The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-08-19

An extract, Mandatory Of the Union, from one
of Mr. Randolph's speeches, short time since
went the rounds of the compromise presses
That its author was to the time of his death, ii
true friend OF the Union, admits of no more
doubt than he was a friend of the South, and of
his darling doctrines of State rights Yet, IN
these days, when an assertion OF the right OF
secession makes II man disunionist, what IS 10
be thought of the following resolutions, drafte1
by Mr.. Randolph, and submitted by him TO the
people of Charlotte county, Va, at the court
house assembled:
Resolued. That Virginia " IS and Of righ
ought 10 be Free sovereign and independ,m
Siate;;" That she became so by her own SOW
ereign act which has since been recognized by
all the civilized world and has never been disa-
vowed, retracted, or in any wise impaired or
weakened by any subsequent act OF hers
"Resoloed, That Virginia has never parted
with the right 10 recall The authority so delegated
for good and sufficient cause, nor loith me righ
10 Judge The sutfciency of such cause, and 10
SECEDE from The cOntederacy loheneper she
shall find The benefit exceeded by It's euiis--union
being the means of securing happiness, and not
an end, to which it should be sacrificed.
@Resolued, That while we utterly reprobate
the doctrine of Notification as equally weak
and mischievous, we cannot for that reason,
give our countenance to principles, equally un-
rounded and in the highest degree dangerous t,
the liberties of the people"
Yet this great man--for great notwithstand-
ing his excentricties he truly was, not only IN
the eloquence of the orator, but in the wisdom
of statesman-yet he, much as he was devoted
to the Union, were he now living, would expose
himself, for the announcement OF the foregoing
daupinuiaff
Il will be seen that Mr.. Randolph placed the
right of secession where it ever must rest, upon
the broad immovable, and indestructible rock of
STATE SOVEREIGNTY and INDEPENDENCE. He
thought that Patrick Henry, and Thomas Jeffer-
son, and George Washington had, by the tongue,
The pen, and the sword, secured and achieved
for Virginia, their country, something more than
the right possessed now by the serfs of Russia,
and even their own African slaves. He thought |
that Virginia, in ceasing to be province of
Great Britain, did not become province of New
England, or of New England and all the other
States combined. He thought that her people
had done something else than transfer their al
egiance from King George to king numbers
AS the latter is, with despotic powers,
north of the Potomac. He did not think that
ler long strug lie, commence ed by Patrick Henry
n the house of burgesses, with the cry of
treason,' ringing in his ears, and ended by
Washington on the glorious field of Yorktown,
lad done more for Virginia than to give her the
light of revolution-the right of withdrawing
rom the Union in case she could Dhip the
general government; and had doomed her to the
ate of submissively remaining in it, in case she
ould mol whip that government.
If the people of the different States-or to
.ome home--if the people of G. orgia have not
he right to change their government, it is high
lime that they did have it. Whether they may
aver wish to exercise it, is another thing. But
IS soon as the State snail cease to claim and in
list upon the right, so soon may she bid fare
we'll to her sovereignty, and to the liberties Of
ler people. She becomes subject to the will,
not of majority of her own citizens, but of an
extrane Gus multitude whose interest, prejudices
and feelings are antagonistic to her good.