Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-01-03

constitutional ne may appeal TO the Judicial tribunals
taOhsicd by law, and invested with authority 10 decide
upon the constitutionaity OF laws IL the courts
against % he may ask the majority OF his fellow ci,i-
zehs TO change the Constitution, prohibit the MAS
sage OF such laws ia fuureli that majority refuse To com
ply with his wishes lac has alternative leR but To su-
nit to the laws, however oppressive he may consider
Wein or To prcNa on HTS amedate neghbors, unite
with him IN resisting the execution OF the laws which
when attempted, is rebellion OR, isily he may in the
exercise OF the right os eNpatriaon, quit the conuny
w'Ac" "' eo"nnn;y except under particular circun
stcsS have 40 right 10 object his remaining in the coun
try not being necessary their security And these con
sutue ALL or at least the principal which am in
'vidual resort TO relieve himself from the operation
o. any laws however UNJUST oppressive, or unconsuu
uonal he consider them. No man. il il 10 he nrcs,
ed VIII advance the absurd idea that Individual under
any circumstances, or Tor any cause, would have the
tSt 10 w''hdraw himself rom the ope ration of the lava
and remain in the State, the ground that he had becn
IN the enjoyment OF all the rights which pertain to sove
'elsny before ne became party TO the compact, nd
ma' n,ng party TO the compact, he would have right
to withdraw his consent pleasure The a,lmissio, ol
such night would he fatal to the very existence of socie
w. ouch right as this has been asserted or con
tended Tor ih any society of civilized man. aud the niv
uua VINO would contend for il, would be regarded az III
ue ue"er hSn nadman Aud yet, it would be difficult
10 distinguish between such claim the part of am in
dividua and that OF STATE secedc from the Union
without The consent Of the other States IL we conGne our
ae"non 10 the principles which applicable to the two
cases. Tue same principles being, lac would
to demonstrate, applicable To both cases
The next point TO be considered is in what rootien n
several States stand TO the Gensral Government. ami !,
WIZ he perceived ia becoming parties TO the Federal com
pact uivy were governed by the motives and in
uuehceh Oy The same considerations, which opc,a,c no
INDIVIDUALS upon entering first into state of society
Take The State OF South Carolina, for example and en-
quire, what were the motives which induced her IN no
come member OF the Union? She felt conscions NJ o
own weakness, aud inability defend herself agans To-
reign aggression She knew that Great Britain was still
u'HPose" 10 reduce her again under subsection and
that sue had not the power TO rcpeI such Al, aen, r.
made with her own She herself surrounded nv
oher states, with whom she would be liable 10
get INTO controversies aud many Of them being more
eriu than herself, she would be most likely ia s,a -
not 10 lose her independence in some of mo-,
/ lu.V A ly L.,,,.
ncighbounng States. She knew that unless She c,,.
Peaccaby INTO The Union, that such was her local situ,
non, that II would be hazIrous the other States IN
mt her to remain out OF the Union and that thev ,xnnI
rs measure OF prudence and necessary to their own
security compel her either 10 become party TO the IJuon
Ut t"Ce her ny conquest, to the situation of dependent
province She saw that there was a moral and pavo,,
c or her becoming party 10 the Federal Go.
