The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1861-03-08

ability shall take care, as the Constitution
itself expressly erjoins on me, that the laws
of the Union be faithfully executed, in all
the States. Doing this doom to be only q
simple duty on my part, and shall perform
il SO far as practicable, unless my righIul
masters, the American people, shall withhold
tho reausite means, or in some authorita.
tive manner direct the contrary. i trust
this will not DO regarded as menace, but
only as n declared purpose Of Union, that
IL will constitUtionally defend and main
tain itself. In doing this, there need be no
bloOGshcd or violence, and there shall DO
none, unless 1t be forced upon tho national
authority. Tho power confdod to me will
DO used to hold, occupy and possess tho
property and places belonging to tho gov
ernment-to collect duties and imports !
but beyond what may be necessary for
these objects. there will DO no invasion, no
using OF force against or among people any
where. Where hostility to the Uuited
States in any interior locality shall be so
universal as TO prevent competent resident
citizens from holding Federal Offices, there
will DO no attempt to forco obnoxious stran-
gers among the pooplo for that Object
While tho strict legal right may exist in
tho Government to force tho exercise OF
}
so irritating aud SO nearly impracticable
withal, that deem it better to forego for
tine tho usos Of such Offices. The mails,
unless rope He'd, will continue to be fur
nished in all parts of tho Union so far as
possible. The people everywhere shall have
that sense Of perfect security which must
fnv0Yablv calm thoughts and renections.-
| The course here indicated will be followed.
unless current events and experience shall
show n modification or change to be proper,
and in every case and oxigency my best dis
! crotion will DO cxeIcitcd according 10 cir
cumstGnocs actually existing, and with a
view and a hopo Of peaceful solution OF
the national troubles and restoration of the
fraternul sympathy and affections. That
thore nro persona in one section or another
who sock to destroy the Union at all events.
and arc glad Of any pretcxt to do it, ! will
neither affirm nor deny, but If there be
such, | need address no word to them. To
those. however. who really love the Union,
may | not speak before entering upon so
grave a matter as the destruction of our
national fabric, with all its benefits, its MEM
ories and hopes Would it not DO wise to
ascertain previously why wo do so! Will
you hazard SO desperate stop while there
is any possibility that any portion OF tho
| ills YOU flv from havo no real existence
Will you, whio the certain ills you fly TO
aro greater than oil tho real ones you fly
from ? viii you risk the commission of so
fearful mistake! All profess to be content
in the Union, if all constitutional rights can
bo maintained. Is it truo then that any
right plainly written in tho Constitution has
been denied l think not. Happily the
human mind is so constituted that no party
can roach the audacity of doing this
Think, if you can, of a single instance in
which a plainly written provision of the
Constitution has ever boeh denied. If, BY
tho more forco of numbers. u maioritynsbal
deprive minority of any clearly wHTtter
constitutional right it might. in mora
+ point of Wow. justify revolution. IL Ger
tainy would If such right was o vitn! one
! But such is not the case. The vital rights
, of minorties, and of individuals, arc ST
, plainly assured to them by afiirmations ant
negations. guarantees and prohibitions IL
, the Constitution, that controversy move
arose concerning them, but no organic
, law can ever bo found with a provisiot
/ specially applicable to every question whicl
0 may occur in practical Administration
D No foresight can anticipate nor any doc
. ument of reasonable length contain expires
0 provisions for all possible questions. Shal
: fugitves from labor bo surrendered b.
A national or State authorities The Con
D stituton docs not expressly say. Must Con
D gress protect slavery in territories .Th
3 Constitution does not expressly say. From
questions of this character spring oil on
A constitu tional controversies, and wo diyid
' upon them into inajorities and minoritiet
, II tho minority will no: acquiesco.' tho mi
I jority must, or the Government must Goa SC
l.. A 6. . /,
j., Government but ncquiescence on the on
s side or tho other. II u minority in such
o case will sccodc rather than acquiesce, tho
}. mako precedent which will in turn rui
Il and divide them, for minority of their ow
c will secodo from them. whenever majorit
j. refuses to be controlled by such minority
For instance, why may not any portion OF
II new confederacy year or two hence, arb
(. trarilv secodo again, precisely as portions q
. tho present Union now claim TO seced
q from il 7 All who cherish dIsunion sont
q monts are row being educated to tho exaC
4 tomper of dong this. Is there such pei
i feet identity OF jntarests among the State
d to compose a now Union, as to produc
J. harmony only and prove2t new secession
!. Plainly, tho contrai idea Of secession Is tn
d essence OF anarchy. A majority hold in re
straint by constitutional checks aud limI
tations, and always changing easily with dc
!. liberato changes of popular opinions an,
sentiments, is tho only true sovereign Of
j FREQ people, Whoever rejects il, does o
o necessity fly to anarchy or daspo,ism.- =
: Unanihity is impossible. Tho will of tn
;. minority, as u permanent agrecmont,
II wholly inadmissable, so that rejecting tn
}. majority principle, anarchy or dcspotism
| some form is all that is left.
d I do not forget tho position assumed b
4. some thar Constitutional objections are
W be decided by the Supreme Court, nor do
!. deny that such decisions must be bindir
n. in any case to tho parties to suit as to tt
r. object Of that suit, whilo they are also el
<. titled to very high respect and consider
a. tion in all parallel cases by other depar
rt ,nents of tho government; and whilo /:
o. obviously possible that such decision mi
n. be erroneous in any given case, still Il
IS evil effect following it being limited to I'll
nd particular case, with tho chance that it mi
n be overrulod and never become procedo
IN for other cases, can better DO borno tbI
could tho evils of different practice.
". tho same time tho candid citizen must co
os fcss that If tho policy of tho governmo
as upon tho vital question affecting the who
,ss people is to be irrevocaLly fixed by tho d