Year: 1861

IDe IOilOWlng are tue IcEOiutlOus huOp~
ted by the Breckenridge Secession Conven-
tion, which relate to the difficulties now ag-
itating the nation:


Resolved, That we are opposed to the en-
ployment of force by the General Government
against the seeded States for the purpose of
compelling obedience and submission to Fede-
raj authority.


Resolved, That we are in favor of the preser-
walton of the Union upon Constitutional guar
antees which will be acceptable to both sections
of the confederacy, but If that desirable cOnsum-
nation be impossible then we are in favor of
the recognition of the independence of the Con-
federate States, and a treaty of amity and peace
between them and the United States Govern
ment, as the only alternative which will termi-
nate the horrors Of civil war and bring back
peace and happiness to our distracted coun-
try.


Resolved, That the President of the United
States has been guilty Of violation of the Con-
stitution and usurpation Of power in borrowing
and appropriating money, raising armies and
increasing the navy without the authority Of
Congress, and that such acts are dangerous to
liberty and tend to convert the Government into
a military despOtism.


These resolutions undoubtedly express the
opinions of the leaders who control the ac-
ton OF the Breckenridge Secession party of
this State. They arc opposed 10 the en-
ployment of force by the General Govern
ment to compel obedience to the Federal
laws, the same as the highwayman is opposed
to forcible resistance to his demand for
"your money or your life." They are,
however, 10 favor of the Government still
further degrading itself by Offering to con-
ciliate the rebels, who have declared over
and over again that they would not listen
to any terms Of conciliation that might be
offered. The Convention might as well have
declared at ence 10 favor Of recognizing the
independence of the diaffected States-ad-
mitting their right to secede from the con-
federacy at pleasure; to seize all the public
property within their reach, to condscate
the property of non-residents, and absolve
themselves from their just proportion of the
national obligations. For the Government
to acknowledge their independence now,
would be equivalent to admitting the just
ness of these preposterous demands.


The resolution relative to the President
having violated the Constitution, comes
with bad grace from those who have Gre
ated the necessity for "raising armies and
Increasing the navy" AS well might
rascal complain that honest people we're
taking Illegal means to secure their prop
erty when an unusual number of thieves
we're about. II we have government at
all II has The right TO protect itself The
very existence of government implies this
right, and pre-supposes the power. As to
the charges against Lincoln, some of them
are untrue in point Of fact. The last Con-
gress authorized the Government to nego.
tiate loan of twenty-four millions Of dol
lars, only portion of which has yet been
offered. The money thus far expended in
fitting out volunteers has been raised by
private subscriptions and appropriations of
State Legislatures. AH act Of Congress,
passed in 1895, authorizes the President to
call out volunteers TO suppress insurrecton,
aud the Supreme Court has decided that the
President is the exclusive judge as to
whether the exigency contemplated by the
act has arisen. Some action has been taken
by the Administration. looking to . perma-
nent increase of the army and navy, but the
action will be absolutely null aud void un-
less sanctioned by Congress.