Year: 1861

=


respect and consideration. in parallel case by


all other departments Of the Governments; and


while 1t is obviously possible at such decisions


may be erroneous in any given cause, still, the


evil effect following it being limited to that pc


culiar case, with the chance that it will be over
ruled. aud never become u precedent for other


cases. can better be borne than could the evils of
a different practice At the same time the can


did citizens must confess that if the Government,
upon vital questions affecting the whole people.


is to be irrcvocaby fixed by the decision of the


Supreme Court. the instant they are made in or
dinary litigation between parties in personal ac-
tiOn. the people will have ceased to be their own
rulers. having to that extent practically resi- gned


their Government into the hands of that trbu-
nal. Nor is there. in this view, an assault upon


The Court or Judges. It isa duty from which
! they mary not shrink to decide cases proper


ly brought before them; and it is no fault


of theirs if Others seek 70 turn their decisions to
/ political purposes. One sccon of our country
/ believes slavery is right and ought to be extend


ed. This is the only substantial dispute. for the
fugitive slave clause of the Constitution and the
laws for the suppression of the ore on slave
trade arc Just as well enforced perhaps. as they
can ever be in community where the moral
SENSE of the people supports the law itself. The
grca, body of the people abide by the very legal
Obligations in both eases after the separation Of
the two sections. The foreign slave trade. now
imperecllg suppressed. would be ultimately re-
vlvcd without restriction in one section. while
fugitive slaves now only partially surrendered,
would not he surrendered ut all by the other
Physically speaking. we cannot seperate, cannot
remove ON respective sections from each other
nor build an impossible wall between them.
Tile husband and wife may he divorced. and 90
out of the presence or on, OF the reach of each
other but the different parts Of our country can
not do this: they cannot hut remain face to face,
and an intercourse, either amicable or hostile,
must coniDe between them. Is it possible, then.
! to make that intercourse more advantageous or
more satisfactory alter separating than before!
| Can aliens make treaties easier than friends can
make laws? Can treaties be more faithfully en-
forced between aliens than laws among friends?
| Suppose yOu 90 to war you cannot fight always:
and when. after much loss on both sides. there is
no gain on either, you cease to fght-the old
identical questions as to terms of intercourse are
again upon you. This county with its nstitu


tions belongs TO the people who inhabt it; when
ever they shall grow weary Of the existing Gov
ernment they can exercise their constitutional
right OF amending it, or their evolutionary right
to dsmember or overthrow it. We cannot be ig
norant of the fact that many worthy patriotic
citizens are dcsirous Of having the National
Constitution amended. Will make no recon-
mendatons of amendments. | fully recognize
the rghtiul authority of the people the
whole subject to be exercised in either of the
modes prescribed in the instrument itself. and
should under existing circumstances favor, rather
than oppose Il fair opportunity being offered the
people to act upon it. ! will venture to add.
that the Constitution made seems preferable. in
as much as it allows the amen Imcnt to originate
with the people themselves. instead only Of per-
mitting them to take reject proposition
i9inated by others. not sp cially chosen for thc
purpose, and which mi ght not be preferred.
Such us they would wish to either refuse re-
ject.


| understand proposed amendment to the
Constitution, which amendment. however. have
not seen, has passed Congress. to the effect that
the Federal Government shall never interfere
with the domestic institutions Of the States. in
cluding that Of persons held to service. To avoid
Il miscOnception OF what | have said. depart
from m, purpose to speak Of parti ular amend
mens, so lar as TO say. that holding implied con
stitutional views, have no objection to its being
made express and irrevocable. The Chief Magis-
trate derives all his authority from the people,
and they have conferred none upon him to fix
forms for the separation of the States. The pcO-
pie themselves can do this also if they choose. but
the Executive as such has nothing to do with it.
His duty is to administer and preserve the Gov
ernment as it came 70 his hand, and to transmit
it, unimpaired by him. to his successor. Why
should there not be patient confidence in the
ultimate justice of the people? Is there any bet
ter or equal hope in the world in our present
difficulties? Is either party without faith, being


in sight Of the Alm ghty ruler of nations with his
eternal truth and justice on every side? This
same people have wisely given their pablo ser
wants but little power for mischief and have with
equal wisdom provided for the return of that lit
tie to their own hands at very ssiCrt intervals,
while the people retain their virtue and vigil
ance No administration in any extreme OF
wickedncss or folly can very seriously injurc the
Government in the short space of four years My
countrymen one and all, think favorably and
well upon the whole subject. Nothing valuable
can be lost by taking time. If there be an OBJ
ject to hurry any of you in hot haste to 4 step
which You would never take deliberately, that
object can be frustrated by it. Such of you ms
are now dissatisfied still have the old Constitution
unimpaired, and on the sensitive point the laws
of your own framing under il: while the new
Administration will have no immediate power. if
it would to change either. II it were ad mittcd
that you who are dissatisfied should be on the
right side in the dispute. there still is no single
good reason for prcci pitate action. Intelligence,
patriotism. Christianity, and a firm reliance on
Him who has never yet lorsaken his favored land,
are still competent to adjust in the best way all
our present difficulties. In your hands. my dis
satisfied conntrymcn. and not in mine, is the mo-
mentous issue of civil war The Government
will not assail yol. You can have no conflict
without being yourselves the aggressors. You
have no oath registered in Heaven to destroy the
Government, while shall have the most solemn
one to preserve protect and defend it.


| am 10Th to close. We arc not enemies but
friends We must not be enemies. Though pas
sion may have strained. it must not sever our
bonds of affection The mystic chords OF mem
ory stretching from every battle field and patri-
OTIS given to every loving heart and hearth stone
all over this broad land VIII yet swell the chorus
of the Union when again touched. as surely rs
they will be the better angels Of our nature.


FEuIrFuL PROMISE The MarysvIle 1p
,1poI saws the larue peach orchards of BRIGGS
Beach, CovilIaud, and others, near that