Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-02-08
THE asourHERN PRESS AT WASHINGTON

life, a thorough friend to ths Unicn.
THE asOUTHERN PRESS" AT WASHINGTON.
We shall not waste time in replying to all that
the Washingtoa organ of the Southern Ultras has
to say, in its aumber Of February Sd, by way Of
protest. and wsspsh retort upon us, concerning the
history of the past or the prospect Of the future as
affected by the artificial excitement gotten up by
the very disoontented persons who undertook, and
some of whom continue to undertake, to represent
the sentiment generally Of the South. NJ the
Southern Press" had less influence in getting up
this excitement than some other journals, il is only
because it came later into the field Il has, never
theless its full share of responsibility TO encounter
from the indignant South, when the South shall be
fully undeceived, as undeceived it will be IN time,
as-to the dispositions and intentions of the People
of the North and the West whom they have been
led to believe to be inimical to their welfare and
bent upon unhalowed interference with their pecu-
liar Institutions. From journal SO situated we
expect no appreciation of the efforts OF those who
desire, as earnestly as do, to see the peace and
harmony Of the Union maintained against all assail-
ants, equally against those from the North as from
the South. 1t cannot be necessary for us, under
the circumstances, to reply to such structures OF
that journal merely captious and Peevsh.
But to notice of one or two of its CRITICISMS,
which might have some influence upon those of
its readers who are not familiar with the course
of the National Intelligencer, we may be allowed
to devote brief space.
First, as to the Merica,a War. The "Southern
Press" asserts, without qualification, that the Ma
tional IEselgencer, though opposed to the war in
sentiment" shrunk from public opposition to it.
Nothing but ignorance and the false suggestions OF
others can account for statement SO entirely un-
founded as this. We appeal to the columns of the
National integencer for proof of the grossness of
its Misrepresentation, as well in the general state
ment as in the particulars of which it is made up.
1t would be no wonder, truly, if a press which,
setting itself up as leader and Instructor of an
entire region Of our country, makes sNch blunders
as this should fail to acquire the confidence Of the
Press or the People Of the South. The conduct
Of the National Inteligencer, SO far from being, in
regard to the Mexican War, what it is represented
to have been, was directly the reverse.
Secondly. rs 10 public honors and enaoluments
which South Carolinais said, by presses dsaffected
W VIC OulOnS ~ ftuOC usouHHeCus AhO oou"iSAAA
Press has never seen any such complaint. Yet
few things are more common than such claims OF
peculiar disnterestedness and public virtue by the
public orators and writer's of South Carolina. We
have not them before us to refer to-, except in one
case, which may serve for sample of the whole.
It occurred in Communication in the Columbia
Telegraph of the 7th Of last month, Of which by
accident we did preserve a few paragraphs. Here
is passage from one of them: fa.
As, for the people Of this State, the action Of
the Convention will show that they are beyond
the infuences vhich II, many other States
are sapp;ag the foundations Of public virtue,
and bringing into disgrace the history OF their
glorious fathers. The people Of this State have
never stood high enough in the affection OF the
great Powers; their public men haze been too
incorruptibLe to subject then, to the temptations
schich haoe naisled Others nearer the throne, and
more directly Interested in its crimes.
Many such and similar passages have met our
eye in South Carolina journals within the last
twelve months. esl t6. .sss l.larlr e.rn t.
Third. As to the Opinions Of Mr.. Madison on
the right Of !. Secession The authority Of Mr..
MADISON, far from being in favor of the right Of
secession, or the right of State to resist by force
the Constitution and Laws Of the United States,
directly the contrary. The Opinion Of Mr.. MADr-
SON, as expressed in a carefully prepared paper Of
as recent date as August, 1880, is most clearly ex
pressed in the following extract from tina, Letter
:. The Constitution is compact; its text is to
I. be expounded according to the prouisionsfor er-
: pounding iS-making a part Of the compact !;
and none of the parties can righif,tliy renounce
the erpounding provision more than any other
part 3 Il,
That the Legislature of Virginia could not
have intended 10 sanction such doctrine, as
that of Notification, is to be inferred from the
debates in the House Of Delegates, and from the
address of the two houses to their constituents
on the subject of the resolutions. The tenor Of
the debates, which were ably conducted, and are
understood to have been revised for the press
by most, if not all Of the speakers, discloses no
reference WldfeUer to a. constitutional right of
an individual State 10 arrest by force the opera
sfion ofa la,o of the United States" Concert
among the States for redress against the alien and
sedilion laws, as acts of usurped power, was a
leading sentiment; and the attainment Of con-
cert the Immediate object Of the course adopted
by the Legislature, which was that of inviting the
other States 10 conc, in declaring the acts 10 be
unconstitutional, and to cooperate, by the neces-
saIry and proper measures, in maintaining unim-
paired the authorities, rights, and liberties reserved
!. to the States respectively and 70 the people.