Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-01-24


dissent from the arguuetaUe part of the late proclama
on some gentlemen had contended that the States have
eaeh the right Judge, concerning inactons OF The Con
su'uuon aud to withdraw from the Union for papable
ana wiiiu breach OF federal compact but yet that
the states OF the remaining Union have existent and
equai right OF deciding whether, by the very of
~hddcdi, the seeded State have not committed a
preach oil The compact expressed in the Federal Cons
tuition; aud they, the former shall decide that such
preach has been incurred by session, they have
ight 10 make war upon the latter for presunng to with
araw without their consen and the Justice injustice of
war would be sanctioned by the moral sense, by
"a' OIL the great community OF civilized nations.
ia State have the right TO secede and to iudye ,o,
tne causes OF secession, Mr. s. could discern any
oher state or number OF States, could, at the time
possess concurrent 10 she should
employ the power, and TO punish her for its exercise At
all events such right would clearly of little worth; for
"oua put give tenure at the suiierance OF the strong
er. third class OF members maintain that each State
IN TINS MON possesses the right OF judging for itself con-
cernng breaches OF the Federal compact and of dssoy
ing us Pohucal connexiou with the other States in the
onion when, in the exercise of a sound discretion II
sha determine that the provisions of the Federal Cons
tuition have been volated-and this without incurrine
any haoy TO punishment, under any circumstances for
'he mere act OF secession Aud OF this number, MIR S
owned that he himself was one.
some gentlemen, viewing the inconv eniences that
mght attend upon the exercise of this right had been
reluctant to concede IL but right is thing and erpe
atency another and very different thing And indeed
(ald Mr. So from the view which have bee able TO
OF the subject, the theory now adopted non
oexpedency preferable any other has been propos
ed From such he had been able 10 the
SON. That the law of nations, adopted reference TO the
hemisphere were not applicable to the States
composing this Union Ii had been many day since Inc
r. p had opened Vatel, any other writer on the
law oil nations but, ii his memory had not misled him
eSe authors ana not sustain the position of gentlemen
VINO athrlned that the law of nations nothing else
than tho law OF nature, applicable to individuals i'm
state oil nature, transferred the civil
compose the great national commonwealth The former
was true, was the substrium and ground of the ,
ter but the principles OF the first must be so modified az
auapt hem TO the very different subjects which they
were TO operate The great Author the law of nature
anu OF nations had SO constituted and civil societies
as mat probably in every instance the rule expedency
would furnish that of duty and of right And hence he
(Mr 81 was led to believe that title the code of
national law treating of the rights and duties
oil this conederacy, desideratum in the science
Surely the ties which bound the several United States
together OF different texture-they were more de-
ca,e aud intimate than those by which the old world was
connected.
would draw after II such consequences 10 deter us from
It's adoption on the Of expedency-as tending (ac
peril the Union.
10 the consequences of attempt punish for treason
the citizen OF seeded State, have already briefly adj
verted Ii would almost inevitably utter
ton OF the bands by which these States are linked oqe
her Let us now enquire what would be the resuIt of
undertaking the castisement of whole Con,,non,at,
o ulh 10 leave The conederacy without the assent of
the CO States. Would it not cause sensation Which
would thrill through every of this great empire -
would II not produce thrOes and paroxysms that would
agitate the very heart Of the nation and dissolution
OF me entire system would inevitably be the final catas.
uoPhe OF the CONFUSION.
Suppose, however that the mere nct cf sonorot;on
should be regarded as in itself legitimate and hat Tho
seeded State should be required only to 6l engage
men's contracted TO the United States, before its
uon, and TO conform its policy TO that which every civil
community has right require Of neghbouriog nation
This might be efectuated by reaty-or on its failure
oy war we all know that every independent civil com
muni'y Is bound 10 do Justice by the performance of its
contracts and the discharge of its obligations to all others
and sepreservaon, the first law of nations as of nature
is on all hands, conceded give every government the
in its h.
VIII not enter into the spulaons of treaty so to reg
late their international concerns destroy or ma
'eaiy endanger the prosperity of others. Sic ufoye o
SET dhentm non edds, maxim applicable hrou
the whole range of law, whether municipal natural or
national. -
And here, Mr.. Speaker, (said Mr. 81 woub observ.
that the consequences Of upon one of the States
gardlng her as WegitimGtey attempting to retire from Tho
conederacy and with the view bring her back by force
oil arms ana the effect OF one upon State, already
an independent power, with the intent TO compel fulfil
eht o. her engagements, or 10 prevent her adoption of
Pocy ruinous to the remaining Union, would be widely
nefeh' IN the former case she would be regarded as
member Of The family; in the latter as a stranger: and
who needs to be told how much of bitterness and
rsncor Is produced by family feuds, than by quarres
between those who connected by the ties nj
kindred! Besides; if be waged against the seeded
State for The act Of secession as ey,Tv war sf bore
some OBJECT and as the injury 20 be repaired was the
wrong done by going out OF the linton the redress TO he
So'"ed must be the bringing back of the seeded State
ny ioce' mo the coniederdcy And what liberty think
YOU Mr. SpeakcT,what happiness could he enoved I,,
State which had been sc0tTged back into the Unon,
-" government, II has been Justly sis
founded on the consent of the governed . if unwilling
be constrained by violence liberty surely gone
forever; and though the suhjugatcd State NAV bow her
neck to the yoke yrannyyet she never never again can
sheW the upright, noble bearing, the sos sltble of con-
tentedness and fire edom
Let us now look further into the consequences of al
ntng this right OF secession. Ii has already been re
Marked That the withdrawn State bound fulfil her
gagemehts and to conform her policy lust
her neighbours Sir, would weakness choose TO esab
sn herself IN the neghbouhood of strength insions
canoe IN That oil consequence? power in that Of impo
tence: with knowledge that the right xisted tn Corce
tons Of the earth? Surely, with such prospect be-
lore her, no State could resolve separate herself from
her coSates upon light and trivial causes And ON Tho
0ther hand, II this doctrine be admitted as legitimate the
euerai Government will beware of perseverng i'm anv
system OF oppression towards any particular State or
oh OF TINS coniederacy Ii justly observed by IA.
tented member OF this House, that though the Union be
dissolved the States would continue; but that if the States
should withdraw from the Union the Federal Govern
nent would be annhilaed. knowledge of this trutl,
connected with the doctrine of secession yyoud opera,e
as saIuary check to federal usurpaon for the General
government would not choose be shorn of its STRENGTH
nay TO RISK deprivation of its existence by overstepping
It's lust limits TO Cypress any Of the States by UNEQUAL laws
shd mus would be prevented that tendency to which
verify believe, most of national ills and from
which our liberties threatened with the prncn,l
ger. Power is always stealing from the MANY TO the
ew IS maxim whose truth is inculcated by the lessons
OF universal history Conquesis by rulers of the be
Their subjects have been incomparabIy more reouen
than encroachments by the governed upon the rights of
heir rulers The cenrpeta is stronger than the
centrifugal orce This is the uniform course of things:
II has been the known tendency Of political sys
tens and TO this it behove to direct our most ake
I WNH