The Placer herald., 1865-09-09
so construed as to give unlimited powers. nor a

so construed rs to give unlimited powers. nor
part Oi them to be taken, rs 10 destroy the whole
residue OF the instrument That the proceeding
Of the general government under col r OF those
articles will be fit and necessary subject for re-
visll and correction at time OF great tranquiii-
ty. while those specified in the preceding resolu-
tlons 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 hest endelvorS to procure
at the next session OF congress repeal OF the
aforesaid unconstitutional and obnoxious acts.
Resolved. lastly, That the Governor OF this
commonwealth be, and is authorized aud 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 specified in their Late federal compact. to
be friendly 10 the peace, happiness, and prosper
ity OF all the States -th 1t faith ul 10 that com.
pact. according to the plain in'cnt and meaning
in which it was understood and accedrd 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
ernmen. and transfer them TO IA gene ;ll AN con.
solidited government. without regard to the
special delegations and reservations. solemnly
agreed to in that compact. is not Tor the pelce.
happiness and prosperity OF these states And
that. therefore. this commonwe lh is determined,
rs IL doubts not it co-stttes are, TO submit to un.
delegated and consequently to unlimited powArs
III no man. or body OF mn. earth; that it the
acts before specified should stand. thes. conclu-
sions would grow from them. that the general
government may placrany act they think proper
on the list OF crimes aud punish it themselves.
whether enumerated or not enumerated by the
constitution cognizablc by them. th,t they may
transfer its cognz .nce to the President or any
other person. who nay himself b.. the accuser,
counsel. Judge and llry. whose suspicious my be
the evidence his order the sentence, his officer
the eXecutiOner. and his bre st he sole record of
the transaction. that very numerous ana vlu-
able descr ption OF the inhabitants of these states.
being by these precedent- reduced as outlaws to
the absolute dominion of one IN n. and the bar
riers OF the constitution thus swept from us all
no rampant now rem ,ins against the passions aud
the power OF 4 m Ijoriiy Of Congress to protect
from like expectation or other grrvons punish
ment the minority of the s,me 10 iy. the legis,-
lures. judges. governor and counselors of the
states. nor their other ppaceable inhabitants who
may venture to reclaim the constitutional rights
ana Liberties OF tn" states and people, or who for
other causes, good or bad. MY he obnoxious TO
the views or m rked by the suspicious OF the
President. or to lie thought dangerous to his or
their election or other interest. public or person.
al; that the trienllcss alien b ,s been selected as
the safest SUI ct OF Il first experiment, bnt the
citizen Will soon follow. or rather has already
followed; for. already has Il scdilion act IN rked
him ns its prey. That these and successive acts
OF the stmr ch rictcr, unss arrcs' ed at he thres-
holt may tend to drive these states into r"vou.
lion and plOod and will iurnish new c.lum lies
against republican government. and new pretexrs
Tor those who wish it to he believed thit MN
cannot ne governed but by rod Of iron; that it
would be d lngerous dclusion were Il confidence
IN the men OF our choice to silence our fears for
the safety OF our rights; that confidence is every
where the parent OF deSpotism: free government
is founded in jealousy aud not in coufience it s
jealousy and not confidence which prescrib.s
limited constitutions to bind dow those whom
we are obliged to trust with power that our con.
situton has fixed the limits TO which. and no fur
thrr our confidence my go; aud let the honest
advocate OF confidence read the alien and selition
acts. ana say if the constitution has not been wise
in liking limits to the government it ere ted IN
whether we should be wise in wing those
limits! Let him say what the government is. if
it be not Il tyranny. which the men of our choice
have conferred upon The President and the Pres
ldent OF our choice has asSented to and accepted
ovcr the friendly strangers. to whom the mild
spirit oil our country and its laws have pledged
hospitality and protection; hat the men OF our
choice have more respected the bare suspicious OF
the President than the solid ri ehts Of innocence.
the clIims oi Justification. the sacred force OF
truth. and tn" form and substance of law and jus
tlcc. III gu StlOnS oil power. then let no more bn
heard OF confidence in MN. but bind him down
from mischief by the chains OF the constitution
That this commonwealth does therefore call on
its cOStites tor an expression of their sentiments
on the acts concerning aliens, and for punishment
OF certain crimes h"rcinbriore specified pl tny
dcc ring whether these are or are not authorizn al
by the Federal compact. And it doubts not ia It
their sense Will be announced to prove their
attachment nntltercd to limited government,
whether general or PARTICULAR, and that the rights
and liberties OF their co states will he exposed to
nodingerS by rrn.nng embarked on common
bottom with their own. Bat they will concur with
this commonwealth in considering the said acts
as so palpabc against the constitution as 70
amount to IN nndisguised decldrttion that the
Om.Iact is not meant to he the measure Of the
power OF the general government, but that it will
proceed in the exercise over these states of all
powers whatsoever. That they will view this II.
seizlng the rights of the states and cunsol .ing
them in the hun Is of the general government,
with the power assumed to bind the states. not
merelv in Gases mirie Federal. but in all cases
whatsoever by laws made not with their consent
but hy others against their consent; that this
would be to surrender the form OF government
we have chosen, md living under one deriving
lis power from i's own will and uot from our Al
thorny; and th,f the CO states recurring to their
natura! rights il c,ses not m idr Federal will con
cur in dec llrin. these void aud of no force aud
will each unite with this commonwealth in re-
qucSting their repeal at the next session of Con