The Placer herald., 1865-08-05

80 construed rs to give unlimited powers, nor
| part of them to be taken, as to destroy the whole
residue of the instrument. That the proceeding
Of the general government under color of those
articles will he fit and necessary subject for re-
visal and correction at Il time Of great tranquil
ty, while those specified in the preceding resolu-
tions call for immediate redress.
Resolved That the preceding resolutions be
transmitted TO 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 unconstitutional and obnoxious acts.
Resolved, lastly, That the Governor of this
commonwealth be, and isauthorzed and request
ed to communicate the preceding resolutions to
the legislatures 6f the several states, to assure
them that this commonwealth considers union for
spec fed national purposes. and particularly for
those specified in their late federal compact. to
be friendly TO the peace happiness, aud prosper
ity of all The Sates-that faithful TO that COM
pact. according to the plain intent and meaung
in which it was understood and acceded 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 self gov
ernment. and transfer them to gene III and con-
soidated government, without regard to the
special delegations and reservations solemnly
agreed TO in that compact is not for the peace
happiness and prosperity Of these states. And
that therefore, this commonwe lth is determined
as it doubts not it costltes are, to submit to un
delegated and consequently to unlimited powers
in no man. or body OF men, on earth that il the
acts before specified should stand. thes, conclu-
sons would grow from them, that the general
government may place any act they think proper
on the list OF crimes and punish it themselves
whether enumerated or not enumerated by the
constitution cognizablc by them. that they may
transfer its cognizlnce to the President or any
oil vh ip,sp In, tho
counsel, judge aud jury, whose suspicious may be
| the evidence. his order the sentence, his officer
the eXecuioner, and his breast the sole record of
the transaction that very numerous and valu-
able description OF the Inhabitants Of these states
being by these precedents reduced as outlaws to
the absolute dominion of one m n and the bar
rers OF the constitution thus swept from us all.
no rampant now remains against the passions aud
the power OF minority Of Congress to protect
from 4 like expectation or other grievons punish
ment the minority of the same boly, the legsll
lures, judges. govcl nors and counselors OF the
states. nor their other peacelble inhabitants who
may venture to reclaim the constitutional rights
and liberties OF the states and people, or who Tor
other causes good or bad. my be obnoxious to
the views, or m.rked by the suspicious OF the
President, or to he thought dangerous to his or |
their election or other interest public or person.
al; that the trendcss alien has been selected as
the safest subject OF first experiment. but the
citizen will soon follow, or rather has already
followed; for, already has sedition act ,rk ell
him as its prey. That these AMI successive acts
of the same character, unl"Ss arres ed at the thres
| hold may tend to drive these states into rcvolu
| ton and blood. and will furnish new calumnies
against republican government, and new preteXts
for those who wish it to be believed that mtn
cannot be governed but by rod Of iron that it
would be Il dangerous delusion were confidence
in the men OF our choice TO silence fears for
the safe y Of our rights; that confidence is every
where The Dlrpnt of 1pSDOfism.
is founded in jealousy and not if confidence; it is
jealousy and not confidence which prescribes |
limited constitutions to bind down those whom |
we are Obliged 10 trust with power, that our con- |
stitution has fixed the limits to which, and fur
thcr our confidence may go; and let the honest |
advocate OF confidence read the alien and seliion |
acts and say If the constitution has not been wise
in fixing limits TO the government it ere tied, an /
whether we should be wise in destroying those |
limits? Let him say what the government is. if |
IT be not tyranny. which the men OF our choice |
have conferred upon the President, and the Pres
dent o. our choice has assented to and accepted |
over the friendly strangers, to whom the mild |
spirit OF our country aud 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 ri ohts Of innocence, |
the claims OF Justification. the sacred force OF
TRUTH and the form and substance of law and JUS
tice. In gu stons OF power. then. let no more he
heard oil confidence in nun, but bind him down
from mischief by the chains Of the constitution.
That this commonwealth does therefore call on
its co-states for expression Of their sentiments
on the acts concerning aliens and lor punishment
OF certain crimes hercinbciore specified, phinly
declaring whether these are or are not authorized
by the Federal compact. And it doubts not that
their sense will be so announced as to prove their
attachment unaltercd to limited government,
whether general or particular, and that the rights
and liberties of their states will he exposed to
ne dangers by remaining embarked on "A common
bottom with their own But they will concur with
this commonwealth in considering the said acts
as so palpablc against the constitution as to
amount to an undssuised declaration that the
compact is not meant to he the measure of the
power of the general government, but that ii will
proceed in the exercise over these states OF all
powers whatsoever That they will view this as |
sezing the rights of the states and conso idating
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 with their consent. |
but by Others against their consent; that this |
would be to surrender the form OF government
we have chosen and living under one deriving
its power from its own will. and not from our au- |
horlty; and that the CO states recurring to their
natural rights in cases not made Federal will con
cur in declaring these void and OF no force, and
will each unite with this commonwealth in re-
questing their repeal at the next session of Con-
grets