St. Paul weekly Minnesotian. (St. Paul) 1860-1861, 1861-01-11

assertion that no concession viii prevent
the act, fill the mind with wonder, and
leave no doubt that the purpose OF destroy
ing the Union has long prevailed In certain
| minds in the event Of not forever ruling
it. This conviction gains force from the
| long continued course of certain late Off
Gals, high in the favor Of tho Chief Exec.
utive, but who have resigned, am sorry
\ to say, instead Of being dismissed, whose
effort appears to have been to embarrass
4 the finances, destroy the credit and weak
l en- the defences Of the nation, to make Its
1 preservation more difficult. -.
The alleged non-execution ofthe fugitive
slave law and the so-cAi!ed personal lib
| erty bills, seems to be mere pretexts for .
course resolved on, for the Fugitive slave
law is executed in AL cases to which il Is
applied with very rare exceptions, and the
personal liberty laws have never prevented
or hindered. We at least have no occa.
sion for explanation or Justification herei
One demand is the restoration in effect OF
the line # restriction, known IA the Mis-
souri, Compromise line. But great ob
jections to This concession are, that the en-
lire South 0nce declared themselves DIS
satisfied With it.. and That Tue really dlsaf
fected will nor accept il 70 DAY. T 1l.lr de-
msnds are brIiehy, ! slave, code for The ter
litories, and a recognition Of slaves as
| property by the free States. We cannot
believe that such demands are made IN
| good faith. They seem TO have been de-
yised purposely 10 receive rejection
| which might be alleged as reason fer d
co:item plated revolution. Such demands
| are entirely new! Even i'll the !orfiiation
of the Consultation Of the United States it
was not thought proper TO admit the idea
OF property IN man. Can We now be e1-
pec,ed to grant what the slave States Of
that day Thought It no. proper, to ask ?
Such o thing as slave code has no prece-
dent in our history. Precisely the contra
| ry-C Congressional introduction OF slavery
in tts' teryitories-has many, both and
more recent. ...,.,,.,
But n-hatever. Concession or compromise
might otherwise be made, the present
reasonable position of one OF the Southern
States, and the penacing attitude of others,
the war already levied upon the United
States by the seizure Of Government prop
erty by'arlned men proiessedly hostile to
United "S~tstes- authority, demand, first,
the assertion Of the rights Of the nation,
and next the tecogGiiiOn OF the principle
that existing CONSTITUTIONAL agreements are
70 be maintained, and that. subject to the
Constitution, the majority shall rule, and
the minority must submit. After this Is
well settled we Gao with honor and seeur'
ity discuss the question of new compro-
misses. but while 9the claim of the dis
uhiorists that Stats may seeede from the
Union at ber own pleasure, remains prac
tlcallys uAdenIea by the genopal govern
ment, it IL evident that no compromise or
concession win avail, which does not sub
unit the action and Judgment Of the ma
Jority to the ianaticisn of the restless and
iactious iew. 4aA ny. other {, compromise
would in fact encourage farther rebellion
hereafter. .v 5"..} .ayaaf'H 4'r"
1t is therefore clear in my opinion that
the nation must indicate itself and estab
ish again obedience TO the constitutional
agreements and compromises through all
the length aud breadth Of the land ga"
We are gathered from all the States OF
the. Union and almost all the civilized ma
tons Of the world. We can hsse no mar
row or secGoual feeling. Our interests equa
~ forbid ungenerous or selfish views. We
are q young State, not yet very numerous
or powerful, out We are for the Union as
it is, and the Constitution as il is. We
hope, ge-expect@ no. fraternal WAR. The
blessings Of the Union, representation in
Congress, the benefits of the postal sys-
tenn, the honors to be won in thevsrious
departments of inatiopal service, these ev
cry StateRay parhcipstein, but it is unnec-
cssary to force them upon an unwilling
people. But the territory, the forts, the
arsenals, the dockyartls, pubffc buildings,
ships Of war, revenue cutters, and the rev
enue, these belong TO the whole nation,s and
these the nation can hardly relinquish with
honor. ~ = a.a..ali d. g.
Such believe to be the sentiment of the
whole people Of our State, and it may be
well for tne Legislature now assembled,
by some solemn act, in fitting terms to ex-
press our Undivided attachment to the Con
stitution and the Union Of our fathers and
our willingness TO contribute whatever OF
moral or material influence we have, to
preserve them, now and forever, ope-and
iuscparable.
ALEX. RAMSEY.
ST.. PAUL, January 9th, 1861. ..