Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1861-03-08

| uS0uO SIuSs 0uO StttIitdT uCCMIutOI1
and had never recalled them; and, more tina,
this, they placed in the platform for my &C
ccptancc, ~ law to themselves and to me
the clear and emphatic resolution which
now read: Eo
ResoSeed That the maintenance inviolae Of the right
the States and especially the right Of each State to
der and controle rs own domestic institutions according
OTIS own Judgment exclusively Is essential 70 that balanc
on xch the perfection and endurance Of our
ctcal fabric depends and denOunce the awess inva
ZION armed force Of the soil OF any State Terrto
y, no matter under what pretexs among the gravest
rerimes. @ ga5a teggk $50 H.g ,ta &.
now reiterate these sentiments and doing
so only press upon the public attention tn,
most conclusive evidence of which the cas-,
is susceptible that the property, peace or Sc
curity Of no section arc to be in any wise en-
dangeTed by the now incoming administers
ton. ] add too, that all the protection which
consistently with the Constitution and the
laws can be given, will be cheerFnlly given
to all the States when lawfully demanded 70,
whatever cause, as cheerfully to one section
as to another. ~ 49,. s.,.,
There is much controversy about deliver
ing fugitives from service or labor. The
clause now read is as plainly written in III,
Constitution as any other of it's provisions.
No person held to labor IN one State under the Law
snereo escaping INTO anoshsr shall IN consequence
service or labor, but sRs Be delivered up.n claim
the party to whom such service or labor may be due.
1t was intended by those who made it FOL
the retaining Of what we call fugative slaves
and the intention Of the law givcr is the law
All members Of Congress swear their sup
port to the whole Constitution, to this pro
vision rs much as to any other. The pro
vs,c,t ion than that ole voO .,h<,s IN <,n.,,,
within the terms of this clause and shall b.
delivered up, their oaths are unanimous.
Now, If they would make the effort. in
good temper could they not with nearly
equal unamity. frame and mass a law. nv
means Of which. to keen good their unani
nous oaths. There is some difference 81
opinion whether this clause should be enforc
ed by National or State authority. but sure
" that difference is not a yery material one
If the slave is to be surrendered it can be Of
but little consequence to him or to others by
what authority it is done; and should any
one in any case be content that his oath shall
be unkept, or a merely unsubstantial contro.
versy as to how it shall be kept? Again in
law upon this subject, ought not all the
safeguards of liberty known in cizilized and
humane jurisdiction to be introduced so that
free man may not be in any case surrender.
ed as slave! And might it not be we'll at
the same time to provide by law for the en-.
forcement Of that clause in the Constitution
which guarantees that the citizens of eacl,
State shall be entitled to all the provisions
and immunities Of citizens of the several
States? .r
take the official oath to-day with no
ma utal pocoVratso,c Nd ,rs<h e.
construe the Constitution or.laws by any hyp-
ocritical rules. And while do not choose
now to specify any particular acts Of Con-
gress as proper to be enforced, do suggest
that 1t will he much safer for all in official
and private positions to conform to, and abide
by all those acts which stand unrepealed,
than to violate any Of them, trusting to find
impunity in having them held to be uncon-
stitutional.
1t is seventy-two years since the first in
auguration Of President under our national
Constitution. During that period fifteen ad.
ministered the executive branch Of the Gov
crnment. They have conducted it through
many perils, and generally with great success
yet with all this scope for precedent, now
enter upon the same task for the same con.
stitutional term of four years under great and
peculiar difficulty.
Disruption Of the federal Union heretofore
only mcnaced is now formidably attempted.
hold that in contemplation Of universal law,
and Of the Constitution Of the Union OF these
States is perpetual. Perpetuity is implied il
not expressed in the Fundamental law of all
national governments.
1t is safe to assert that the government
proper never had provision in it's organic law
for its own termination. We must continue
to execute all the express provisions OF our
National Constitution, and the Union will en-
dure forever. it being impossible to destroy
It except by some action not provided for in
the instrument itself.
Again, If the United States be not gov.
eminent proper, but On association Of States,
in the nature Of contract merely, can it, as
= contract. be peaccably unmade by less than
all the parties who made iti One party to q
contract may violate it, break It, so to speak.
but does it not require al to lawfully rescind
It?
Descending from these general principles.
we find the proposition that in legal contem-
plation the Union is virtually confirmed bv
the history of the Union itself The Union
is much older than the Constitution. twas
formed in fact by the Articles Of Association
in l774. Il was maturcd and continued nv
y