The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1861-03-09

1
extended; while the other believes it is
wrong, and ought not to be extended. This
/ is the only substantial dispute. for the tu-
gitive slave clause of the Constitution, and
the laws for the suppression of the foreign
slave trade, are each as well enforced, per-
/ haps, as any law can ever be in commu-
nifty where the moral sense of the people
! imperfectly supports the law ITSELF The
great body of the people abide by the legal
obligation in both cases. After the separa-
ton of the two sections, the foreign slave
trade. now imperfectly suppressed, would
be ultimately revived, without restriction,
in one section, while fugitive slaves, now
only partially surrendered. would not be
surrendered at all by the other. Physically
speaking. we cannot separate-cannot re-
move our respective sections from each 9TH
er, nor build an impossible wall between
them. The husband aud wife may be di-
vorced. and go out of the presence and be-
yond the reach of each other, but the diff
ferent parts of our country cannot do this.
They cannot but remain face to face, and an
intercourse, either amicable or hostile, must
continue between them. Is it possible. then
to make that Intercourse more advantageous
or more satisfactory than before? Can al
lens make treaties easier than friends? Can
they make laws? Can treaties be more
faithfully enforced between aliens than laws
among friends I? Suppose you go to war;
you cannot fight always. and when, after
much loss on both sides-there is no gain
on either-you cease to fight. the old iden
teal questions, as TO terms of int, course,
are again upon you. This country, with
its institutions, belongs to the people who
inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow wea-
~ of the existing government, they can ex-
ercise their constitutional right of amend
ing it, or their revolutionary right to dis
member or overthrow it. / cannot be ig-
norant of the fact that many worthy and
patriotic citizens are DESTROYS of having the
National Constitution amended. While I
make no recommendation Of emendation or
amendment. fully recognize the rightful
authority of the people over the whole sub
jecl, to be exercised in either of the modes
prescribed in the instrument itself, and l
should under existing circumstances favor
rather than oppose fair opportunity being
offered the people to act upon it. l will
venture to add that tie constitutional mode
seems preferable, inasmuch as it allows the
amendments to originate with the people
themselves, instead of only permitting them
to take or reject proposition originated by
others not specially chosen for the purpose,
and which might not be precisely such as
they would wish to either accept or reject
understand proposed amendment to the
Constitution; which amendment, however,
have not seen, has passed Congress, to
the effect that the Federal Government shall
never interfere with the domestic institu-
tons of the States, including that of per-
sons held to service. To avoid a miscon-
ception of what have said, depart from
my purpose not to speak of particular
amendments, SO far as to say that holding
such provision to be the now implied consti-
tutional law. have no objection to its being
made express and irrevokable.
The Chief Magistrate derives all his au-
thority from the people, and they have con-
ferred none upon him to fix forms for the
Sc paration of the States. The people them
the Executive, as such, has nothing to do |
with it. His duty is to administer and pre-
serve the Government AS it came into his |
hands, and to transmit it unimpaired by |
him to his successor. Why should there |
not be patient confidence in the ultimate
justice of the people? Is there any better
or equal hope in the world? In our pres
emit difficulties is either party without faith
Of being in sight of the Almighty Ruler of
Nations, with his eternal truth and Justice
On our side of the North, or on, yours ofth
South? That truth and justice will surely
prevail by the judgment of this great tribu
nal, the American people. BY the form
IF government under which we live, the
same people have wisely given their public
servants but little power for mischief, and
ave with equal wisdom provided for the
eturn Cf that little to their own hands at
yery short intervals.
While the people retain their virtue and :
'iglance, no Administration, in any extreme
# wickedness or folly, can very seriously in
ure the Government in the short space of
our years.
My countrymen, one and all, think calmly
ind well upon this whole subject. Moth
ng valuable can be lost by taking time If
here be any object to hurry any of you in
Tot haste, to a step which you would never
axe deliberately, that object will be fiustrat-
d by taking time, but no good object can be
frustrated by it. Such of you as are now
dissatisfied, still have the old Constitution {
and on the sensitive points the
avs of your own framing under it, while
he new Administration will have no imme-
late power if it would 80 change even if it
we're admitted that you who are dissatisfied
ad the right side in this dispute, there still
5 no single good reason for precipitate ac-
ion. .
Intelligence, patriotism, christianity. and t
firm reliance in Him who has never yet r
orsaken this favored land, are still compe- J
ent to adjust. in the best way, all our pres
mt difficulties. In your hands, my dissat- /
SIZED countrymen. is the momentous issue {
f civil war. The Government will not {
ssail you. You can have no conflict with
ut being yourselves the aggressors You '
ave no oath registered in Heaven to des- {
10y the Government, while l shall have =
ne most solemn one to preserve, protect and a
efend it. o
1 am 10th to close. We are not enemies, q
ut friends. We must not be enemies T.
hough passion NAV haze strained, it must :.
OF break our bonds of Affection TIE mys-
c chords of memory, stretching from every
attic field and patriots grave to every low
g heart and bearthstone, all over this
road land, will yet swell the chorus of the d.
MON when again touched, as surely as they :
i'll be by the better angels of our ma