erhmeht one accordingly pursued the dictates of nm
dence and policy, by uniting with her sister States i'm tho
formation OF the compac-o which, from her loc, s,ua
lion and weakness she Of necessity become ,r,,
or DO worse She took to have sI,ch provi ;,s ~
serted III The Federal Compact She deemed sufficient IN
protect all the rights which she reserved IN bi, ' 70
SIah'eu 10 the National Governments all such
hwas deemed necessary give it for the COOL oC %
whole nation. Under the Constitutions when alopted she
had right to participate in the passage Of all laws roh
her representatives in Congress. In reference In s,h
laws as arc Objectionable TO her, she has ,ipb IN nrs
means OF redress corresponding precisely with those which
an individual may pursue in relation TO law pnssc hv
one OF the State Legislatures She may protest in The
' pace ehSr through her representatives. in Congress-
or her Legislative Assembly, or by meetings of the pco
pie, against the passage of any law which she ncs mot
approve OIL III the law be passed, she NAV call ON tho
people oil the other States and ask them IN insrcI 81
representatives TO repeal the obnoxious law or to Sc other
representatives. IN their places, Congress If she con
S'crs Tue law complained OF to be utiona she
may appeal TO those Judicial tribunals which have been
established IN conformity TO the provisions of the conoc
10 which she is party If the Courts decide against her
she may call on her sister States to amend the Consiitn
u9h IN ue manner pointed out in that instrument so as to
take from Congress power which she conceives obavo
oeeh ihpIoNiIcn'y granted If all these measures fail to
Pouuce he desired elect and she consider the law com
planned Of TO be too oppressive be borne il becomes
question OF prudence then, whether she will rebel against
Tue General government cndeayor To Obtain
by orce IL unsuccessful in this attempt She has M a.
Tentative ie but 10 submit the power which she il
able TO resist. Her citizens may sill avoiJ Tho ono,
OF the law by exercising the right exparation bur ali
who remain must obey them The other States have
rght 10 require her to remain in the Union on the same
principle That an individual must he required to Weld che
dence to the laws OF State; that is that il il
Tor the security OF the other States against danger f.
abroad ana 10 ensure 10 ben the other vantages e
snS from me formation oLtlc Federal Compact that she
should do So From this view the case il anpears that
ms Imaginary right of State scccde is inconsistent,
WIN what may be termed the natural rights of the eter
States or those rights which they have TO provide for their
own security and prosperity, independent and exclusive
oil those rights which the several States arourod mn
der the Federal Compact to which thev are na,;
Tins supposed right OF secession is vhoy incnnnaGh
every ea we can form of the rights acquired by the
several States under the Constitution of the u States
Each State, under that compact has right TO demand
the protection of the General Government against all her.
enemies; she also comes under obligation TO obey tLe
granted TO it by the Federal Constitutions and vLr h
h"WPS 10 disregard her obligations the other States
through me General Government, have a right TO copei
her TO perform her duty. Upon the whole Ills n,oirs
Ty right OF secession seemed have no inst
which could be discovered either in the Constitution n
the United States, in the Resolutions of '9S and e Re-
port oil ~ or IN reason he existence of such rg,
Is enureIy new discovery: il had never occurred IN hc
s"Ees VINO framed the Constitutions that there was onv
Such ght on the part OF the States. The evidence that
no such discovery had then been made L. that several nj
The states, especially N Carolina and Georgia Iebera,ed
oIg une, whether they would adopt the Federal Com
sh'uioh or not III tins notion about the right of State
to Withdraw from the Union ut pleasure had tben nr
vailed, these States would have hesitated IN form
compact, which TO be binding on them so long as thev
thought proper TO abide by its provisions and no longcr
MIR NJ sarl he would III the place point out some
OF the banetu bat obvious consequences which ,n,
result from The establishment of the doctrine that each
STATE has right to secedc from the Union at pleasure
suppose Tue state OF New York, extending from the
ocean 10 the frontiers OF Canada separating ali e
No!eTn states from The Southern, should choose TO
ercise this pretended right of secession This would o
Ps the other States TO destroy the Union between them
serves, whether they chose TO do or not For if New
YORK became separate and sovereign State she would
OF course have The right prohibit all intercourse between
the people oil the Northern and Southern States bv re
using 'neih permission TO pass through her territory
suppose virginia chose to secede-she would be entitled
10 hom a TIE public property within her limits And If
We iorlhca'ohs, the navy yard, and all the immensely
valuable property belonging to the United States In the
neighborhood OF Norfolk had happened In no u,ced in
me hIe stale oil Delaware, she might secede from The
OhOn ana hold all this property her own ON the Same
principle Maryland might deprive us Of the Capilol Of
the United States in the same wav Msour; a., ,L;
principle, might withdraw from the Union win all The
"sOie lands anu minerals belonging the Union within
hsr nts; Tor II considered essential part Of the