Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1833-02-25
C&safTUNrCATIONS.
THE CvISIS-.N0 9, and lust.

I'll. tNiSlS---Nd -, HHH tnA.
The ties which bind II citizen 10 his governm, nj
ore rather stronger than the advocates of the
stricted, underlined light Of Secession would have
he people blaYr.
How OF by what authority is this right TO he ex-
e,cised by ihe ordinary State government, or by
the people rrimnrl or in Convention The
ratification WnS made }, Conventions and is there
fore Of as ugh authority the State constitutions.
Can, then, the State government n,ilor III nv
thoriiy, destroy this work Of n Convention, which
Is primary an potential 7 II would seem not !;
and as Il consequence, that this act must he con
summatcd by the people in Convention. The in
terposi,ion If Virginia in $50, wos by the STATE
government Could, then, the Legislature which
hus interiefe1 have intended to secede and there
by dissolve the Union7 Were they clothed with
such powers think they were not.-An act eI
such soemnity as the formation Il ratification of Il
constitution can only be destroyed by us high nu-
thor,y as that which performed II.
Upon what principle is this right IN State
founded In framing constitution, each State
made its sacrifices Tor the common benefit. 1t
was Joint offering Of each to the wholc-an offer
ny which the whole accepted-tlow is II, that any
one without the assent Of any other, or a majority
of them, can destroy this solemn and important
compact ! cannot discern any other principle
than one which is perfectly arbitrary, which be
ines to successful rcr0lution alone.
Before closing this part Of the subject, ] SHOULD
Ike to q, dcrsand more clearly and distinctly the
true definition of this power of secession. If IL
means that the States have the constitutional, or
reserved, or sovereign power TO sec,de from the
Union at pleasure & with impunny, the general
| government having no power or authority To con
sder or act in relation to the subject, whether be
right or wrong, then oppose It as unsouhd doc
IL a.
STATE, any more than to AN individual, to confer and
take back grants I'll pleasure, when the power TO
take back is not expressly rescfecd The powers
OF the seaera government were joint delegation
by all the States, and one has no right TO REMAND
il. without the consent Of the othes majority o
| them.
| The object OF all governments, founded upon le
| Ultimate principles has in view the preservation
t,rH liJcrty not mention NESS. In forming 60
| vernment, each citzeL surrendcrs such powers to
the government as are necessary to elect this pre-
scrvation and thus, by surrcnderng part, pre-
serve tine whole So with the States-Thoy form
ed a romBion corernmcnt for aautnd! protcctoh
ami dcfcnce In doing this. they parted with sucl
powers rs were necessary to that Object that they
might enjoy those which they reserved IN security
| A minority OF the citizens cannot throw OIL tlcr
government al pleasure, nor do tiinK u single
! Safe can
1t should be borne in mind TINT the question
ra,ifyng and seeding stand on very diileren
grounds Before the ratification, sacrifices had no
been made Ii was entirely at the option OF the STATE
to ra,ify or reject, without injury to any other State
or giving cause of complaint. But after the con
stitution was ratified, and the operations OF the so
vernment commenced, sacrifices arc madc,-th
consideration has passed, which places the State
in entirely a new attitude--commerce has beel
regulated harbours Observation-Disclosures bull
l-a with reference to tie common defence AM
general welfare" Of the Union and hardly con
ceve that State in which these works have bee
erected, OF improv made, has right to SC
cede, and thereby avail itself Of advantages whlc
were paid for by the money and labor Of the o'he
members Of the confederacy.
The truth Of this doctrine OF the right OF seoe'
sion may be well tested by carrying IL OUT 10
consequences. Such an act, on tho pat OF sing
State, may be sudden, injudIcious and without III
= means of correction. The States are very uhcq''
, in size and population; they have various ana
vcrsifcd local interests; and any one OF them
much more likely 10 be precipitated mo error az
indiscreton, by ovsthcated party feelings ana an
.uosi,ies, local .:cssss or jealousy. Than tho WAC