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

Congress-howeyer far the limits Of their authorized
ers may have been ransgressed-however papable and
fragrant may been the violations Of the
and rights Of the States, SECESSION could not have
been the rghtiu remedyfor "the Union to be per-
petual" Whether there any for state 10 ar
rest the progress of uspatons papable aud deliberate
Is not design here 10 discuss, merely wish show
that State has retained the right peacefully to secedc
Having, hope, clearly established the FACT that no
State had reserved the rgh secede during the conn-
ance OF the confederation, will examine whether
such right exists under the present Constitution. IL il
does, such right must be giUen 10 the States by that
pact For, they had rendered this right Fe-
deral Authority by rayiug the Articles of
there remained but two ways of again obtaining 1.-THE
one, by being again reduced to their primitive ndepend.
ence and soveregntythe other, by having it returned
yielded TO them by the Federal Government To
arae independently and sovereignty the Sateswere
duced when they ratified the confederation dis
solution OF the Union took place
Inc new Constitution was merely recommended to the
States by the Convention which framed it, and was not TO
De obligatory upon them until ratified in the there
In prescribed until which ratification by the States the
Articles of Confederation remained in their full force and
effect But when the new Constitution adopted. the
States aud the General Government acquired the rights
therein respectively granted.
And we must now enquire whether by the adoption Of
the Constitution State acquired this right TO secede
which had been surrendered in the Articles of
ton to the General Government perpetual union
In order to form correct opinion upon this question,
should know the defects OF the Articles of
and the means by which these defects 20 be RENE
died. The principal Of these defects not enume
rate as they sufficiently well known every person.
but will merely remark that the chief defect was that
;he laws passed by the Federal operated up
on States IN their collective
gushed from the individuals of which il composed
This federal feature rendered the
perform its duties, and inadequate the exgences go
vernment. There were no means OF reaching indiv
uua except through the medium Of the State
whenever any measure resisted, there no posi-
bty of enforcing it, except by resort TO force at the
hazard of solving the Union To remedy this with other
evils, several OF the State Legislatures recommended To
Congress the proprey Of calling convention the States
In order TO frame constitution establish by the con.
sent oil the States more energetic government; one pos
more extensive powers, and better adapted full
I'LL the end for which government had been instituted and
ensure the preservation of the Union.
FIRMLY persuaded that the confederation was radically
ueiecuve and that the States had not yielded up sui
cheney oil their sovereignty and rights promote the com
mon interest and general welfare Congress agreeabIy
20 e recommendations of the several State Legislatures
proceeded IN February 81 TO enact the following preamble
and resolutions: Whereas there provision in the ar
ucles of confederation aud perpetual Union for making
- alterations therein by of Congress- of the Initial
States, OF the Legislatures OF the several Safes And
whereas experience hath evnced that there are defects
Z" in the present confederation as mean 70 remedy
whch several oil the States by express Instructions
TO their delegates in Congress- have suggested Con.
venton Tor the purpose expressed in the following
soiution; and such Convention appearing to be the
" firm National Governments
RESOLVED, That in the opinion of Congress, il is expe
" dent that on the I'd Monday in May next, Conven
" ton oil delegates, who shall have appointed by the
" several States be held at Philadelphia for the sole and
express purpose OF revising the articles of confederation
and reporting to Congress and the several legislatures
such alterations and provisions therein shall, when
agreed TO in Congress and confirmed by the States
der the Federal Constitution adequate 10 the exgencies
OF government and the preservation Of the Union"
The obvious determination of several of the state o.
gsatures which recommended this act and of Congress
that passed it, to call convention whose sole purpose
was to establish, by the acquisitions of the act a firm
"dond Government lcith those States: that this 90
vernment to be adequate to the exigencies of 90
vernment and the preservation of the Union Ii should
be particularly Observed that the intention and wishes of
VIE states ana oil Congress, were TO form national go
Vernment Tor the preservation of the Union; the objects
were 70 give Congress greater powers and adequate
eniocing mem Agreeaby to this resolution, the States
elected delegates to the convention and our
sututon was framed and ratified by the several States
The members of that convention followed closely the di
recons oil the act deegatng the their powers as will
be rendered evident by reference the letter of George
Washington, President the Convention to the Pres;
cent oil Congress- written by the unanimous order of the
Conventon An extract from which is i'm the following
WORDS 1T obviously impractcable in the Federal Go.
Vernnent oil these States all rights of indie
pendent sovereignty each, yet provide for the in
terest and safety of ALL individuals entering into So
ciety must give up share of liberty preserve the
rest Inc magnitude OF the sacrifice must depend as
wen on situation and circumstance the object to
In all our deliberations upon this subject we kept
steadily in our view, that which appears to us the great
est .nteresto every true American-THE CONSOLE
" DAIlON OF our UNION, in which is involved our
prosperity, felicity, safety perhaps national existence
" This important consideration seriously and deepv i'm
pressed upon minds led each State in the Co1yen
oh 70 be less rigid points OF inferior magnitude than
might have been otherwise expected and thus the
ions, M which we now present, is the result of
spirit OF amy and that mutual Difference cOnces-
sion which the popularity of our political situation rem
Z" dered Indispensable"
related Der-
peu'y OF our Onon this grand feature in our government
was not designed to be changed by the Convention; for
zen washington, in his letter, says in all of our de-
hoeTahons we kept steadily in view the consolidation of
our Onlon IN which, perhaps, is involved our national
existence Ii then the wishes of the Convention were
represented by their President in his letter officially com
muh'ca'ed 10 Congress, together with the Constitution
must De evident that the right of secession was not
co 10 De allowed implicitly in that Constitution For the
FORMATION OF consolidated government the States still
retaining the right Of seeding whenever they Indeed
tat me compact had been violated would be political
absurdty. F
AGAIN. we have in the Introductory clause of our
constitution, summary of the reasons for which we on
tered into union and ratified the existing Constitution
he following are the words We the peoDle of the
United States, in order TO form more perfct union es
taolsh Justice ensure domestic Tranquility provide or
" the common Defence promote the general welfare and
secure the blessings Of liberty ourselves and our nos
tery do oidain and establish this constitution for I'M,
I" United States Of America The object of framing
new constitution is here declared and Is suficenv ex
Pianed-it Is for the people of the United States To- form
more PERFECT union than existed under the confedera
uoh ne recommendation of the State Legislatures and
inc act OF Congress to form frney ,latonaI Gov.
eminent Tor the preserCat0n of The Union The Presi
dent oil me Convention, Washington saws the wish and
object OF tho Convention were to form sonsoIdoT;on Of
the Union on which perhaps depended our national exist
ehce' me right OF secession is incompatible with moro
perfect union than existed under the confederato 10
CONSISTENT WIN domestic tranquility the common defence
iiu general welfare; inconsistent with the formation o
urn udohal government adequate to the exeencies of
government; destructive 10 the Union and incoonatib
WIN us preservation inconsistent with its consolidation
anu our national existence contributed by the very OH
Jscs ana ends Tor which entered into the Union bv