Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1833-01-03

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THE TocsIN-No. ..

Jefferson, OF our blessed Union and the char
ter OF our liberties, against the ruthless At
ticss oil practical nullitication-i regret that
circumstances seem To render il expedicnt To
'e'ia'e from the course cholkcd out, for the
purpose OF reviewing some of the doctrines
Propounded and contensied for in the last
editorial" Of the I" Free Press" This shall
he done IN tho spirit Of frank and Friendly
courtesy.
ms necessity, the writer regrets the more.
because II has oeen his pride aud his pleasure.
never before Ia have differed. politically. with
the editor and because he fears. lest in thi,
instance, h,s humble efforts may prove an
unavailing antidote against what, he is well
persuaded, are most poisonous doctrine.
such m,y be the result yet, my fcllow-citi-
Eens, invoke your serious and solemn re-
heehon To tins momentous subject. Judge
ye between US! Let our coolest Judgment.
and the most generous feelings Of the heart
DC engaged IN the investigation. That we
mfy see, II happily yet, before the clang of
arms, the groans OF the patriot, the shrieks
and the bitter wailings Of the orphan and the
widowed ones, and the kncli Of liberty itself.
are borne to us upon the Southern breeze
these dark horrors may he avoided and the &c
nal sunshine of united Liberty, Of Peace
Harmony, and Fratcrnal Concord, may again
DC diiuscd throughout the borders of tin,
once happy land.
la the editor ial article referred TO. VIC find
openly avowed, hat in no event, - should
force be used against South Carolina, That
"the Union mui be preserved, but il can ne
yer be preserved by force" What is the
correiary to these propositions Is il not,
that any one Of the States which NAV from
causes, real or imaginary, become tired of
remaining IN the Union, and shall be unwi!-
ling longer 90 remain connected with us b,
the golden cord of our united liberties, NAV.
at pleasure, be permitted TO abandon the
Cnlon-become an independent and sove-
reign power, utterly aloof and separate from
", and which may 10 the next year, by some
move upon the great political chcss-board Of
psions, b. found ia the attitude of a foreign
power, IN hostile array against US an enemy,
as II were, within our own household; Let
us test the doctrine by the example bcfo
Ms. suppose the great and overwhelming,
majority Of the people Of the United States
should continue, with Mr.. Madison at their
head, 20 believe the Protective system con-
stunonal beyond any rational doubt, and that
.ho pisncst interests OF the country, nay, its
incependcuce itself, demand its continuance:
Suppose that temporary delusion ha. seized
upon the people Of $. Carolina-fanued into
hamc by the disorganizing Vaccinations of
unprincipied demagogues and in this state
OF unprovoked and causclcss excitement. she
resolves no longer to submit TO this exercise
OF power clearly within the Constitution ::
Here then, is at once, dissolution of the
Union. Carolina cannot, forsooth, be coaxed
and persuaded back, like a spoiled child, To
her allegiance, without a sacrifice of the ma
tlonal dignity. and our highest interests
Force may not be rcsorted to-the rod must
not be laid on-and thus, to sustain this beau
tful theory Of false humanity, we must away
with the prophetic admonitions Of the illus
rious Washington; not only single star !.
10 be plucked down from that bright banner
which so long has waved in triumph over the
glorious achievements Of Republican Liberty
nut the whole Of the remaining twenty-three
must necessarily be disturbed in their orbits;
confusion introduced throughout the beauti.
tifai system, until each shall shoot wildly
from Its sphere; and that brilliant galaxy
which, for half century, has she'd its be-
nignaDt light upon the pathway of Freedom
and the Rights Of man in every cline, be
made to give place TO the brooding darkness
oil wild anarchy or royal despotism.
In further illustration Of this subject, the
writer's attention IL forcibiy called 10
strong view Of il, presented in late peri
odical. h South Carolina may thus break up
The Union, by mad whimscy, then may any
other State at pleasure I; for there being no
common arbter, the suiicieney Of the mo-
lives, IN practice, can only be judged Of by
each State for itself; and little Rhode Island
herself may rise up ia the majesty Of Der
own sovereign power, aud swear in her ven
gcance, that should the Protective System,
upon which her prosperity mainly depends,
ne sacrificed To the clamors Of the South her
Islands shall no longer remain moored 10 the
main land, but shall float of, 10 find n resting
place for her expanded sovereignty, upon the
broad bosom Of the mighty deep; there to
fabrIcate cottons and catch cod fish, to be
sold in the wide market Of the universe. un-
tasnmeiled by the intolerab,e restrictions of
Federal Legislation.
And may not Louisiana, too, in a moment
OF political Phrenxy, excited by some subjec
matter Of FcdcFai Policy, supposed to operate
too unequally and oppresTely upon the inter
ests OF that State, choose To sever her Federal
obligations, and proudly assume her station
among the nations OF the earth What would
the Western States say to this The circum-
stance Of Louisiana having been purchased
with the money, instead las South Carolina
was) Of the blood Of the whole Union, can
make no difference for Louisiana, when in
iroduced into the Union, Was invested with
every right and immunity possessed by any
other State. Would the vest, for a moment,
listen TO 4 proposition again 10 place the Del
"a Of her great highway, the father Of wa
ters, IN the hands Of an independent foreign
power (; even although that power was a sece-
ding sister State Quickly very quickly ~ ouId
The Wild fire of Western patriotism burn
wrathfilly against such doctrine.
On truth, feilow-citizcns, the doctrine, ~
practice, amounts 60 nothing more nor less
than this-ths; any one state may, al any
moment, at pleasure, from motives and rea-
sons, 10 be Judged, Of only by herself, dissolve
the UBiOn--blast the fond hopes and bright
antieipaiious Of the friends u Republican ~
berry throughout she wOrld-rcduc us 10
the most deplOrable, end oVer-io-be-depreca-
ted condition % the Oreciah States Of old,
distinguished only for their bloody wars n
gainst each other, or the still more wretehed
state ~ the factioD-torB, distracted, and
blOOd-drencbed repubIies of south America
May we not hope that the dOctrins thu'
propoundod by our much esteemed DELEGATE