Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1833-03-28

\ pUn Tn yx1ssxsA varE sanas.
\ THOUGHTS on SECESSION.
There Is. p.elis.ls.r{ proecss d-mandcd by
rri.ss 70 mental or sn..l Questions i,soa.is,'
IN tlse formation 81 eeesr ssd sesurxte coac~p-
ton Of the Object uf rcsearch, aud complete ex-
trisstioa u thak object fIun every othcr With
which u may have hecn ineosycr1y associated Coz
fcspdsd 90 tdeaai6cd. This psrlinsinary oyer>-
tios u pcsali.rsy nsse.~ry 10 tise saeees-nl in-
sdslrcss. and pevis.ps one or two mor~. The
/ nEsd, o. rather 90 ervfnSn circumstances the duty
of political secession, has nH osy been associated
and eoofosusted, bat isirnii6ed ~ith actions
between which and Il thcv exiss common pro-
Irrvty or prineipbe o( connection ~hstcvcr.
Isl. II Ins bcen associated. cyufounds.d, and
even idsstifed in the isnagin.tioas of many with
insssrcrtioa asd rrlscliiou-~csioas or moyvmsrts
which have however, not sSssslov of rcscmbl.nce
to the MT of srrcssioa. The insurgcut aasl the
rrhci, While engaged IN perforni"g the s.!io"s
which constitute their insurrectioa rebellion,
continue, ut lcast profssScdiy, 10 b. members Of
the community sgains vhieh they rebel, and claim
all the benefits advantages of their mcmbcrxhip.
They, moreover, sste1npt % subvtst by fcrcc is
antlsorty, nnd contemplate its u~sr,,~toa and ex-
crcise themselves. bot tho srcesier has m such
| sie~si nor does he sttenpt % perform any sseh
turbulcnt operations. He quistiy and harmlrs<l
~ithdiraws from tsc body OF which he has been q
member, NsercIy because he finds, or thinks lac
NJ any rstr, Inconsistent With that dcy1~e Of hap
piaess TO which he feels himself bound IN as,;rr,
and To which be thinks he can, in . disconnected
state, actually attain he is, therefore, neither
insurgcnt uor rebel. and deserves to be stigma
tizcd by either IL these opproLrioss sppellations
IDLY. II has been associated, eaofoundcd, and
identified With that operation which The ridicss-
Ions Bc~-fsngied term, Modification, has been
employed To denote term which seems tn have
as many different meanings attached Co IL ~ the
. IL.
corTeet use IN To denote popular ssiemps To
| sisf the execution Of laws which the attrmVters
presume to be uncoastitutiossally enacted. And
no doubt, had not the people delegatd their right
tn cxerviss the function, TO tribunal Of their own
construction and appointment, no ono ceuid qucs-
ton the validity OF their claim 20 its excrrise-
but surely after transferring and eoufiding its cx-
errise TO specified authority created by them
selves, u IN absurd 10 81 ~, claim To its
else; and In attempt 10 carry II forribly into effect
must bc regarded as attempt To ssibstrt the IN
stitution OF which they still profess Ia be MEM
bora But how entirely different ary the views
and conduct 81 the sccedcr lie offers no OPPOSE
ton Ia the execution 1T law, whether enacted with
or sithout the sanction Of the constitution The
question, uhcthcr the Law be- made
or not, gives him no concern. Ia 10 pos the ui,-
constitItioaality of the laws but their tendency
To impair his happiness, that moests his peace
IL ~ their unjust, oppressive, anil ruinous oyra-
ton, and not their theoretical ncorrectnexs tiat
drives him 90 seek rriisf i'm secession; and this
mode Of relief he seeks, b,causc he eoneeiycs il
Co be- Inconsistent with his duty tn hims.lf To ex-
pend his time and t.bour, MOI for his own bs-ns-
it, but for the benefit Of his Z, ranneai oppessor-s
As, then, tlsc seccder IL neither ins,rsrnt nor
rebel, 80 he is evidently not a nulli6er ii must
employ this barbarous term.
silly. IL has been assin,ilates 20 and eoufoun.l-
cd with flight hom justice, though no two things
in nature are more auhke. The fugitive from
justice, by his very flight. confrsses that he has
done some wrong Tor which hr ought 10 suffer
| punishment, To the body frum which he attempts
To escape. aud Of which he constituted and siiil
continues To constitute, part But ~hAt crime
has the seecscr per,,tr.stedp What wrung has l..
