Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1832-12-20

nendent whose citizens owe obedience 10
laws not made by it, and whose magis-
trates are sworn to disregard those laws
when they come in conflict with those
passed by another? What shows con.
cIusively that the States cannot be said
10 have reserved an undivided sovereign
ty, is that they expressly ceded the right
to punish treason, not treason against
their separate power, but treason against
the United States. Treason is an Of
fence against Sovereignty, and sovereignty
must reside with the power to punish It.
But the reserved rights of the States are
not less sacred because they have for
their common interest made the General
Government the depository, { these pow
ers. The unity of our political charac-
ter (as has been shown for another pur-
: pose commenced with its very exis-
tcnce. Under the Royal Government
we had no separate character; our op-
position to its expressions began as UNI
TED COLONIES. We were the UNITED
STATES under the confederation, and the
name was perpetuatcd and the Union
rendered more perfect by ~ Federal
Constitution. In none Of these stages
did we consider ourselves in any other
light than as forming one nation. Trea-
ties and alliances were made in the name
of all. Troops were raised for the joint
defence. How then, with all these
proofs that under all changes of our po-
sition we had, for designated purposes
and with defined powers, created nation
al Governments-how is it, that the most
perfect Of these several modes Of union,
should now be considered rs a mere
league that may be dissolved at plea.
sure? 1t is from an abuse Of terms
Compact is used as synonymous with
league, although the true term is not en-
ployed because il would at once show
the fallacy Of the reasoning. II would
not do to say that our Constitution was
only a league, but il is labored to prove
it compact (Which in one sense it is)
and then TO argue that as league is a
compact, every compact between nations
must Of course be league, and that from
such an engagement every sovereign
power has right to reccde. But it has
been shewn that in this sense the States
are not sovereign, and that even if they
were, and the national Constitution had
been formed by compact, there would be
no right in any one State to eXOnerate
itself from its obligations.
So obvious arc the reasons which for
bid this secession, that il is ne ccssary on
ly to allude to them. The Union was
formed for the benefit ofall. 1t was pro-
duced by mutual sacrifices Of interests
and opinions. Can those sacrifices be
recalled? Can the States who magnan-
imousiy surrendered their title to the
Territories Of the West, recall the grant?
Will the Inhabitants Of the inland States
agree 10 pay the duties that may be i'm
posed without their assent by those on
the Atlantic or the Gulf, for their own
benefit? Shall there be free port in
one State and onerous duties in another?
No one believes that any right exists in
a single State TO involve all the others in
these and countless other evils contrary
to engagements solcmnly made. Every
one must see that the other States, in self
defence, must oppose it at all hazards.
These are the alternatives that are
presented by the Convention: A repeal
of all the acts for raising revenue, leav-
ing the Government without the means Of I,
support; or an acquiescencc in the dis
solution Of our Union by the secession
of one of its members. When the first
was proposed, it was known that it could
not be listened to for moment. Ii was
known if force was applied to oppose the
execution Of the laws that it must be re-
PEELED by force-that Congress could
not, without involving itself in disgrace
and the country in ruin, accede to the
and yet if this is not done in
a given day, or if any attempt is made
to execute the laws, the State is, by the
Ordinance, declared to be out Of the
Union.
The majority ola Convention assem-
Dle6 for the purpose, have dictated these
erms, or rather this rejection Of all
erms, in the name of the people Of South
Carolina. 1t is true that the Governor
IF the State speaks Of the submission of
heir grievances to a Convention Of all
he States; which he says they "sincere-
y and anxiously seek and DESIRE" Yet
his obvious and constitutional mode Of
obtaining the sense Of the other States
On the construction Of the Federal COM
pact, and amending it, if necessary, has
never been attempted by those who have
urged the State on to this destructive ,
measure. The State might have pro- ,
posed the call for general convention |;
10 the other States; and Congress, if a /,
sufficient number of them concurred,
must have called it. But the first Mag
strate of South Carolina, when he ex-