The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-09-30

the doc;Tsne of Aislisioeisni or Fansticism Of
any kintise -
? Bat seIf-respectas well as duty to yor, re-
qui7e that weshouid state briefly, and candid
iyi the reasons hy we are tb;is bippelled to
withheld our votes from Mr.. Vallapdigham,
and which, peFhaps, in ordinary times We
might pass by III silence even if unable to
approve, for the reason that such views, al
though entertained by the candidate. would
never End an opportunity to BE made effect
i've, and could not influence tie people of
other States. not theIs, as now, in rebellion
First. W cannot support Mr.. Vallandig-
ham, bee. use in his speech in Congress, Feb.
20, 1861, he said;
g 1t is vain to tell me that States cannot
secede. Seven States hare seeded. In three
months their agents and commissioners will :
return from Europe with the recognition of
Great Britain and France, and of the other
powers OF the Continent (Vallandigham
Record, p.76.)
-Agam Secession has been tried, and has
proved speedy and terrible success. The
praetcabllity of doing it, aud the way to 60
it, have been establishsti.'' (Record, D. To
Agai8. !" II aEy one or more of the States
of this Union should seeede-for reason of
the suffieiency of which, Lefore God and the
great tribunal of history, they alone may
judge-inuch as l should deplore it, l never
would as a Representative in the Congress of
the United States, vote one dollar of money
whereby one drop of American blood should
be she'd in a civil war.g tRecord, p. 91)
gam, There is not man in this House
fit TO be a representative here, who does rot
know that the South cannot be forced to-
yield obedience to your laws and authority
again"
Agqial, " Accordingly, have not voted for
an y Hill any
Appropriation bill, since the meeting of Con-
gress on the 4th OF July, 1851" (Record,
P. 147.)
4gqm, Stop fighting; make an armistice,e
no formal treaty. Withdraw your armies
from the seeded St0ses Recall your feet.
break up your blockades," &c, &c. (Page
200)
To these aud kindred sentiments held ald
uttered by Mr.. yaliandgham from the be-
ginning of our troubles and now prominently
| thrust forward by him, We cannot subscribe
believing them to be a1ri-D Democratic and sub
| versive Of the Government and all the bes
interests of the people. We prefer rather
adhere 10 the ancient landmarks SO truthfuiy
pointed out and firmly maintained by Andrew
jackson in his contest with South Carolina III
1892, as ovinced by the following deelaration
OF principles found in his Proclamation OF
Decem her II, 1882, and his Message Of JAN
uary II, 1888.
Il consider" says Gen. jackson, "the
/ power to annul law of the United States
1 assumed by one State. 20 be incompatible with
the existence OF the e. ion, eontradicted ex-
| presslv by the letter of the Constitution, un-
authorized by its spirit, inconsistent with ev-
cry principle on which it is founded, ard de-
structiye of the 6rst object for which it was
1 formed.''
| - Il L
nature oil the Constitution which they say is
4 aeompaet beJw JweensoSereign States, who have
| preserved their whole sovereignty, and there
fore are subjects to no superior; that, because
they made tie compact, they can break it
1 when, IN their opinion, it has been departed
from by other States. Fallacous as this course
of reasoning is, 1t enlists State pride, and fluids
advocates ii the honest prejudiees of those
who have not studied the nature of our Gov
| ernment sufficiently to see the radical error on
which it rests"
/" To say that any State may at pleasure se-
cede from the Union, is to say that the Uni
ted States are not nation; because it would
be a solecisn to contend that any part of
patton might dissolve its connection with the
other parts 10 their injury ard ruin, without
committing an offensen =
" Secession, like any other revolutionary act,
oppression; but to call ii a constitutional right
is confeunding the meaning of terms, and can
only be done through gross error"
q Men of the best intentions and soundest
views may differ in the construction of some
parts of the Constitution; but there are others
on which dispassionate reflection can leave no
doubt. OF this nature appears to be the as
sumed right of secession
The right of the people of a single State
to absolve themselves at viii and without the
consent of the other States, from the most
solemn obligation, and hazard the liberty and
happiness of the millions composing this I'm
ion, cannot be acknowledged. Such authori-
ty IS believed to be utterly repugnant both to
the precepts upon which the General Gov
ernment is constituted and the object which
it is expressly formed to attain.''
hi Again, General Jackson, speaking of the
right and duty of the Government to use
force to prevent secession SAYS:
No one believes that any right exists ira a
single S:ate to involve all the Others in these
and countless other evils contrary to engage
ments solemn]y made. Every one must see
that the other States. in self-defence, must
oppose it at all hazartls.''
Again, speaking of the ordinances passed
by the South Carolina Convention, he says:
This solemn depuncation OF the laws and
authority of the United States, has been fol-
lowed up by a series of acts on the part oi
the authorities of that State, which manifest
determination to render inevitable resori
to those measures of self defence, which the
permanent, duty of the Federal Government
requires,
It's quite unnecessary to multiply quota
tions from eminent statesmen upon this sub
ject. The great heart of the American peo-
pie is not only adverse 10 the doctrine, bui
! unalterably determined to resist it all hazards
and were it not for the fact-lamentable as il
is, that we find the candidate of the party
with which it has always been our pride &c
sct-defantly advocating the right of secession
tie fact Of secession, and thewant of Consiitu
tional power on the part of the General Gov
ernment to prevent it by force; aud distinetll
and sgesagely planting himself on the doctrln,
of the inability ofsth nation to save itsol
from self-destruction, for the want of botl
Constitutional and physical power. and call
ing upolr the Government to a0ttlaauw the
army from what he is pleased to call the sece
ded States and hold au armistice with tn,
rebels insarrns, give up the Mississippi. breal
Iiup the blockade, call home the fleets, ant
..l thus give up all the vantage ground whicl
our braye soldiers have won at the cost of 81
much blood and treasure-were it not, we say
for all this, we might be iustifiab.e in remain
ing silente -Isit denied that this is Mr.. Val
/ landigham,s position ? Read his Record, pub
ishcd and put forth. under his immediate
sanction, and spread broadcast over all tn
States 1t is said that Mr.. Vallandigham'
arrest, trial and banishment was violation
of the Constitutional rights of the citizen
: and that this act Of the Administration mus
I, Va1