done % the bosly IN Which he belongcd' l. il a
| consciousness 81 guilt or dread of puni shment,
thai has drives him from its parental bosom Nos
Teal light heart 10 in his br,s and hands unstaincd
with plumber. He r~tte- Nth SORROW aud rrgr,-t,
unconscious of any othcr crime than ti.t Of being
unwilling, perhaps determined. not 10 sacrifice
his own interest," and happiness to the interest and
happiness OF his naughty op,ressor.. What then
do the seccser aud the f'sg,tse from iussc- l,o--
ss-ss IN eommoa' Certainly nothing. The APP
pciiation, thcrcfor., Is a vile SANDER. The oae
ics that he eludc deserved evil; the ether t,ai
he may enjoy ths. felicity in disconnected, which
was denied him in ma asspciate state.
/ 10 likely tha, oshsr associations ss illfounscd
these, have bcs7a a,ented by the enemies of hu-
insn fIeedoui, anal employed 10 rtnd-r The nno-
cent, who merely seek By hossest and fair neans
to promote their ovn ~tlfsrr, ohierts of derision
and contrmPs, IL not Of dctessaiion and aihor-
renee. We need not wonder, then, that men in
whose minsis such confusion and misroueeptioo
reign, shostld be led the adotsion of tls
erroneous and absurd opsioas; and &c tey .~t, To
the preparation Of the criminal and perni-
eious deeds, 60 the most fragrant injustice, OPP
! preston, aud Bsurylcr.
There arc bat two agcDcies-she compnlss,c
power Of superior brute force, and nsartilal sense
q interest, ~ which human beings can be Kept ia
statr of assoeiAtioa or eonncriion 81 any sort -
| Wherever aud Whenever the FORMER 81 thee, Is
resotted tn, for the purpose az prrpetuating con-
pertion. wc have all the injustice tie wrongs aud
1 hotrors ct tyranny and drspossan completely DE-
yeIoPcd before Il nattrTs not under ~hst fab
aeivus IFVtensiOs, spleisIid tlsIles anal tItls.A
/ the Hgeh ~ho employs II may at. wlsetfer h. b.
single man a million of associated indiV idoaIS
whether the authority which he Affects Co sss,lIsae
be digpi6ed With the title Of empire, Kingdom,
or rvpabiie, be - opprrssing ,yrant, aud the
arts vhlsls be- Performs constitute a ptTliicious
despca'su,, tse s'ibSerSioa % which II deuszndes
not nlorc by the dignity and felicity Of human NJ
uns, than ny the sacred prinripie Of justice IL
erlf II - then To- sense Of mss'sal interest alone.
that ,VcFy association mus, hook Cor jasf, pease-
ible, E,d boOorSbtc PrFpctnity. And % The irxe-
ssiible Force q tlais jsst ~ powerful pTiaesEl
u clear slnbesuss, that the fansrs Of oarpo-
litical compact did look. For though thy ts--
vide Cor the rspulsioa IL foreign sgFV-ssoss, and
the suppression II insurreetion Within, they ma<e
no prvvision for the fOrCibl rAtiOa ~ tise e0as-
pOli,l AZ parts "a bOsiy polite IN their ussiOa
Thee eicsu-sigiaesl men forrsaw Che advantages
J ~lirh sould rcs,sr fr0ra I,rfstnity IL tisssir
cossneetion distinctly tsegns Ives u.si the, sIs-
yer sattS,ssd "a possible thas any mesnhrF s0s,ls
ever bcrosBc blissd insrasiile 90 thcns - "a
d.rc, nsssrh less ~ astehta,a separsiiosi ssss
little did sbey suspect tle possibility tsl Poliis
Affairs would essr he badly, - ui,isa.si, n.-ss-
sgrd, - IA make !, the interest," a any member q
fyHo ia social nsya,agcs, snd Incur al h. evils
which srVuf-tiDa voalA euanil apoa II, r,iia
than eHisre tbe evils brU.igf,t on Il ~ ~ unt,ss
Sonsisrs ii,en, tissa tisry made no prD,isloa fy
fOrrihie Telcstism TkEy vers too sta, s0o hsL
Il sasss 40 fosri q itssrtF tlsgassfsea ~ is,i
~ pre,.aesa brute force, o. a eIspioyissx a. q
f,sltee slsir esssHtFy e, drr.iug Vass.lze ss,s
gsFr Up 20 pfosrsiiy ai,d haplsncss o. he assrt.
icsaiHg fahEs ~ ~ ins.fisile dfst,asi.u.
We silsiA No doslbi So . huge i1ass ~ tsc ms