Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1861-02-16
Secession and Treason.

The Wausharu A1yus Of the 9th in
slant rallies to the defense of its fl vor-
c doctrine Of the right Of a State to Sc
cede, at will, from the Union, in an ar
ticle Of two columns, in which it rather
severely reviews an article disputing
that right, which appeared in late is
sue Of this paper. We confess, how
ever, our inability to understand the
force of the argument advanced by the
A1gus.
We are well aware that the people
did not, in their collective capacity,
vote upon the question of ratifying the
Federal Constitution-that the "wbole
matter was the work of agents or con-
ventions ;" but these conventions were
authorized by the people to reflect their
will, and the action of the former was
endorsed and approved by the lat
ter,-ifnot in express terms by pop
ular vote, still by an uninterrupted ac-
quiescence for eighty years. And it is
none the less an endorsement BIZ the
people, because the States, or the peo-
pie of each State ratified separately, for
the simple reason, that at that time the
States acre sovereign and independent,
united only by common ancestry, and
by the memory of common struggle
for independence; and the question
was necessarily submitted to each sep
crately, for the purpose Of asccrtaining
whether all were willing to become par
ties to 'more perfect union" But,
the union once agreed upon, the con-
stitution once ratified by the people of
the States, respectively, and a govern
ment of the people of all the States,
was formed, which can only be chang
ed by revolution and We repeat the
declaration heretofore made, that q
State has no more right to secede, than
she has to remain in the union and null
lily the laws. If the people did not
ratify the constitution, and a State
therefore has right to seccde, then
ouls IS no government Of the people,
the laws thereof have no binding force
upon the people, and a State, or the
people thereof, may disregard, or nul-
ify them at will, and yet commit no
offence which the government has pow
er to punish. From this doctrine, to
which the premises of "our brother"
would newt ably drive us, we beg
leave to dissent.
But the z1ryts says =
"Congrcss has only the right to make
laws regulating the affairs between the
States, between citizens Of different
States, and between the Federal gov
eminent and foreign nations. Such
Jaws the Federal government may en-
force throughout the limits of the con-
feieracy as 1t e.cists at the time 1t Is
necessary to enforce them"
Under our complex system Of gov
crnment, the States reserve and exer-
else all power not expressly granted
but according to the Argus, among
the powers delegated is the Fright to
make laws regulating the affairs be-
tween the Federal government and
foreign nations" and to enforce such
laws "tbroughout the limits of the con-
federacy, as it exists at the time it is
necessary to enforce them.'' But, if
a State has the right to secede, and
chooses to exercise that right, the ne
cessity to enforce the law within her
limits must cease the moment she pass
es an ordinance proclaiming her con-
nection with the Union at an end. In
other words, the existence of the enc
cessity" upon the part of the Federal
Governm ent 10 enforce the laws
throughout the confederacy depends
altogether upon the consent of the
States respectively. The Government
may enforce the revenue avs at tile
ports of Charleston and New York, if
in the judgment Of the sovereign States
q New York and South Carolina. the