Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1851-11-08


eve. more than 10 proclaim the Iheo'enc right Of
di,cus.icn-ii il were designed to announce The
right Of unrcmiued agitation, 10 continue the d,s'
fractions Of the country, and, finally, u possible,
To rrueal the fugitive slave law, patriotism and
harmony must condemn the unwise course as
fraueh with the most mischievous and Perll0us
consequences.
But We mus, make some allowance for human
fraily and inordinsts pride of opinion. Msny
persons a, the North had avowed an 'nv'ne'hie
hostility 10 the fugitive law. and even declared
their intention forciby TO ohslruct its execution,
and had spreAed 10 higher law, which as they
con,ended, was paramount TO all human legsa-
ton. These untenable positions were wholly lr'
r-conabe with patriotism, OF even with the rl'
is,ence cf regular government itself ohey'ng
the dictates. II ia to be hoped Of wiser aud purer
and more socisl cnunsels, the parties, who under
the impulses Of passion and anaucism, had as-
sumed. have now abandoned them, and acknowl.
edged their objectionable duty to submit TO the
law. until il is modified or repealed by competent
authority. In descending from The high and per.
Ilous ground, which they could not safely occupy,
10 that Of conceding the obligation Of submission
to the law, We discern, hope, just homage To
the dictates Of civilization. and to the duties OF
established government. IL they have coupled
with this proper concession the useless reserya-
ton If right of discussion, and Of insisting upon
a repea or the amendment of law TO which they
had taken exception, may we not hope that 'he'F
purpose was only To secure decent retreat, with
a secret aud patriotic determination TO torbeaT
from disturbing that return TO harmony and tran
guilty, so necessary to the safety and the pros
perity of the Union, Should it turn out other
wse-shoud the reck less spirit Of agitation con
tinue to disturb and distract our country to ar
ray section against section. and TO threaten the
stability Of the govenment-my confidence is un
shaken in the great body Of our northern fellow
citizens, tina, they WILL in due time, and in RICH
manner, apply an appropriate and ctiectuaI cor
Teciivc.
Intnrnng our attention to the South, and 10 the
slave holding States, we behold enough TO en-
courage the friends Of the Union and but little to
excite soiciude and alarm. In all those States
except three, there is acqoesccnce in The tertns
Of tho compromise and firm attachment to the
Union. In two of these three Georgia and
MisS.,) Ne have much reason to hope, from their
known patriotism and intelligence, that the same
attachment exists on the part Of large malorltes
Of the people, At all events, those among them,
Of whose devotion and 6d'lity Ia the Union, sc
rious apprehcnsions were entertained, have been
constrained, in difference TO public opinion ma
tsrially TO change their principle, and TO go to the
polls upon a new issue. They have denounced
the practical right of secession AZ present, an
L., L. Ia Ia nG 4 u
mere abstract right. Whether this shifting pos
si7n will satisfy the people Of those two States,
remains to be seen. They will doubtless se
rou,ly consider that there is but short step be'
tween the theoretic assertion, and the practical
exercise of that riahi; and in contingency
neither remote nor improbable. Il they affirm the
right, they may he soon called upon to involve
themsrres in all the calamilics OF civil war.
South Carolina alone nrneshes nj present
occasion for profound regrc, and serious appre'
henson, not 30 much for the security ofhe Tn
iop ms for her own peace and prosperity. W.
arc compelled, painfully and reluctantly, to yielc
to the force Of concuuing evidence, establishing
that there exists in that State general dissa'is
faction with and general desire to with draw
f. IN the Union; and that bob parties thu
which is for separate State action, and tina
which insists upon the necessity 0i the cO.oprra
ton OF other equally agree rs TO the Ell
pedency OF secession. and differ only in the de
gree Of rashness orIprujence which characterized
them respectively.
Modification and secession have sHrung ur
from the same metaphysical school; aud the lat
ter il the ally iino the Offspring, OF the former
They both agree that a single State is invested
with power to nuIiify the law Of all the other
States, passed by Congress; but Modification
claims a right 10 accomplish that object, and tC
remain at the same time in the Union; whilst Sc
cession asserts a right to attain il, by withdraw
ing from the Union, and absoIyIng the STATE
from all obligation to the constitution and laws
of the United States. They both maintain that q
resort to either process is peaceful and legitimate
Notification derived an Ambiguous hut contes'
ted support from the memorable resolutions Of The
States Of Virginia and Kentucky, adopted II
1859 bot these resolutions afford no color o
coun,enance to the PROHIBITIONS Of secession.
The doctrine Of secession ASSUMES that any
one 0f lhe thny-nne States composing the I'm
ion, wherever or however situated, "he her II
IN the interior or On the frontier, has night mp
on its own separate will. and according to The
dictates of Ils exclusive judgment, 10 withdraw
| from the Union whenever il peases; hat This &C
Of secession is peaceful, and not 10 bc conrovrr
ed to or obsIructed by the rest Of the States, Of
by the application Of any force, within the limits Q
the seeding State, to execute the laws OF tht
United States, and tina, thereupon the State aht
the citizens are absoved from all Obligation
and duties to the United States, and become Z
power as independent and sovereiug rs any o
.be nations Of the earth. The doctrine maintain
that this right Of secession may be eIerclseC
whenever the State deems il has sufficient cause
at all times-n a state of profound peace anc
prosperity OF in tho midst Of a furious war, ra
ging in all our borders; and that in the latte
cause, transforming itself into distinct and in
dependent nation. it may escape the caIamhl'
Of war, make a separate treaty Of peace VIII
the common enemy, become neutral, or even all
itself with the enemy, and take up arms agalns
the United States. 1t asserts the right, althoug
il may lead, in process of time, to the promls
cuous dotlipg over upon the surface OF alerrto
~ Of the United States, OF petty indeP nj ma
lions, establishing for themselves any form