M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1862-12-18


cDunciated 2 1t is that ordinances OF
secession are void, that the Union ia
mistaken, that Stateo do net ana cen
not rebel, but individuals within tie
States may by guilty Of insurrection
Or rebellion against the laws of the
Union.
The Union is, therefore, in the iudg.
ment Of constitutional law, perfccr
now as it ever was, and composed oil
thirty four States held in their posi-.
ton as snch by the Constitution, and
with all their rights I'D separate polit
ical communities to control their own
domestit institutions, and to enact and
maintain all laws not in conflict with
the grant OF power to the Federal
Government. All resistance in any
Of the Statce to the laws of the Union
IS the act OF individuals, although
the entire peoplo Of State may unite
in that resistance.
II ordinancea Ct secession are not
void under tho Constitution, as Mr..
Lincoln held, and as the people OF the
Nocth held with him, the only con
ceivable alternative is that such ordi
nanccs arc constitutioually valid and
efectual, and tie luovitable conse-
Quence Is that among the millions Of
people now engaged in resisting the
laws of the United States, Jefferson
Davis himself could not bo convicted
Of treason. The instant We admit Il
State ordinance Of secession 10 be val
id, the instant we admit it to have
any legal or constitutional result what
over, the allegiance Of the Individual
to the Union is dissolved, and bis al.
lcgiancc becomes due to the seeding
State of whicll he is Ii citizen. To al.
NIT that Tho secession of State has a
single spark of constitutional vitality,
and at the samGtime to deny the right
aud the duty of the citizen to follow
his State and to give to it all his alle
gi0nce, is to utter o contradiction in
the very terms Of the proposition
We say, therefore, that allegiance is
due to the Union because ordinances
OF secession are Of No force and effect
whatever, anil are to be disregarded,
to every intent and purpose, as much
as if they had never been passed..
The controversy If Our government
is with individuals and not with the
States, which remain as before, mem
bers of the Union. in the language
Of Mr.. Lincoln, "The Union is nj
broken" in any constitutional sense,
although there is o vast instruction
Of disafected individuals. Upon this
theory war TO put down the insur.
rection is just, and it cannol be justi
fled upon any other.
Let us now look at the proclamation
OF the President, which has startled
the nation and aroused q fresh inqui.
ry into the powers Of the government
and tho lights Of States, communities
and citizens. No one can fail to sec
at q glance that II overeaps the Con,
stitution and sets Up porpotua(ly 10 all
tho States to which it applies the pow
er and authority not given TO the gen
eral government, but Gacrodly rcsorv.
cd to the people in all States, 1t has
never been supposed that even in the
dreams Of the widest enthusiast that
the people OF the several States might
not, at their pleasure, abrogate or
maintain the institution of slavery
within their respective limits. The
right of the State OF New York so to
amend her own constitution and laws
as to re establish slavery how Ss she
ever maintained it, is unqucstiolable
and unquestioned; and the same pow
or OF regulation and control belong to
the thirty.fOur States of this Union.
The States in which the people are
engaged in iusurrectiOn against the
laws Of the United States, form no ox-
ception to this proposition, because,
as have shown, and as Mr. Lincoln
has proved, 'the Union is upbroken,
and the States, as political societies,
remain with all their rights under the
Constitution. But the proclamation
declares that after the first day of Jan
uary next this right Of self.govern.
ment in States shall cease. not merely
during the existing war, but forever;
and he pledged the government of the
United States to maintain the pledge
in all time to come.
Now to place the sabject in a light
so clear that no mind can 90 astray
let US suppose that OF the first day Of
February next, the proclamation being
in full force, our armies in the field
and ready for a conquering march
through the Southern States, the rebels
conclude to lay down their arms and
submit to the laws and authority oI
the Union. Let US suppose also that
they choose Representatives and Sen
n d.