The Placer herald., 1866-01-13

so construed as to give unlimited powers, nor A
part OF them to be taken, rs TO destroy the whole
residue OF the instrument. That the proceeding
OF the general government under coLr OF those
articles will be fit and necessary subject for re-
visal and correction at time OF great tranqui-
ty. while those specified in the preceding resOu-
tiOns call for immediate redress
Resolved, That the preceding resolutions be
transmitted TO the senators and representatives
in Congress IRON 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
commonw ealth be, and is authorized and request
ed to communicate the preceding resolutions to
the legislatures Of the several states, to assure
them hat this commonwealth considers union for
specified national purposes. and particularly for
those specified in their late federal eompaei to
be friendly 10 the peace, happiness, and pi osDer
ity Of all The States that faithful TO that com.
pact, according to the plain intent and meaning
in which ii was understood and acced, d to Nv
the several parties, it is sincerely anxious for its
preservation; that il does also believe. that to
take from the states all the pow crs Of sell GOV.
ernment and transfer them TO a general and con-
solidaied government, without regard to the
special delegations and reservations. soltmnly
agreed 10 in that compact, is not for the peace.
happiness and prosperity Of these states. And
that. therefore. this lth is determined.
delegated and consequently to unlimited powers
in no man. or body OF men, on earth; that il the
acts before specified should stand, these conclu-
sions would grow from them, that the general
government may placcany nc, they think proper
on the list OF crimes and punish il themselves,
whether enumerated or not enumerated by the
constitution coenizablc by them. that they NAV
transfer lis cOgnlZauCe to the President or any
other person, who may himself be the accuscr
counsel. Judge and jury, whose suspicious may be
,I.. hic thn l.
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 10
the absolute dominion Of one m: n, and the bar
rie,s OF the constitution thus swept from us all
no rampant now remains against the passions and
the power Of Il majority Of Congress to protect
from Il like expectation or other Grievons punish
mrnt the minority OF the same body, the leeisa-
lures Judges. q veIEoTs and cOunselors OF the
states. nor their other peaceable inhabitants who
may venture to reclaim the ustitutonal rights
and liberties OF the states and people, or who loY
other causes good or bad. may be obnoxious to
the views or marked by the suspicious OF the
President. or TO be thoneh' dangerous to his or
their election or other interest, public or person
nj: that the irendlcss alien has been selected as
the safest subject of a first experiment, but the
citizen will soon follow. or rather has already
followed; for, already has n sedilion act marked
him as its prey. That these and successive acts
hold NAV tend to drive these states into rrvOlu-
,ion and blood, and will furnish new calumnies
against republican government. ana new pre,txs
ior those who wish it TO he believed thai man
cannot be governed Lui ny a rod OF non; that it
would be Il danger Gus dclusiOn were confidence
in the men OF our choice to silence our II ars for
the safely of our rights; that confidence is every
where the parent OF despotism; free government
is founded in jealousy and not i'll confidence; il is
jealousy and not confidence which prescribes
Il iouS IN nd bor.
We are obliged to trust with power. that our con
stiution has fixed the limits to which, and no fur
ihcr our confluence may go; ana let the honest
advocate OF confidence read the alien and sediion
acts. and say il the constitution has not been wise
in fixing limits TO the government il created and
whether we should be wise in destroying those
limits? Let him say what the government is. if
il be not q tyranny. which the men OF our choice
have conferred upon the President. and the Pres
ident OF our choice has asseDted to and accepted
over the friendly strangers. TO whom the mild
spirit OF our country and its laws have plo0ged
hospitality and protection; that the men OF our
choice have more respected the bare sus pcions Of
The President than the solid iehts OF innocence,
the claims of justification. the sacred force of
truth and the form and substance of law and JUS
ice. In qu. stions OF power. then. let no more be
heard of confidence in man. but bind him down
from mischief by the chains Of the constitution.
That this commonwealth does therefore call on
its co-saps Tor an expression OF their sentiments
the acts concerning HlItHS. anu IuI puHISHWtHt
of certain crimes hcreinbciore specified, plany
declaring whether these are or are not authoiiz'
by the Federal compact. And II doubts not that
their sense will be 80 announced rs TO prove their
attachment unaltercd TO limited government,
whether general or particular, and that the tights
and liberties Of their states will he exposed to
no dangers by remaining embarked on Il common
bo,tom with their own. But they will concur with
this commonwealth in considering the said acts
rs so palpablc against the constitution as TO
amount to in undisauised declaration that the
compact is not meant TO be tie measure OF me
power of the general government but that IT VIII
proceed in the exercise over these states OF all
pow ers whatsoever. That they will view this as
scizing the rights Of the states and consolidating
them in the hands of the general government,
with the power assumed to bind the states not
merely in cases made Federal. bnt in all cases
whatsoever. by laws made not with their consent,
but by others against their consent; that 'h's
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 onr an
thoriiy; and that the Co states recurring to Their
natural rights j., cases not made Federal Will con.
cur in declaring these void and OF no force, ara
will each unite with this commonw wealth IN re-
qucsting their repeal at the next session OF Con-
rress.