Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-09-30

unless State makes open war upon the On
ion, IL Is doubtful whether the General Gov
eminent has power TO compel the severa
States TO remain in the Union. From whenc.
came this perelv7ing doubt and how comes |.
stamped with democratic authority. Ifthere
be anything in the doubt, then the Republi
I can resolutions OF our State Legislature trui,
/ condemned in the address, are sound. The
/ dogma came from Southern nulli6ers, and nc
cloud Of justification viii ever persuade the
! clear American mind that they were iucoTnpe.
/ tent to defend their own government, thefr
! civil institutions, and their hereditary fran
/ chises.
! The incompetent powers of the old Confed-
/ Grafton plainly demonstrated the necessity OF
a change in this particular, and furnished a
/ cogent reason for the adoption of the consti-
tuition. the necessary authority of our gov
eminent in questions of State insubordina-
I lions was strenuously affirmed by the demo-
cratic party OF this State all through the
Booth trials, aud the adjudicatous growing
/ out Of that controversy. The constitution i
! the same now as then, and why should anv
/ countenance be now given to Il doctrine
/ which We then denounced as revolutionary.
/ The second resolution commences bv ap-
proving of - lrdr for the defense of the
/ Union. The questions which these resolu-
/ ticns habtualIy elude is tie present aear, with
/ attack upon sumter. Here is a mighty strug-
/ gle for national existence, honor and posteri-
/ terty. Are you for or against il ? If the
| latter, what beats the eXtenuating and quail
! flying casuistFies with which YOU seek 10 dis
/ guise sentiment YOU dare not to announce
/ Is the present war that heaven-approyed con-
/ test upon which YOU invoke the blessing of
/ Almighty Cod, or Is ii as unholy a war as
| ambition could devise or tyranny intiict !"
I L..
/ drop all vagueness and become explicit on
| this point, the world will not respect the YER
I bhge which stands godfather for your patri-
/ otism.
| This resolution is followed b7 laborions Gia-
tribes upon the violated constitution, military
usurpation, official imbecility, and the duty
/ which some day may devolye upon the people
/ TO take the law into their own hands. As
nearly two columns of them have been pub
/ Hshed daily in a Milwaukee organ a. the very
| acme OF democratic wisdom, they must be IA
miliar to all who peruse that respectable Jour
nal (Tne fate OF this journal is a remarkable
! instance of mutability in political affairs. It
/ has been engaged lately in reading democrats
| out Of the party, ami is now excommunicatcd
/ itself by the potent edict of the author Of
the PLATFORM The rabid character of the
points, nevertheless, entitle them to as brief
| a repetition as this extended address will adj
nit. Take the following extracts as a sample
of the whole:
ssBut that waged by the Federal Government
20 reduce sovereign states 20 provincial deueudeu-
cy. subvert the rights secured by the Cousttu-
ion to the several States aud the people thereof
under prctence OF maintaining both, would be :
anholy war ambition could devise tyranny
lntiict.
g. ResoZr,d That while W. believe that The slave
holding States had received long and grevuuE
ocation, by assaults upon their Cons rtutiou-
Al rights by Northern aboiitionism, the originai
sod nT III ~frTTE
raging, yet We believe the revolt
Add that the present Federal Administration, in
coudu citing he present var, mas the world fu
doubt whether their principal object Is restore
tie Constitution a the South to subyert il at
She North. The history OF the world has rarely
srowu srosser more - steEnatic abuse of dee
gated aGd limited powers or more iusoleut as
sImF-i n Of arbitrary power b. the Constitutional
servants OF the people.
Our fathers founded he Constitution, and if
5hose charged with the DIN trst;on OF the Fed
era Government should he so insane and guilty As
power against the rights Of the States
and the people OF the North, we FULLY believe that
they viii ind the Srea- masses OF the Northern Peo
pie without distinction of srty, worthy OF the
Constitution ~ supporting If, and worthy OF the
fathers who founded it. By Initiating their example
out of the Union shan Government above she
Constitution ana he laws
These guarantees have been systematically VIC
,asrd bv the present federal administration Not
rate asSum. -lIon OF the President of the United
; rates aud his subordinates, civil and military,
their judgment it may seem ezpedieut.
And We hold that every deliberate violation Of
the gopulaT liberty private right by the Presi-
constitution which Will be followed BY just cousti-
tuJonai punishment, il peace aud constitutional
rider should Yer again reign IN cur distracted
Man other oaiela3 acts Of congress, The presidea,
md as suHord4aaJes, not only tend 10 show con
lracy 90 establish, but II executed do Of taoi-
.wJ. Iorce auisn = military des otlsn on he
rains o. The coHsI u7iun.
There are attendant phrases clustering
a,ound these appeals to a spirit OF contuma-
cy to recommend them TO public federation.
TINS only makes them more dangerous.
Now, such are some OF the insnuatious
which, though not heard of at the time OF
the address, have since been dilated into the
bulk and burden Of political platforms and
oratory. Ii it had been the design to lay our
present form Of Government aside. ii more
revolutionary method OF preparing the public
mind for that event could not have been de-
yised by the ingenuity of our leaders. Ii the
Executive, in the confusion, embarrassment
and blOOdshed OF this mighty struggle for ma
tiOnal existence, commits an act, these self
constituted censOTs pronounce unCOnstitu-
tiOnaI or infractory of State rights, they
meal and "unholy,7 and if Congress or the
President fall into errors, they are TO be de-
nounced as Iawless oppressors, aud the
. great Masses are to initiate the revolution
airy example of their fathers. Another con-
clusion 10 which we are driven by these full
limitations IS that the war against the revolt
ted States has become unhOly ana damnable,
from some cause or other, IN its conduct
and this is the inevitable inference from the
connection of the statement in the second
resolution. There is a constant recurrence
of grievances we have never felt, and they
are repeated at every breath, as if the people
could not otherwise be brought TO believe in
the truth OF the picture. Is this like the
calm transactions Of men resolved to stand
by their rights, their country and tiresides, IN
a moment so humiliating to the loyal AncTi-
can heart:
1t is an often repeated motto that the Presi-
dent Is ameuabe to the laws as we'll as the
private citizen and a vindictive threat Is made
OF bringing him and his officers to punish
ment at some future day. We are not en-
gagged in defense of that officer, but are ex-
posing these resolutions. The main allega-
ton. in connection with this threat of punish
ment Is a direct falsehood. The President
mas never set himself above the law, or de-
Iiberatelv assumed that he had q right to vio-
late the provisions or guarantees of the Con
stitution, as charged upon him in one OF these