The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-11-25

the language now is, of the pusillanimous, we
cannot resist. Our ability to resist IS much
greater now than was our ability to make war
then. The dangers of war then were much
more alarming than they are in the present case;
and the cause of resistance then was, to South
ern men, who made the war, almost an abstrac-
ton, so far as Southern rights were concerned,
when compared with the dire reality that now
affiicts and threatens to crush us. Ii was, in
deed, deeply question of national honor, for
which we fought in the late war with Great
Britain. II is so now, but besides, it is ques-
ton of life and death, morally, politically, and
physically. ave must do or die"
The right of peaceable secession on our part
is unequivocal, if the mere equity of the case be
considered The Constitution of the Union is
nothing more than a grave and solemn treaty
between the States who were parties to it. The
violation of one part of it annuls the whole;
and, as that violation on the part OF our oppon-
ents, is most unquestionable, the South Is ex-
onerated and the treaty null. The name Is
nothing; all compacts between soverelgns are
treaties But as between sovere.gns there Is no
umpire, the State from which we secede may,
however caprciously or unjustly, say we have
violated the compact by secession, and make
war upon us. No such war as has been shown,
is authorized by the Constitution. ! have shown
how little sovereign power is embraced IN the
general grants of the Constitution: that 1t re-
auired a special grant Of power to dispose of the
public territory of the Union. The great body
of the internal sovereignty, which may be SAID
to constitute the real sovereignty OF a nation,
remains with the States. Any contest which
may arise will be between equal soVerelgns,
namely: the several States, though it may per-
haps be conducted on one side under the con-
stitutional name of the Union, but tins VIII IN
no wise alter the nature OF the question
Treason has been mentioned unfortunately
and strangely, if it refers to the action of the
States. But such language is mere bruium tuL-
men. ANY one who has advanced beyond the
the hornbook Of national politics knows that
every people, or any great body OF people,
whether the whole ola nation or not, with arms
in their hands, are not to be called traitors or
treated as such If he does not, single page
of any writir of character on the laws OF war,
Vattel, for example, will supply him with the ne
cessary information. The idea and the language
belong TO ages of barbarism long gone BY
Modern humanity and modern civilization have
long repudated both. In the war OF the rev.
olution, though we were undoubtedly warning
against a former allegiance, were our cltizens,
when taken in arms, treated rs traitors On the
contrary, were they not regularly exchanged as
prisoners of war!
But if our great parent State lead US, there
will be no bioodshed; and can it be doubted
that she will Virginia is the mother OF the
Southern States. There is scarcely family
within their bounds in whose veins Virginia
blood does not run. Will she abandon them
If they were to be engaged, even III a struggle
of doubtful right would she ABANDON theth
But as they will resist most attrocious MUS
tee, an odious and alarming tyranny uhder
which she, alike with them, suffers, must she
not Join them? 1t is the cause OF Virginia her-
self Does she not blush with shame at the
condition in which she is placed? Imagine
son of the Old Dominion bowling with awe, Gas
in the last Congress,) and meanly suppllcatlng
for the best he could GET Time was when his
language wonId have been: SHY rights, my
whole rights, and nothing less" aud when he
would have said 81 would as lief not be, as i've
to be in awe of such thing as myself" has
she not declared soemnly by her legislative acts
that the existing usurpaton ought not to be
borne Let it be unresisted; let the Abolition
lists be permitted to use that usurpaton, with
the temper and spirit that governs then' ana
what will be the fate of Virginia How much
better will it be than that of st. Domingo! Let
it not be supposed-which it will be the most
ecregious folly to suppose-that the Abolition
lists will stop where they are, and use wltnout
extreme violence the power they possess. Ihey
will bind us with new letters, new free,soli
States, and exclude forever all States with slave
property, contrary to the letter and spirit OF the
Constitution.
Will that glorious old State, will her magnan-
inous sons, the defendants OF the men OF i''o
and 1898, hug the security of an lnslgnilcant
existence, and consent to b. governed like
A. hitiou Of the SRWarQS.
the Hales. and the Giddngses! If she shall do
so, we shall weep over her ignomny; and we
wish her no harm when we say, may she perish
rather. ] love and honor Virginia, half the
blood which runs in my veins draw from her,
and shall deeply lament her recreancy YIN
the contrary, what destiny is open to her to
be at the head of one of the most glorious Con
federacies the world ever behed, OF her own
blood "bone of her bone and flesh of her tiesh
20 rescue herself and all the Southern States
from an ignomnious bondage; to illustrate by
greater briancy her former glories to rescue
from sterility the most fertile territories, the
most felicitous in soil and climate, the happcst
in position, the richest and most various in pro-
ductions, that the world, in any given space can
display, watered by the most splendid river on
EARTH which this Contederacy will ENJOY ana
command She has her choice to be great, or
insignificant She has her choice between gen
erations of renown or ages Of mean yassaage'
If this be true, Virginia will head the Confeder-
acy. Will not Kentucky, rejecting all her no.
BILE features, the greatest and dearest OF her OF
spring, follow her Or will this great State, IN
base submission to alien usurpers, meanIy FOL
low in their servile train! 1t is impossible
We shall be united We shall be one and ndl-
visable we shall live free and great, the PRIDE
and blessing of our posterty for hundred ge-
nerations.
The political and pecuniary interests of these
States coincide The slaves of Virginia may be
estimated at little if any thing less than two
hundred millions of dollars, and those OF Ken
lucky and Tennessee at one hundred millions
each The object of our opponents is to ex-
tnguish this vast amount of the capital Of these
States, and leave in It's place the curse of mil
lion of lazy, vicious vagabonds, whom the
States will have to maintain in their aims
houses and goals until they perish under their
vices. The public mind has been much agltated
by the subject of manufactures and the allega-
ton of the vastness Of the amount OF capital In
vested. The great article is the cotton manu-