Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1861-03-08
NO. 49,.


these views that no State, upon its own mer,
motion, can lawfully get out of the Union
! that resolves and ordinances to that effect ar
legally void ami that acts of violence, within
any States or State against the authority o
the United States, are insurrectionary or rev
olutioRaFy according 10 circumstances.
! I, therefore consider that in view of thu
Constitution and laws, the Union is uubrOken
and TO the extent of my ability, shall take
care as the Constitution itself expressly en-
joins on me, that the laws Of the Union be
! faithfully executed in all the States Doing
this deem TO be only simple duty on my
| part and shall perform it 50 far as practical
/ bic, unless my rightful masters, th3 American
{ people. snail withhold the req 4isite means, OF
! in some manner dir, ct the contrary
| trust this will not be regarded ss q men
ace but only as the declared parpoSe OF the
Union. that it will coastitutionally defend and
maintain itself In doing this there need be
no bloodshed or violence, and there shall be
none unless il 5e forced upon the national an
thority. The power confided to me will be used
to hold, occupy, and possess the property and
places belonging to the Government, to collect
duties and imposis; bat beyond what may be
necessary for these Objects, there will be no in
vasion no using Of force against OF among the
people any vhere! ...f. -.....
Where hostility to the United States in AIRY
interior locality, shall be so great and so un-
versal as to prevent competent resident cit:-
zeHs from holding federal offers, there will no
attempt be Iflade To force obnoxious strangers
lnfong the people that object. While the
strict legal right may exist in the Government
TO enforce the exercise Of these offices, the at
tempt to do so wnuid be SO Irritating, and 50
.-Arly impructica3le withal, that deem it
h tier to furegO for time the uses Of such
o.Iiaes. +- ..t
The mails unIcss repellcd, will continue to
be furnished in all points of the Union, and 81
far as possible the people every VIII re shall
have that sense Of perfect security. which is
most favorable TO cisliA thoughts, and refec
ti0n.
The course here indicated viii be followed
unless current events and experience viii show
y modification or chnnge to lJe proper; aud in
every case and exigency my best discretion
viii be eXercis ID according TO circumstances
actually existing, aud with view and a hope
Of peaceful SO ution of the natioral troubles;
and the rt'stora ion Of the lralernal sympAthies
and affections. ..t r..
That there arc p2rsous in one section or an
other vho SEEK to d stroy the Unio ut all G.
vents and are glad of any pretext to do it, |
will neither affirm or Lepy: but If there be ch,'
1 need address them NJ word To thos,, how
ever, who really love the Onion, may not
speak? Before en'ering upon 50 grave u mat
ter as destruction of our national fabric, with
all its benefits, lis memories and hopes, would
it not be wise to ascertain previously why we
do? VIII you hazard desperate step viii
| there is any possibility that any portion Of the
ills you fly from have no II a. exisence? While
the certain ills you fly to are greater shan all
the real ones you fly Eom, will you risk the
commission of so fearful a mistak !?
All profess to be content with the
Union, if all constitutional rights can
Le maintained is it trne, then, that any
right, plainly written in the Coastitu-
ton, has been denied think not
| Happily the human mird is SO constitu.
teo that no paYty can each to the auia-
city OF doing this. Think, if you can,
of single instance "a which a plainly
written provision of the constitution has
ever been denied. If by the m ere fore.
of numbers majority Shall deprive a
minority of any clearly written Hsti
tu,ional right, it might, in a m oral point
Of view, Justify revolution. 1t GER
tainly would if such tight were a vital
one. But such is not our course. All
the vital rights Of miRolities srd Of in
dividuals are so plaiuIy assured to them
| by aft ~ al ions and negotiations gdaran-
| ,1I ~
that controversies hever arise concern
ing them. Bnt no organic law can be
framed with a provision Specifi :ally ap-
plicable to every question which may
occur in practical administration. No
foresigh hit can anticipate, nor any Gocu-
ment OF reasonable length contain ex-
press provisions for all possible ques-
tions. Shall fugitivcs from- labor I've
surrendered by national or State antho-
rity, the Constitution does moi expressly
say. May Congress prohibit slavery ia
the Territories? The Constitution does
not expressly say. May Congress pro-
tect slavery in the Territories? The
Constitution does not expressly say.
From questions of this class sprang
all our Constitutions controversies and
we divide them into majorties and mi
norities. If the minority will not ac-
quiesce the majority must or the govern
ment must cease. Thee i, no other al
tentative for cortinuiDg the government
but acquiescence Oh the one side or the
other. If q minority in such case will
secede rather than acquiesce, they make
a precedent which in turn will divide and
ruin them, for a minority of their own
will secede from them whenever a ma
lioIity refuses to be controlled by such a
minority. For instance, why may not
any portion OF new Con:ederacy, a
year or two hence arbitrarily secede
again precisely as portions of the pres
cnL Union now claim to secede from it ?
All who cherish disunion sentiments
are now being educated to the exact
temper OF doing this. Is there such
perfect identity of interests among the
States to compose new Union as to pro-
dure harmony only and prevent renewed
secession Plainly the central idea of
secession is she essence OF aIarchy.
A majority held in restraint by con-
stitutional checks aud Limitations, and
always changing easily with the deliber
ate changes ofpOpular Of inions and sent
iment, 10 the only true sovereignty Of a
free people. Whoever rejects it does Of
necessity, ay to anarchy or despotism.-
Unauimity is impossible. The rule of a
minority as a permanent arrangement is
wholly inadmissible; so that rejecting the
majority principle. anarchy and dcspot-
isul, in some form, is all that is lett.
do not forget the position assumed by
some, that Constitutional questions are
are to be decided by the Snpreme Court;
nor do deny that such decisions must
be binding in amy case npon the parties
to suit, as TO the Object Of that suit;
while they are also entitled to very high
=. IA .. n 4