The southern press., 1851-10-29
From lhe Richmond Examiner.

Of writing. Whatever it be, the contest is mol
final. The question at issue is only half dis
cussed If we are victorious, the result will be
attributed by the enemies Of State rights to the
personal popularity of our candidate. and to the
anmosities which the conduct of his opponent
has excited against himself The victory, IT we
have triuniphed, will be declared rather victory
of Mr. Caskie than of the great cause of STATE
Rights TIE defeat, if defeat We have unhappi-
ly sustained, is, on the contrary, the defeat OF
State Rights. notwithstanding the high personal
attributes of our gallant candidate. However
the event may be, the battle of State Rights; OF
90 AMI so; Of the Constii ution; of Southerl
honor and independence; of the safety, quiet
and social existence of the South, is yet to BE-
fought. It ia to be fought not only in this dis
trict, but in all Virginia ind not only in Vir.
sina, but in every Southern State; and if fought
successfully in these, then in the Union.
The question of State Rights or secession,
traced up to its elemental principles, is simply a
question whether the federal government is alb
solute or limited. IL is precisely the question,
presented upon different subject and under
different circumstances, which arose in l776 and
in l64O. The question, at the earlier of these
periods, between the King and the Commons,
was upon the prerogatives Of the crown. Mag
ma Charla had been violated in numberless in
stances. A stand was finally made by few
| resolute men, upon question OF taxation
Ppm, Sydney and Hampden struck blow for
the great charter Of English liberty, denying the
crowns prerogative to tax the subject without
the consent of the Commons They fought the
battle like freemen, even 10 the cutting off OF
the Kings head They triumphed, and saved
the British constitution. The monarch "who
could do no wrong" was dragged down from
his throne by the free people whose chartered
rights he had violated Thus resulted the con
test between subjects and King.
The question of l776 was an issue between
subjects and Parliament. Parliament violated
Magma Chdrid by taxing subjects unrepresented
in its sittings. II required all the eoquence of
Patrick Henry to bring his countrymen to the
assertion and vindication of their constitutional
rights They did assert them, and maintain them
even to the severing of the British empire The
violation of the British constitution cost the
British monarch his head, and the British crown
the mightiest and richest domain on the globe.
The question now before the American peo-
pie, is precisely this same question of constitn-
tional inviolability. The violation threatened,
is not that of rash and obstinate monarch, but
that Of an unscrupulousy tyrannical, and ire.
sponsible legislative majority. 1t is not needy
parliament seeking merely to raise morey by
"
the constitution are now the subjects of discus
sion, but fanatical congressional m jority,
striking 10 the name of religion and phanthro-
ply ut the foundations Vt our social organza-
ton.
The Constitution by which was sought to be
established more perfect union" Of these
States. il threatened to be made the instrument
by which one half of them may assail and de
stroy the other half. The Constitution is sought
TO be shamefully violated to achieve objects ard
purposes, the very opposite of those which Were
sought TO be attained by its enactment. At the
time when these violations stamp the deep9sl
stain upon the honor of injured States, ana
menace the deadliest blow at their peace aud in
dependence, at this very time, these violations
are declared to be without remedy
The question Of 1851 is prec sely the question
of l640 aud l776-whether there is a remed,
for infractions of the organic law. Was Charles
!. above Magma Charia! Was the stamp &C
Parliament above the same Charter Of Liberty
Is Congress above the Constitution!
So say higher law" Seward and bandit Bolts,
and their Wing followers. They hold that, a.
there was no remedy for the British people in
1910 but the muskst and broad-sword no rene
dy for the American colonies in l776 but trea-
son and rebellion so there Is no remedy for the
sovereign American States against constitutional
infractiens, but those same weapons of treason
and rebellion. They make Charles the lst
Of the American President-a Dritieh Parliament
Of the American Congress. They apply the
maxim of Blackstone-"the King can do no
wrong 10 The hired agent of the States. They
cothe the federal government: with the nfallibili.
ty which belongs to the Vatican, and raise the
creature and servant Of the States above all legal
responsibility and Impeachment The battle Of
II L. 81
the sword In 1910 the battle Of municipal free
dom, Which was won by the same means in l776;
they require 10 be fought again unto blood,
if no principle had been settled By those san
culinary contests, and If rights in this republic
were In the same condition with rights in Rus
STA and Austria, and rs if prongs among US were
rs hopelessly remediless, except b. blood and
carnage, as wrongs In Hungary and Poland.
The question Of constitutional right these
men maintain to be in the same condition in
this republic, and at this day, as il was two
hundred years ago in the kingdom and the reign
of the Stuarts. They maintain that constitu-
tional right exists, but that il may be asserted
only by an act of treason, and at the risk Of the
halter. Mr. Webster declares q compact bro
ken on one side, TO be broken on both sides,
and the parties thereto released from its obi.
cations but denounces the penalties Of treason
upon lne Sthte WHICH bnali uaIe 10 Clalu mr.
release. The events now Transporting prove
the enemies Of human liberty, the opponents Of
popular right, 10 be ever consistent and their
doginas, under whatever varying emergencies,
ever The same.
II there is no peaceful remedy for violations Of
the federal Constitution, then the federal govern
ment is absolute. 1.-THE States become traitors
and their citizens rebels, by resisting unconsti.
tutional laws in the whole Union, or by with
drawing from the confederscy that tolerates
them, then are We all bondsmen, and American
liberty is an ignis fatuus TO deny the people
or the State the peaceful exercise Of remedies
acknowledged to exist, is TO erase two hundred
wears from the history of freedom, to blot out
the whole history Of our republic, and to revert
To the absolute doctrines Of Attila and Ghengis
Khan. That men or States have rights, but
that these rights are naught, and may be treated
as naught until they are won by the sword OF
until their claimants exhibit the physical power
to assert them successfully, Is to attack the