The southern press., 1851-08-06
MONDAY. AUGUST 4, 1851.
Pref. LisIsr On Secession.

MONDA1s AUUUoI ., 1901.
Pref. Lieber on Secession.
DIR. FRANCIS LIEBER, who fills one of the
chairs of the South Carolina College, was in
vited to the anti-secession celebration on the
fourth of July at Greenville, South Carolina,
and wrote long letter against the right of So
cession.
DIR. LEBER is distinguished scholar, Of
He is native Of Germany, which has pro-
duced host Of eminent writer's on political and
other sciences, and who have been remarkable
for the labor and research they have devoted to
history, philosophy, and literature. We there
fore expected to find in the doctors argument
something learned, original, and cogent. We
shall now examine his views. We must say
that the preliminary portion of his letter, com
pretending at least one-third of it. is quite vague
and declamatory. The only position he assumes
in that part Of il, is that Germany owes her mis-
fortunes to disunion. And here he begs the
question. He does not show how disunion has
injured her. We differ from him altogether. We
regard Germany MS the most prosperous, or
the least miserable Of any Of the countries of
continental Europe, except Switzerland, which
is, besides Germany, almost the only confed-
eracy in Europe.
We assert that Germany has now more lib
erty and more prosperity, than any other coun-
x-,, L.. of ho-
have republican governments, and several are
constitutional monarchies. But majority Of
the German States and population belongs either
to despotic or extremely aristocratic systems
If Germany were more united or consolidated,
if a majority dictated the institutions of all,
what would have prevented her from becoming
like Russia, Austria, or Frances!
1t is true that owing to the number of sepa-
rate and sovereign princes and States of Ger
many, number Of separate governments and ar
mics must be supported, and that commerce is
restricted between them, although that evil may,
or has been obviated by the Zollverein But the
result is that every prince or State has the power
and The disposition TO preserve its own relative
rights and interests, and commerce, instead of
being as with us, and with France, Great Bri-
tain, and Austria, concentrated in few large
cities, is widely diffused over Germany. Nor is
the expense of their many little armies greater
than of one big one like that of Austria, or
Russia. DIR. LIEBER knows full well that Ger
many has surpassed France or Russia in rail-
roads, and that, in letters, the little States are
superior to the greater. GOETHE, KANT, ScHn-
LER, and host of others, were the natives or
residents of the smaller, rather than the more
powerful States.
When the French revolution of February,
lS4S, excited Germany to revolution, we know
It was favorite idea of the liberals to establish
Il German union. They assembled general
parliament, but could not succeed, and it was
fortunate they did not. Look at the result of
unity and consolidation in France. IL German
union had been formed, Austria and the other
despotic States would have had the majority and
control, and the reaction which occurred, not
only in Germany but Europe, would have Aus
trianized Germany.
DR.. LIEBEk denies the practicability of Sc.
cession. He says, il might be possible with a
seaboard State, but not with an inland one. He
says we could not and would not consent for
Ohio TO secede and become monarchy. Well,
does Dr.. LIEBER believe that Ohio or any other
State, could be compelled against her will, 10
become or remain republic. The proposition
is solecism. 1t Is contradiction in terms. And
if we could not compel Ohio to be free, we
could not compel her to be State of this
Union. She might be made province, but that
would dissolve the whole Union and destroy
the whole Constitution more effectually than
her secession.
DIR. LIEBER contends that the reservation of
the undelegated powers TO the States and peo-
pie, cannot give or concede them the right of
secession, because that clause recognizes two
powers, federal and State; but that secession
puts an end TO one Of them, the federal, as to
the seeding State. Well, what of that! There
is and always has been such thing as the power
TO dissolve compact--to abolish government
IL that power is not given to the federal govern.
ment IL is one Of the reserved powers. The
Doctor says that this would amount "to the
assumption ehat principle of self-destruction
had been infused by its own makers into the
very instrument that constructs the govern.
ment." Well, what Of that! The government
is but the creature-the agent Of the people Of
each State, and cannot that which creates, des-
troy. Did the generation that formed the pres
ent government have any better right to make
government than the present generation7 Nay,
had hey better right to make government
for ms than we have for ourselves?
DIR. LrEBER thinks our ancestors never thought
OF secession:
Can we, in our sober senses, imagine that they
believed in the right of secession when they did
not even stpulate fixed time necessary to give
notice Of contemplated secession, when they
knew quite as well as we do that not even CON-
IG