The Placer herald., 1865-10-14

so construed as to give unlimited powers, nor
part of them to be taken, rs to destroy the whole
residue OF the instrument That the proceeding
of the general government under color OF those
articles will be fit and necessary subject for
vis;l and correction at a time OF great tranquil
tv, while those specified in the preceding resOu-
tions call for immediate redress.
Resolved, That the preceding resolutions be
transmitted 10 the senators and representatives
in Congress from the commonwealth, who are en-
Joined to present the same to their respective
houses and 10 use their best endeavors to procure
at the next session of congress repeal OF the
aforesaid unconstit tutionul and obnoxious acts
Resolved, lastly, That the Governor Of this
commonwealth be, and is authorized and request
ed to communicate the preceding resolutions to
the legislatures OF the several states, to assure
them that this commonwealth considers union for
specified national purposes. and particularly for
those specited in their late federal compact, to
be friendly 10 the peace, happiness, and prosper
itv of all the States-thlt faithful to that COM
pact according to the plain intent and meaning
in which it was understood and accedcd to by
the several parties. it is sincerely anxious for its
preservation; that it does also believe that to
take from the states all the powers of sell gov
ernment. and transfer them to a gene al and con-
soldated government. without regard to the
special delegations and reservations, soemnly
agreed TO in that compact, is not Tor the peace
happiness and prosperity OF these states. And
as it doubts not it co-states are, to submit to un
delegated and consequently to unlimited powers
in no man. or body OF men, on earth; that II the
acts before specified should stand, these concu
sons would grow from them. that the general
government may place any act they think proper
on the list OF crimes and punish 1t themselves,
whether enumerated OF not enumerated by the
constitution cognizablc by them. that they may
transfer its cognzance to the President or any
other person. who may himself be the accuser,
counsel, Judge aud jury. whose suspicious may be
the evidence. his order the sentence, his officer
the eXecutoner. and his breast the sole record OF
the transactions that ii very numerous and valu-
able description of tho inhabitants OF these states,
being by these precedent- reduced as outlaws to
the absolute dominion of one IN N, and the bar
reIS OF the constitution thus swept from us all,
no rampant now remains against the passions and
the power OF nj jOrity OF Congress to protect
from like expectation or other grievous punish
ment the minority of the same body. the le%lsla-
lures. judges. govel nors and cOunselors OF the
states. nor their other peaceable Inhabitants who
may venture to reclaim the constitutional rights
and liberties Of the states aud people, or who for
other causes, good or bad. MY be obnoxious to
the views. or marked by the suspicious OF the
President. or to be though dangerous to his or
their election or other interest. public or person
al; that the trenlIcss alien has been selected as
the safest subject of Il first experiment, but the
citizen will soon follow. or rather has already
followed; for. already has a sediion act IN rk ed
him as It's prey. That these and successive acts
of the character, unless arrested at the TIRES
hold may tend to drive these states into r"volu-
ton and blood, and will furnish new calumneS
against republican government. and new pretexts
for those who wish it to he believed that man
cannot he governed but by rod of iron; that it
would be Il d lngerous delusion were Il confidence
in the men of our choice TO silence our fears for
the safety of our rights; that confidence is every
b,ra il,,p ~ a ont
is founded in jealousy and not in confidence: it is
jealousy and not confidence which prescribes
limited constitutions to bind down those whom
are obi ged TO trust with power. that our con-
sttuton has fixed the limits to which, and no fur
thcr our confidence may go; and let the honest
advocate OF confidence read the alien and sedltlon
acts. and say it the constitution has not been wise
in fixing limits to the government it ted. an
whether we should be wise in destroying those
limits? Let him say what the government s. If
it be not a tyranny. which the men OF our choice
have conferred upon the President. and the Pres
ident of our choice has assented to and accepted
ovcr the friendly strangers, to whom the mild
spirit Of our country and its laws have pledged
hospitality and protection; that the men OF our
choice have more respected the bare suspicious OF
the President than the solid tights Of innocence,
the claims OF Justification. the sacred force OF
truth. aud the form and substance of law and jus
tce. In qu stions OF power. then. let no more he
heard OF confidence in man. but bind him down
from mischief by the chains Of he constitution
That this commonwealth does therefore call on
its cO-Statcs for an expression Of their sentiments
on the acts concernin aliens, and for punishment
OF certain crimes hereinbciore specified, plainly
declaring whether these are or are not authorized
by the Federal compact And it doubts not that
their sense will be so announced rs to prove their
attachment unaltercd to limited government,
whether general or partculIr and that the lights
and liberties of their states will he exposed to
nc dangers by remaining embarked on common
bottom will their own. But they will concur with
this commonwealth in considering the said acts
rs so palpablc against the constitution as to
amount to an undsgused declaration that the
compact is not meant to he the measure Of the
power of the general government, but that it viii
proceed in the exercise over these states Of all
powers whatsoever. That they will view this aS
Seizing the rights Of the states and oidating
them in the hands Of the general government,
with the power assumed to bind the states. not
merely in cases made Federal. but in all cases
whatsoever. by laws made not wit their consent
but by others against their consent; that this
would be to surrender the form OF government
W. have chosen, md living under one deriving
it's power from rs own will. aud not from our all-
thority; and that the states recurring to their
natura! rights il c.,ses not made Federal will con
cur in decarin. these void and Of no force, and
will each unite with this commonwealth in re-
qucsting their repeal at the next session OF Con
grets.