Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-01-04
TIE igsUnPArIesg

a n biek tiihe ttAt ne ysshibgton Usurpation
~ ay.ndkAed HE pretense that tbey have any au-
5ritJ fro8 tIi1 Fede8i Consfifntion, the theory
"a he ethmeht, o. the views and, intentions OF
its founders, for the war they are waging. They
get no credit for the assumption anywhere. 1t isa
matter well understood now, even in Europe, that
thsE.srs szurcisius .usuFyed powers, not ofiy I'M
provided by the Constitution they falsely declare
themselves endeavoring to maintain. pV antag9nis-
tic to its every feature and inevitably destructive
of it. There could be no more scaihing commenla.
ry on the conduct of these men, than the debate
which occurred aIpong the framers Of that
ment, when discussing the nature. of the powers
that should be conferred upon the accredited agent
Of the States the general government This de-
bate furnishes too, the most inallible authority re-
garding the cotemporary construction placed upon
all delegations of power that have been wrested IN
to giving the government the right to wage war
upon any of the sovereign States who are or were
parties to Unconstitutional compact. "a
In the year 1871. on the 29th of May, Mr.. Ran
dolph appearing the advocate of strong govern
ment very mach to the surprise of some of his
more democratic colleagues introduced a proposi5
ton to confer upon Congress the dangerous power,
" to negative all laws passed by the several States
contraseaing in the opinion of the national legisr
lature, the articles of Unon or any treaty subsis-
ting under the articles of Union and to call for the
force of the Union against any State falling TO full
gil its duty under the articles thereof" Mr.. Ma
SOB immediately moved 20 postpone the proposition
to authorize force, and said: "The more reflect
on the OF force, the more doubt the practical
bility justice and efficiency of it when applied to
people collectively The use of force against State
would look more hike declaration Of war than an
infiiction of punishment and would be considered
dissolution of the previous compact by which it
might be bound" s-4'J ...-.,t = .ass u q
Mr.. Mason said g The most Earring elements Of
nature, fire and water, themselves, are not more in
compatible than such mixture of civil Liberty and
military execution. Will the militia march from
one State to another for the purpose? Will not the
citizens of invaded States assist one another until
they rise one man, and shake off the hated Union
altogetherg' atFaf-r-.
Mr. Ellsworth, from New England, said 80" No
doubt coercive principle is necessary for the Union
but it is question whether it will be a coercion OF
law or a coercion of arms. Where will those who
are in favor of coercion of arms come out? Anec-
cssary consequence of their principle is of the
States, one against the other | am for coercion by
law. Attempt to execute the laws of the Union by
sending armed force against delinquent State,
and it would involve us in untold calamities."
Hamilton said: I" II has been observed, to coerce
States OF the widest projects that has ever
been devised. A failure of compliance with the
laws Of the Union will never be confined to single
State. This being the case would it wise to hazard
civil war? Suppose Massachusetts,, or any large
State, should refuse, and Congress should attempt
to compel, would they have influence to procure
sisance from those States that are in the same stu
alton with themselves? What picture does this
idea present to view? We should have a nation at
war with ITSELF Can any reasonable man be we'll
disposed towards government which makes war
and carnage the means of supporting itseltg"
We now have the result of an effort to carry out
the coercive proposition of Mr.. Randolph, which
rejected at the time of its being offered by an
overwhelming majority. The mixture of civil
liberty and military execution" referred to by Mr.
Mason, has been tried by the abolition usurper, and
has resulted in the predicted calamity of "a nation
at war with itself"
When an impartial history of this conflict shall
be written and the acts of the Lincoln dynasty shall
be scrutinized the world will stand aghast at the
extent of that blind faulty that could have induced
the grossest perjury in the violation of official
oath by the President notwithstanding the lights
designed to guide his judgment were as papable
and unclouded as the sun Richmond Eng. g oil