Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1833-01-03


BILE procedure yet it is, in fact, by sure and
inevitable CONSEQUENCE; yielding every thing
that foreign jealousy and hate, or domestic
disaGection aud treason ceuid desire, to &C
cOmplIsh the dissolution Of the Union, and
The destruction of the peace and prosperity
OF the codntry. Let Us suppose that Sooth
Carolina Is permitted 'peaceably to secede.'
She will Immediately form an alliance with.
and become, IN fact, a dependency of Eng
land. All her ports become at once free ports
All the British or foreign goods subject TO
| duty in the ports of the u. States, that can
be consumed in 5. Carolina or smugged
| from thence into other states, will be inme
dIately poured into South Carolina. II New
York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Massa
chusetts, with their great commercial cities
N \ ork, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Bos-
ton, would tolerate such state of things for
any length Of time, Louisiana would not
long want inclination or pretexts TO try the
game of notification, with view to make
Orleans the depot for the supply of free
goods to the whole of the immense Valley of
the Mississippi. The British would get pos
session of New Orleans, in the character of
| allies and defenders, and fortIfy il, and II
would cost infinitely more to get them out
than II did to keep them oft. What would
| become of the revenue of The 'remaining
| unicn.' should like TO know, with England
| IN possession OF the ports of South Carolina,
| and the mouth Of the Ms sissippiP A war
would be the inevitable result, and we should
have to commence it, with crippled resources
and divided counses, with an enemy holding
a position, in The centre Of our line upon
our right flank, and in our rear IT it we're
| IN the nature of things possible For a state
'peaceably to secede' without injury to the
! rest, or With no other loss than would result
from the abstraction Of so much population,
wealth, and power as the state, SO with
drawing, contained, something might be said
IN favor OF tlse proposition. But that is plain
ly impossible. Ii one Of the states on the
| sea board we're thus to withdraw-one of
those states through which the consumption
of foreign goods by neighhcuring states is
supplied; it would be difficult il not impossi-
bic for the seeded state, 30 to conduct her
sell. as to avoid giving offence and INJECTING
injury npon her neighbours If she teDied no
duties on foreign goods, in pursuance eli the
Tree trade theory, the neighbouring states
would ind II impossible to protect their me
chanfcs and manufacturers against the iniu-
rious or ruinous competition of foreign man
ei,csures, introduced free Of duty, through
the ports of that state: H. on the other
hand, she did lay duties. AS il can hardy be
doubted she would, and with single eve to
her own interest, she would tax her neigh.
bours Tor her own exclusive benz fit, to the
precise amount of The dU,y paid in her own
ports on all tfe articles consumed in the o.
Their states. II rs not to be supposed that
states so circnnIstanced Would submit 10 be
taxed tor benefit or Others, or 10 hayea favor
ne policy thwarted.any longer than they could
fhd all efiectual remedy. ! icy would appeal
To the Ultima the last argument Of Kings
states II would necessarily be lett to The
arbltFement Of the sword
the measurable advantage Of our rosi
tion-at the distance OF 5000 miles from anv
enemy capable OF giving US serious aIfuoy
'nce -advantages which our UNION, and
that alone has hitherto secured TO us, would
be inevitably sacrificed by cnncr,Iinc this
ne" tangled claim, this PRETEND d lisht Of a
state 'peaceahly to secede The advocates
OF the claim on the part Of State to the
right OF secession have neglected 10 inform,
US on what grounds they rest the claim OF
right IN Question:, except by general refe-
renee to the celebrated Report made TO the
Virginia Legislature in 1893. With respect
TO the precise meaning and import of that
paper, 1t appears hom the debate. that there
are wide differences OF opinion It's reputed
author Is still living, and can easliy be inter
rogated. There IS strong reason to suspect,
That the advocates Of 'nnitication' and see
cession' prefer their own construction of that
celebrated paper TO that of the au,hor him
sen hey give out pretty distinct intima-
'tons mat although the opinions and autborf
" Oh The venerable ex- president were indeed
worthy OF All exeePtstion" thirty gears dgo-
ms recent opnlons -kis present opihions upon
'he very same subjects are scarce worth any
'hns at all The reason is obvious .No.o,
after thirty three years experience Of the o
Ferato n Of our complicated system of gov
eminent, during eight OF which he was Sc
eretary OF State. and during eight more Pre-
sident-notc when all party, feeling ia his
oosom Is extinct, when the aged patriot has
nothing 10 hope or TO fear from any party or
FACTION IN the republic, when the lTelf,re of
his country. and the stability of that govern.
theht 10 The Construction, establishment, and
administration of which his youthful as we'll
az ms inaturer energies were devoted. and
WIN winch his own fair fame is insepara bIy
connected-not0, forsooth his opinions are
nor 70 be trusted upon points vitally affecting
me scope, purpose. and character OF that
government, because, they do not quadrate
exactly with the theory or practice Of null
scation or secession
1t will be vain TO look fur tfs right Of nuI
hcatl0n or secession in the Constitution of
ne u States. The whole scope, tenor and
uflit oil thar instrument is fatally adverse 10
any such pretens,ons. lis leading object was
10 form more perfect union" Ii wouFf
a Al -. q. 4