominated Hon
John G. Breckenridge, and the Senator from
Illinois, Mr. Douglas each for the Presl
dency, made this charge in general terms
as plank in their platform:
"Resolped, That the enactments of State
Legislatures to defeat the faithful execution
Of the fugitive slave law are hostile in char
acter, subversive of the Constitution, and
revolutionary in their effect"
1t is not, therefore, wonderful that i,
should be received as conceded truth. And
yet so grave charge should not be received
without the clearest proof. 1t is incredible
that it could be true. 1t is hardly possible
thet a majority of the members Of the Legis
latures of one half of the States could delibe
rately violate their consciences in disregard
ing their oath Of Office. ........
Who are these people thus charged with
grave crime They are the select repre-
sentative men ola great and highly cult
waited people, chosen by their neighbors te
enact their local laws-laws for the protection
of their own lives, liberty, property, and char
acter. Is it probable that such men
in such numbers, for long series Of
years, would deliberately and persistently
commit this great crime against their own
consciences ...a .... ..a
But if it were credible that they could dc
so-that they could, from year to year, thus
Intentionally violate the plain provisions OF
the Constitution of the United States--it i:
impossible that any one anywhere could bs
harmed by such enactments. All such pre-
tended laws would be totally void for tn.
sixth article of the Constitution of the Uni
ted States provides that
"This Constitution and the laws of the
United States, which shall be made in pur
suance thereof" oshall be
the supreme law of the land; and the Judges
| in every State shall be bound thereby, any.
thing in the constitution or laws of any
State to the contrary notwithstanding.
Hence, if these personal liberty blls' vi
olate the Constitution and laws of the United
States, they are void, and would be so de
clared by the courts, State or Federal, when
ever case could arise under them. But a:
no case has arisen under them to test thei,
validity, it is manifest that these laws are
believed to be constitutional by all parties
or are of no practical importance. In either
case it is incredible that the statesmen and
jurists of the southern States could regart
this as real cause of complaint, much less
a cause for dissolution Of the Union.
3. It is demanded that the South ough,
not to be required to submit to the election
Of a sectional candidate to the Presidency.
But, on examination of the election re
turns, it will be found that the demand woulG
render ineligible every candidate for the Pres
idency at the recent election. The Senator
from Illinois, Mr.. Douglas is obnoxious t.
the same objection he received (not esti
matiog the fusion vote) over one millior
votes, of which less than one hundred ant
seventy thousand were polled in the entire
South. And of the three million thret