Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1829-02-26

j
; peaec. Nov the substitution OF the aoninter
course FOR the embargo, took place twelve
non'hs after this interview, and a. succeeding
session OF Congress, when I WIS MT even =
me mhet of that body. The negotiations for
seeding from the onion with anew 20 reioin
y afterwards. ifit ever existed. mus, have been
during the war. had no knowledge OF such
negosistion, or even such a design. could,
therefore. have given no such information.
Bat IN giving unqualified denial to this
statement OF Mr.. Jeff rson, end in showing that
UPON the face ot the letter itself il could not be
correct. IL was due To him TO show, that the
n'sstasement on bis part was not intentional;
| that It srosc from an in6rmi,y ofmemory, which
,he letter itself cancidy acknowledged; shaf il
blended together "a one indist,nct mass. the
linfoi n1st'on which | bad given him in March
| l5Vo with the purport of confidential letters
which | had written to his and my h,ends in
Congress year sitter, and with events. pro
Jecis, and perhaps mere suspicious, natural
enough as consequence If the preceding times.
but which occurred, il AZ all, from ia,ee 10 sx
years later, and OF which he could 20, have had
information Of me. The simple fact al which
! sppr,sed Mr.. Jefferson was that, IN The sum
mer ct 1907, about the time Of what was called
he e6a'r OF the Leopard and Chesapeake I
had Seems letter from the Governor OF Nova
scotia tca person in Massachusetts, fl sm,ne
that the british government had certain infor
Hation on plan BY that O. France, to CONQUER
tie British rose ssions and effsc, reyohut;on
an the United States, by means OF 4 war with
G'eai Britain.
/ As The United States and Great Britain were
70 1907 At peace, correspondence with the
ooseiscr OF Nova Scotia, held by any citizen
OF me United States, imported no violation u
| ia"; nor oohld the correspondent be respousi
I anN hmm hal, "a.
write But my differences from this fact were.
/ that there existed between the British govern !.
ment and che party in Massachuse,,s opposed
10 MI. Jefferson, channel OF csmmn aicxtiop
through the governor of Nova Scotia. which
ne was exercising TO inhame their hatred against
France, and their Jealousy agains, their own
government. The letter was not 20 any L. ode,
ot'he federal party; but had no double Il had
been shown to some OF them, as il had b. en- 10
me, without injunction IL secrecy; and. asf
supposed, with view to convince me that ths
conspiracy between Napoleon and Mr. Jefferson
| feaiiy existed. How that channel Of conmunl
caton might be fupther used was matter Of
conjecture; for the mission OF Ne John Henry
was nine months after my interview with Nr.
Jefferson, and precisely nj the time when Wa,
writing tony friends in Congress the letters
urging the substitution OF the non intercourse
i tor the embargo. OF Mr.. Henr,ss MISSION I
knew nothing until 1t was disclosed BY b,mseif
| IN 1912.
| II was in these letters of 1909 and 1909 ,hat
mentioned the design Of CERTAIN leaders az The
federal party TO effect dissolution ~ the Unien.
and the establishment Of The Northern Conted
eracy. THIS design had been termed in the
winter OF 1861. immediately after. and 81
] a consequence oflhe acquisition Of Louisiana
/ Its Justiiying causes 10 those who entertained
II we're, that the anne xstion OF Louisiana 10 The
| Union trsnscended the constitutional mower If
the government Of the United Sta,es That
Itfofmeu IN fact new conederacy to which
he states, united BY the former cor nact were
not bound TO adhere. Thst il was oppressive
to the Interests and destructive 10 I'M ,,Hueuce
ofthe Northern section of the confederacy.
whose right and duty it there ore was 20 secedc
from the new body polite, and TO constitute
one OF their own. This plan was so far matnred.
NAT the ptopessi had been made to an indisid
ual TO permit. HIMSELF at the proper ,Ims. 10 he
placed At The head of the military movemenss.
which il was foreseen would be necessary for
csrryiog il into execution. In ell I'M. there
was no overt act OF treason. In the abstract
theory OF our government the obedience Of The
| citizen IS not due to 81 Unconstitutional law-
| He may lawfully resist its execution. rs !.
single individual undertakes this RESISTANCE.
our constitutions, both OF the United States
and OF each separate State, have provided !
judiciary power, judges and juries. to decide
between the individual end he leg sla,ive ACT.
which he has resisted as unconstitutional. IN,
let US suppose the case that Legislative acts Of
one or more States OF this Union are past. con
| fIcting with acis Of Congress and comm ,ndino
Tie resistance ct their citizens against them
and what else can be the result but war. civl
war; and is no. that, de facto, DISSOLUTION of
the Union, 50 fas as the resisting States are
concerned and what would be the condition Of
every citizen IN the resisting StateS Bound
by The double duty OF allegiance to the Union
and to the state, be would be crushed between
the upper and the neither milestone. with the
performance OF every civic dusy converted into
la crime, and guilty Of treason, by every act Of
obedience to the law.
| That the power OF annexing Louisiana TO this
Union mad not been de egated 10 Congress by
The constitution Ut the United States. was my
wn opInionj and u is recorded upon the Jour
nails OF The Senate. OF which WIS tbena member.
Bot tar from thinking the act itself justif,ing
cause OF secession from the Union. recorded
u as one ofthe hsppiest events which had oc-
Iccrfed since the adoption oflhe constitution.
regretted that an accidental illness in my family
which detained me on roy way 10 Washington
TO take my scar IN the Senate, deprived me OF
the treaties, by which the session Was secured.
| arrived at Washington on the fourth da, Of
the session OF Congress. and, on entering the
Iaiiy, passed by the secretary OF the senate. who
was gong from the capitol TO the presidents
house. with he advice and consent OF that body
Ito the ratification.
Il took my seat in the senate the next day.
Bills we're immediately brought into Congress
lmakn aDnronriaflops ~ ffa ay.,a,.n, - CO..