Year: 1861

Union, until some act of oppression, some
act violative of constitution right has been
committed by the Federal Government We
venture to say that, never since the founda-
tion of this Government has any act Of op-
preston or act violative Of the constitutional
rights of any State in the Union been COM
mitted by the Federal authority. Individual
Northern States have passed Personal Liber-
ty Bills and the like, but the Federal Govern
ment has never recognized their constitution
atty, and has always assumed the response
bility of declaring such laws null and void.
to the furtherance of Abolition views or
principles. In no instance has it ever used
its power to interfere with slavery, either in
the States or Territories 1t has never yet
refused its protection, when called for, to the
peculiar institution of the South. Its militia
ry forces have been frequently ordered into
the field, to assist in putting down anti slave
ry mobs and in executing the law passed at
the demand of Southern States, to-wit the
Fugitive Slave Law. Its Supreme Court has
Invariably decided in favor of the validity of
siaveh and the justice of their enforce
ment. Never has the Government lifted its
hand to liberate a solitary slave from his
bondage, or to annuf e single enactment,
either in State or Territory, for the establish
menr and maintenance of slavery. 1t has
spent its money and devoted its armies and
navies to the acquisition of territory destined
TO be erected into Slave States And, in
short, it has uniformly signi6ed its willing
ness and its anxiety to do justice to all Sec
lions


Now, let us enquire are these acts of hos
tilty, en- the part of South Carolina and her
sympathizers, directed against the individual
States that have passed these anti-fugitive
slave bills. or against the Federal Govern
ment itself? They have certainly been d-
rected against the Federal Government :;
against the authority which has in no man
ner trespassed upon them but, on the con-
trary, been anxious to maintain their rights
and to do them justice.


Is such conduct, on the part of the revolt
ing States, either manly or Just? Have they
any right to hold the Federal authority re-
sponsible for the acts of individual States


when these very acts of injustice have been


discorntenanced by the Federal Government,


and rendered imperative by the exercise OF
power? Surely not And when we see
these seeding States wantonly insulting the
power which has ever been ready to protect
them, seizing its property and firing into its
vessels we cannot fail to discover that there
is rank, cold, and inexcusable treason at the
bottom of it.


They are told to wait until the Federal
Government has failed of its duty-unti
some direct violation of the constitutional
rights of the South has been committed by
its authority, before they proceed to extrem-
tiles; they have been assured that there is no
power in the incoming Administration to
oppress them that the President elect is


pledged to execute the Fugitive Slave Law


faithfully, in its letter and its spirit; and
that were he disposed to wrong the South


he would be held in check by a majority
against him in both houses of Congress and
by the Supreme Court of the United States
But, it is all without avail, and they are pro.
ceeding to hostilities, without tarrying to see
whether they are going to be injured or no.
They have refused-we speak of the few
States which have passed secession ordinan-
ces-to compromise the alleged difficulties,
by abiding by any of the proposed mutual
concessions, and are rushing hea dong into
rebellion, apparently regardless of all conse-
quences to themselves or posterity. What
should be done with such men? We say,
conquer them and hold the leaders to the pen
atty of their treason, though the Government
erumble into ruins at the attempt. But, it
would not crumLle. The smoke of war
would roll away and reveal the fabric of the
Constitution and the Union, still strong and
steadfast, fronting the Nations and the grand
motto of "EsTo PERPETUA y still beaming up


on the majestic brow of tho Republic.