The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1861-01-12

sets, abetted, perhaps, by several of her
nei2hbors1 1t would not BE possible A
small proportion of the community in q
compact situation, acting or the defensive
and at one of its eXtreInties, might at
cay time bid defiance TO the na'ionsl au-
thority-' Any Government of the United
States. formed on the supposed prec,ica-
bility Of using force against the unconsti-
tutional proceedings Of the States, would
prove as visionary aud fallac!ous as the
government Of Congress.-IHE NEGATIVE
WOULD RENDER THE UsE or FoHCE UsSECEssA-
III. That was the language of Mr. Maii-
son; and such were the circumstances
aud propositions under which, and upon
. which he used il. By wreDcbing the SEN
tences used from their context--by sup
pressing those circumS tauces, aud the 9th
sr language used 10y Mr Madison ia the
ssrns context, and by untruly stating one
Of the propositions in reference to which
the sentences quoted by him were used,
thepres;dent has dising genuously attempted
+ 70 make 1T appear. that Mr.. Madison en-
/ tertained opinions upon the subject in
I question directly Contrary from those
that are fairly deducible from his argi-
ment, when thus fully and fairly stated
What was the argument OF Mr. Madison,
fairly stated? IL was, that control by the
! legislation, b. the several States, a. should
{ be hostile TO the ust rights and powers Of
the general Government, was necessary to
he vested IN the general government ia
( some form, in order TO its self preserva-
{ ton.
The choice in the mode rested between II
tie employment Of the negative which he
. advocated. or the employment Of coercion
one or the other woult: have 10 be used,
and in order to induce the convention 10
prefer the negative. he pointed out the in
. cUEyeuieuCe- and evils that wvI.!d arise,
by substituting coercion for the negative.
The Convention It'd refuse 10 adopt the
negative, advocated By Mr. Madison. and
Z d.f ori5in that the Pro.ideut Of the Uni
. ted States should cause the laws OF the
. United states TO be executed, and confer
red upcu him the Office Of Comnaudel-;u-
Chief Of the army and navy of the nit
ed states, and Of the l..ilitia that should
be called into their service. And now, is
it difficult to understand whittier tn, ar.
cument Of Nr. Madison tends J. it dil-
HcUlt 10 determine. whether the President
IN nls !nc.>G,,e has u.sinceLuoU-ly U.rycTt-
81 the authority Of ms great name for Al
unworthy purp0ze-the purpose. to wit:
. Of Iar4.vziu- the aF.l O! the governing
power Oi the American people, 70 the pre-
rentioH OF their execution Of their ju-t
+ DEGREES upon the Delinquent individuals
and GvliHcTieiit States. " uO already threa-
f ten to re-i>, their lawful soyereiruty2 1t
* not the first time III the history 81 tie
world, that faction. stimulated by un"or-
Thy ambition. has rgi-cd il. arm a.alns:
tue lawful e&ercIs. Of sovereign power.
. II that iact!oli- arm J. allowed 10 strike
unrt-lsteI nay, Unsubiu-t the state !
/ 40 more and the problem OF mans can--
I city for self government is solved forever.
8iy fellow citizens. you have patiently
. examined the grievances Of tArs. men,
and you find them up:oundeI You have
carefully Inspected their motives. and "ou
. ind them unworthy. You have examined
. vuur own dLt.e-. aLd You uHi them not
! aoubtlCl-you nave eYatniavd your power
and You find they are ample You have
/ examined the means for accomplishing
YOUR duty, and you find. whether Of
/ moral or material kind, they are lot WANT
iug. Truth. reason, all due foTbearance,
! rcIne!u beTiug that the-. men are your
/ brothers, are the oae-ti.e others need
. not name IF vet thsy have au- -it to say,
J - = l. L--.e !" tta presence OF reason
and Justice, you pause to hear, aud wil
I weigh il veil When all i said. and the
+ hour shall come II come Il I.Iast, nheu
/ the rod .: cna-tlsement mU-t de-cend up-
on the backs Of yoUr offending brothers.
IfnpipT- yea, | warn you, before and above
. all else 10 remember. tLst Il !. upon your
selves s!Oue that yod must RELY. The
I wisdom. and the frames. Of ConCre-.
have been We. .,ked in tic hAlauco .ud
found wanting. Not once, bi.t again. ,Ed
. again. has their wea ane,. and folly lee trsy-
.d yoUr oi.e1d!u: brothers 10 tn- reiit.ou
that has "a long been uttered 10y ti:ei. lips,
aud l. but too surely conducting them
uoyy 10 ti5e fate tina; al governments have
appointed for tEo-c Who az. di.loyai 10
their county. NJi With OnLree,-do
ycC not see It?-not with Congress. but
with your-eive= alone rests the chance
and the charge OF aveTtiug. as ~ei! a. con
trolling the impending cata-trolhs. From
the plains OF the South. million Of eyes
are scanning the countcnauccs OF the free
r.len of the North J. fear, or doubt. or
hesitation 10 ba discovered there? Then
all IS over-lay down the rod for YOU are
not equal to bear 1t Then. if the catas-
trophe comes, il viii come with all its hor-
rors But II AL men see that YOU coUn-
tenance IS firm, and Your arm is steady
that while the rod i in the right hand.
the olive branch Is in the le!t-that YOU
bear upon your breasts no shield but the
Constitution Of your country, with the
names Of Washington, Franklin and Mad
issn burning and flaming there, and Yet
not on lining tior patIio, FIRE does not
cOn>um-(, will they strike through thai;
tlame. that parchment, TO reach their BIO
ther- hearts that beat behind it?
Your President IN Office has betrayed
YOU. He counsellors sre traitors some,
unworthy all Your Congress does not re
present your wisdorn, if your wisdom Is
+ !.
if an eXertion OF that shall be demanded
10y the crisis.
TO sustain your President elect in the
maintenance of YOUR rightiul soyer.igntv
. IL /. not Oh the means that Congress may
. provide, that you can re. Y. The men aud
: their fortunes. the States and their re-
sources, that constitute the II ghtiul soYs
. reiguty OF the Union, must stand forth,
aud bv the wisdom OF their counsels, tie
/. might OF their aims, and the amplitude OF
their resources let all men know that the
majesty of truth embodied in the right
iul DEGREES OF the governing power !. up-
held 10y the majesty of Their soverei ~
embodied III the persons of all the citi
zeu-, and the right ot all the States, which
compose that governing power Can errc.
snd fiction confront truth and law thus
worthiy urborne2 II truth. indeed, be
more mighty than the sword,-if it can
reach hearts that tt.e steel cannot penc-
trste, or II II penetrate cannot suhl Ge, IL
is only when that Weapon is well as the
swafd, is wofthily borne, by hands that
are .tronG, by hearts that are loyal, and
iy the wisdom of those who are nisc,:
among men, that it can attain its rishtful
con9uests.
One lesson more nsHkird Yet owe to
umsnity-henceiorth let man kind Know
everywhere. that the wisdom aud the
strength of the governing power Is Sul.-
nor 10 th. wisdom and The strength oi the
tribunals they have created, and the Sc