The southern aegis, and Harford County intelligencer. (Bel Air, Md.) 1862-1864, 1862-07-12
EXTRACT FROM THE ADDRESS OF
COL. JAMES w. WALL, OF N. j., ON
THE CONSTITUTION AS III Is"

I
Randolph to be given to Congress, but
was by a most decisive vote postponed in
definitely. On the 10Th of May, 1887,
as appears in Elliott's debates, Mr.. Ran
dolph introduced the following propositions:
"That power be given to Congress to neg
alive az! laws passed by the several States,
contrayening in the opinion of the Ma
tional Legislature the articles Of the Union:
or any treaty subsisting under the articles
of the Union: and to have power to call
for the armed force of the Union against
any member of the same failing to fulfil
its duty under the articles thereof"
Mr.. Madison Immediately moved the
indefinite postponement of the proposition,
and said : "Thc more I reflect on the
I use of force; the more doubt the practi-
cability and efficiency of it, when applied
to people collectively. The use Of an
armed force against disobedient State or
States, would look more like declaration
of war than an infection of punishment,
and would be rightly considered dissolu-
ton of the,previoas compacts by which it
might be bound"
Mr.. Madison, in opposing the PROPOSE
ton with great earnestness said: "The
most jarring elements, fire and water, are
not more incompatible than such strange
mixture of civil liberty and military exc
cution. Will themilitia march from one
State to another for the purpose of coer-
cion? If they do, will not the citizens of
invaded States assist one another, until
they rise, and as one man shake off what
they will denounce as the hated Union al
together? If you subjugate them, how
are you to hold them under Constitution
that is to be imposed to insure domestic
tranquility, and promote the general vel
fare 2"
Governor Ellsworth, afterwards Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court of the Uni
ted States, then a member from Connec-
ticut, still more forcibly said:
'No douhta coercion principle is neces-
sary for the Unipn; but it is momentous
question, whethe it shall apply to coer-
cion of laws or Of arms. Where will those
who advocate. military coercion land? A
necessary consequence of their principle
will be eventually a war of States, one
against the other. Attempt to execute
the laws of the Union by sending an arm
ed force against disobedient State or
States, and the nation will be involved in
untold calamities."
Elbridge Gerry said: "Sir, this, if I
understand it, is to be no Government of
force. Fear is essentially the attribute of
the slave. ,Apd the government appeal
ing to this principle for support is already
despotism. Opinion, free, intelligent
opinion, can alone perpetuate our institu-
tions, and when this fails, all that can
maintain them fails. The sword can DIS
sotue, but can meuer cement the Union to-
gether by the Jloodot ats oaon citizens %
General Hamilton still more pointedly
said in the New York Convention "It
has been observed that to coerce States by
military force was one of the widest pro-
jects ever devised. Under tie form of
Government you noo establish, it would
be. A failure to comply with the laws of
the Union will never be confined to- sim
gle State. This being the case, would it
be wise to hazard civil war Suppose Mas
sachusetts, or any other large State. should
refuse to obey the laws of the Union, and
Congress should attempt to coerce, would
not Massachusetts have the influence to
procure assistance from those States living
contiguous? What picture does such
an idea present toiview Can any man
expect to be we'll disposed towards Gov
eminent that would make war, carnage
and desolation the means Of supporting it.
self?' M
In fact, poimpartial mind can carefully
study the debates of the Constitutional
Conventions, seeking for light, and light
only, without being overmastered by the
conviction that the enlightened trainers
of the Constitution believed that the moral
interpositioa Of. the States, resting on the
force Of reason, and appeals to a sane pub
lie opinion, would redress every grievance
in the practical sppsrations Of the system
they were, aboutito inaugurate. In all
the contemporary discussions in the State
Conventions, upon the adoption of the Con-
stitution--the State Governments are con-
stantly referred to--insisted upon in Mas
sachusetts7 was made part Of the Consti-
tuition: ssthat powers not delegated to the
United States BY the Constitution, nor
prohibited byitto the States, are reserved
to the States respectively or to the people. p
They were to be ultimately not only the
voice but the arm Of public discomfort.
Says Madison, in the Fsderalist, No.