The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-11-05
From the Philadelphia Ledger.
NEW MULTIPLICATION.

NEW NULLlf lCAllON.
Mr.. Slade, the Governor of Vermont, in his mes
sage the Legis ature of that State session.
uters the following declaration concerning the an
ration Of Texas.
81 do not hesitate 10 declare, my opinion, that
upon the consummation of this project, II will be
the duty of Vermont 10 declare her unalterabe de
termination to refuse any connection with the new
union, thus formed without her consent, and against
her will"
Some years ago the political party with which
Mr.. Slade is associated, very decided in
their opposition to the Notification of South Caro-
lima, and if we remember correctly, he then re
presented Vermont in, Congress. We should be
Obliged 10 him for showing the difference between
the Notification of South Corona at that time, and
hat which he now recommends forVermoni. Things
do not change characters with change Of times To-
calities and actors. As Mr.. Slade is able and
lghtened man, his opinions entitled to conside
ration and If they erroneous, the error derives
additional force for evil from the respectabilliy
their source. According 10 MIR. Slade, any State
may recede from The Union, when that Union under
goes any change in its constituent parts, and such
State is dissatisfied with the change. If this be true
we must quote the language OF Mr.. Webster IN the
great speech in which he demolished Mr.. Hayne, and
say that "we have league, and not a Government
and we must add that we have league depending
on the will of each member, and not the will Of
| the majority Mr.. Sade is quite sagacious enough
to ascertain the desre OF tenacity incident TO such
rope Of sand.
| As we understand Democracy, lis fundamental
principle Of action is the wall OF the majority and
defining Democratic Government, We should pro-
nnunce ii Government designed TO secure, through
the will OF the majority, the natural rights Of
| kind. And as understand the Federal Constitu-
ton-it recognises the will of the majority in all the
action of the Federal Government Ii this be adj
mitted Mr.. Slade not only opposes prime pie Incl
dent TO popular government, without which no gov
eminent can DC popuaI-but he opposes the Tede-
lal Constitution far as II recognises this principle
This brings US 10 the question, Has State of this
Unon the constitution al right OF secession z" We
say that il has not; and thus oppose all Nulli6ers
whether Of South Carolina or Vermont. Accord
ing to the Federal Constitution, the People Of all the
States as nation, not the Stats as independent SOW
ereignues, have established a Government; for the
preamble 10 that instrument begins thus 1--WE the
People of the United States, h. order TO form more
perfect union, establish justice insure domestic tr,n
GUILTY. provide for the common defence, promote
the general welfare and secure the blessings Of lib
erty 10 ourselves and our losery, DO ordain and
tablish this Constitution for the United States Of
| America" No language could be more general,
more NATIONAL more exclusive Of TIE idea ola league
among Independent sovereigns than this.
Had the convention elected to make a constitution
been called by the States separately, and not by the
/ nation collectively, the beginning Of the preamble
should have been, 1--WE, The people Of The several
!
he the work OF the baiion, aud the will Of the ma
iority be the Fundamental principle in all the political
institutions and action of this nation We know not
how any States, OF any number Of States less than a
majority, seccde from otherwise dissolve THE
mon. But we will take the other HYPOTHESIS very
adj, urged by many able men, and for which many
good reasons gwen, that the Union is the work Of
the States respectively and not Of the nation colcc
lively and we say that upon this MI SHADES nuli-
fcaticn s no better sustained than upon the first II
the Union be the work of the States IL Is sl the
work of the majority. Ii is an union in which the
will of the majority governs and therefore an union
from which no member secede without the con-
sent Of thai majority. When the constitution was
poposed the states respectively, State com
PEELED TO ado,t it, The seventh article OF j, declared
that The ratification of the convention Of nine States
shall be sufficient Tor the establishment Of this con-
slitutiun among the States so ratifying the same -
Hete is that fundamental principle, the will Of the
m aiorty the whole number Of States being thirteen,
Then while no State was compelled to adopt IT, and
Rhode Island did not adopt It u long after all the
est vet AFTER Stale had adopted it, that State was
bound by the will OF the majority, and could not Sc
cede withou, II.
Bot the institution is quite explicit about the obi
CATIONS Of the rsifying States 10 the Union |, does
not recognise the right of secession expressly or i'm
piled. We admit that the Federal Government has
no powers excepting through express grant and ne
eessaty Implication and that when the constitution is
silent the silence favor Of the States and against
the Federal Government But the silence OF the con-
stituiirn about secession, which alone would he
sttu in favor of the States, completely ebutted IN
favor Of The Union, by all the provisions for amend
ment The constitution may be amended by The le-
pisIatures or convention, Of the STATES Twothirds
II bo,h Houses of Congress may propose amend
mt nls or shall call convention upon the Application
of two-thrds OF the States; and the amendments
propo.ed Ivy either shall be part of the constitution
when ratified by the glslalures or conventions Of
three-iourths of the STATES, as Congress shall Pre-
scribe And this right Of amendment extends TO
every hing except he prohibition Of The slave trade
and the apportionment OF direct taxes prior to lSOS
and the equany u representation IN toe Senate
THEN az amend ens may change the terms and
condition of the Union and must depend on the viii
of specified majornies, how can STATE Directing TO
any ome ndment hat mobiles the Union, seccds in
defiance Of such m,jorit'esl