James Blaine: “The war of 1812 had satisfied Great Britain that she could gain nothing by going to war with the United States.”

Without the exercise of those functions which belong exclusively to the civil service, the laws cannot be executed in any event, no matter what may be the physical strength which the Government has at its command.

Under such circumstances, to send a military force into any State, with orders to act against the people, would be simply making war upon them.

All these provisions are made to protect the States, not to authorize an attack by one part of the country upon another; to preserve the peace, and not to plunge them into civil war.

Is any portion of the people bound to contribute their money or their blood to carry on a contest like that?