Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1833-01-24


b nsintsiDed, otherwise than By, <rssort u,
the stroog arm Of Powers ByHeoapuIsory
measures, yeu say, may not - appealed 20 |;
and the plain result L. tha{ South Carolina
indignantly, and with sSarm % stay her msd
oct, plueks down her representative star from
tho ensign Of the Union, and magui6eealy
looms forth 90 the world ~ IN independent,
sovereign, and mighty nation. May NOT,
therefore, appeal 10 yours, aud tho candid
Judgment OF every one who takes the trou-
bio 10 Peruse these poor reflections, IL tho
right OF peaceful secession be not. manifest
iy, not only . coroliary 10 the doctrine which
denoupces any appeal 10 arms, but i'm fact and
reality but different links Ia the same great
chain Of sophistical and dangerous political
reasoningl
DO not suppose have lost sight Of the OBJ
vious distinction you draw between the right
Of coercion and the policy aud expediency OF
exercising that right. But grant The right Of
coercion as you seem To have done in some
measure impliedly and how stands the ques.
ton As to the expedicncy Of exercising that
right In the case before usl Will any one Sc
rso,lsiy contend that IL South Carolina Dc Sc
vered from the Union, and once assume her
rank among the nations Of the earth, rs an
independent, sovereign, and Of course 10 Us a
foreign power, she will shortly, or even ever
lance into the Union-and be glad to resume
her allegiance to the General Government
upon such terms as alone would be accepted
No, never! Such an expectation Is baseless
rs vision: There 10 not an element in the
Southern character that docs not rcpudiatc
the superstition. That pride OF consistency
which topples above the very clouds, could
never brook il; and rather, far rather, than
thus be humblcd, they would struggle on A.
midst all the aggravated evils which would,
too surely, flow from her isolated aud unpro-
tectcd condition.
Nearly allied to this vicw Of the subject,
is the question, how far il is probable the re-
naming members could be held together.
should one link be removed from the chain
OF our United Strength. Time and the space
allotted to this number, do not admit OF nv
following out the manifold evils that would
result from such 4 state Of things-all going
TO render IL more than profile NAUTICAL that the
remaining Suites could MOI remain united :
Each, in turn, rs il became offended, would
"shoot madly from IFS sphere"-until at last,
would be realised the sad reality Of the trnth
commended for,-that il one light in the DO
litical armament is suffered to 20 down into
darkness, another and another will swiftly
follow on, until one universal gloom " I'll per-
wade the whole land.
.oo uccihc ECpiy 10 Tgument de-
duced from the case Of Rhode Island and Lou
isiana, referred 10 by way of illustration. up-
on the ground that the position combatted
had not been assumed by you Perhaps in this
you have formed hasty opinion, and may
be mistaken, fSuppose Louisiana, in high
dudgeon against the General Government
Tor having enacted some system of policy sup
posed TO be adverse 70 her interest, should i'm
tate the example Of South Carolina, and re-
solve that she too, rather than submit. will
tioat OIL from her political moorings-would
1t be permitted, situated rs she Is with the
outer-door keys Of the great Western tho
roughiare IN her handsS You answer, BY no
means-for such measure would too deep
involve the highest commercial interests
oil the whole west. Then how would YOU
prevent il. By forcei But il would never
do to pursue ono course of policy towards
Louisiana, and another, more indulgent one.
towards soyth Carolina-for equality should
ever DC sqnaily governing principle in mat
ters OF policy Is In questions Of right. From
tnese considerations, with many other kin
dred ones, which must be here pretermitted.
The conclusion Is forced upon US, that the
question Of compulsory interference by the
General Government, after every means OF
Cancellation has been exhausted, Is one not so
much Of policy and expedieney, as Of high.
solemn, paramount and unavoidable duty. -
In reference TO your next position, must
acknowiedge myself utterly nj loss to un-
derstand distinctly what Is meant by the
declaration "that Republics can only be held
together by the bonds Of mutual interest and
Affection" that any other tie is the chord of
desPotism, whether IL is held by one msn or
million" Is u designed TO contend that
we are never 70 yield obedience to laws enact
Cd contrary 10 our views or wishes Doca
not this broad position go the length of de-
nouneing rs despotic every case where he
majority overrulcs the minority-thus strIk-
ing at one Of the fundamental msxims of Re-
publican Government Even il we admit
the Iheory, that our government is merely n
consideration Of distinct soyercigntics--has
any one State right, whenever, forsooth.
ner affection for the Union shall have become
cooled, TO cancel, forthwith, her political OBJ
ligationsi Or can We entertain Tie strange
sensiEent that II she b not permitted 90 TO do.
she becomes the victim Of despotisuB Surely
not And " u be conceded that ours Is q 20
vernment, and not mere alliance, then doea
me argument apply with redoubled force,
The distinction above alluded to. between
consolidated government and a mere con-
iedeTacy, IL an obvious one, and highly ian
Portanti and fortunately for US. the wis.
trainers Il the Federal Constitution. that adj
miraoie system Of cheeks aud balances we
90 maeh revere, have infused into Il q due
portion 81 each species Of political eoancc-
sson. Oh here use the term " Republiesr
~ SUCH connection as would seem 20 implv
Una. you regarded our federal connection a,
exclusively compact between TIE several
states a. distinct and independent soyersi~n-
i'es, and not ~ IN any measure emaaatin0
rom and operating upon the whole psopIe i,
-hoT aggregate, integral capacity. Az such
IN opinion, however, would rank yOu auoae
me ultra State kights' party contrary 10 YOUR
known opinions, infer a miAapprshension Of
your H,santns on my part, and disnlss NE
sePPositon, snd with y coDeluds thishumble
ehoFt ~ vindbcait0n 81 what co1esiyed 10
Dc high add Important doctrine N our true
political creed, again prsyiag that that kind
foWeF shove, whose ombiDotAnt aFn has -
Often gutdtd and sustained our favored aNs,u.
~ thF0ugh 20 many PeFiis ~ unequal var