The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-02-06
Repeat of the RESOLUTIONS of 1859.

/
passed in the Assembly by vote of "a to u
The nays were o. Brown, S. Hanson, Mills,
TAYLOR Upham, Webb and Williams
( WHEREAS, The language OF Joint resolution
number 4, adopted by the Legislature of 1859,
is in some of its parts identical with those of the
| Kentucky resolutions OF I19o,
| AND WHEREAS, Such language is liable to be
so misconstrued and perverted as to lead to
misrepresentation of the purpose of its adoption,
and to favor secession,
AND WHEREAS, There is evidence in the fact
| Of such Kentucky resolutions having been
endorsed by and incorporated into and made
part of several of the Democratic National and
State platforms, and especially by that recently
promulgated by the Democratic State Conv en-
tlon of Indiana, that the true intent and me an
ing Of such language has been misconstrued and
perverted, therefore
ReSOtUed by the assembly, the Senate Concur
ring That we regard the action of the rebellious
States of this Government, in their attempt to
destroy the Union by the pretended lawful
right Of secession, as unwarranted by the spirit
of the Constitution, and utterly subversive of
the well established principles Of good govern
ment
Resoiyed, That no State Of this Union has a
right to defy or resist the laws of the Federal
Government, but should yield a willing and
hearty support to the enforcement of the laws,
unless Snch taoS unjust or deleteriOuS in their
operation, in which case the only rightful rem
! edv lies in their repeal or lawful abrogation.
ReSOiUed, That joint resolution No. A, of the
Legislature of Wisconsin, of the year 1853, gin
theory enunciates the dangerous doctrine of
qualification and resistance to the lawfully con-
stituted authorities of the Federal Government
and are incompatible with the safety and per-
petuity of the Union.
| ReSoloed, That said joint resolu ton No. A. of
the Legislature of this State, of the year 1859,
entitled g jOlnt resolution relative to the decis-
ion Of the Supreme Court Of Wisconsin, be and
the same is hereby repealed.
The Preamble to the Resolutions was adopt
ed in the Senate, much to the disgust Of the
Democratic members, by a vote of Is to 49,
The Resolutions were finally concurred in by
the Senate, in the following vote
Ayes--Messrs Bartlett, Beam Brown, Carey
Cate, Bole, Flint, Foote, Hazelton, Hopkins,
HUMPHREY, Joiner Kelsey, Kingston, SpoOner,
Il S. Thorpe, West and Young--lS.
Noes--Messrs. Clark, Cunning, Hicks ,Hudd,
Keogh, Pratt, Quentin, Rich, and T, o. Thorpe
g.
The Noes, it will be noticed. are all Demo
Gratis.
We think it was the pant of wisdom to rel cal
the Resolutions. Under present circumsta noes,
they were not necessary nor appropriate At
the time they were passed they were correct
in theory and called for by the continued acts
Of usurpation by the General Government, while
in the hands of such traitors as Buchanan, Floyd,
jeff Davis Mason Slidell, Stephens, and others
who at that time were prostituting the General
Government to the purposes of treason and dis
union. They were the solemn protest of the
people of a State against the usurpatiOns of the
slave power The course of the men who at
that time controlled the national administration
shows bat too clearly the necessity there was
OF the strongest protest against the assumptions
of the General Government. Had it not been
for such protests in VARIOUS State Legislatures,
and the general uprising of the people OF the
free States, there is little reason to doubt that
the liberties and rights Of the entire North
would have been gradually undermined and de-
stroyed, leaving no means of self preservation
but actual revolution or revolt from the General
Government.
In this view of the subject, the resolutions of
1859 were right and proper. Those Resolutions
never looked to secession or the destruction of
the Government as their ultimate. Nor did the
men whe voted for them ever contemplate such
a state of things as the result OF the position
then taken. They simply entered solemn pl O.
test against certain entertainments of the slave
power that were patent to all.
The slave power now, however this strug gle
may eventuate, is thoroughly crushed and bro
ken and we need no logger fear lis encroach-
ments upon our liberties Hence the propriety
of repeating the resolutions. They related to
st ate of things that no longer exists, and one
that there is no human probability ever will
again exist in this country.