The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-10-11


South Carolina
All whatever be her decisions, whatever he
fortunes. cannot but respect, love, and admir-
her noble daring and heroism. II may be tina
she Is too rash, too pfecipitate. But is she no
the best and sole judge Of her grievances?
look upon her rs upon wronged partner VIII,
demands to have his rights acknowledged an,
secured in the partnership, or to withdraw from
IT, | could not advise you to follow in her foot
steps; | would rather urge her to pause an,
consider Yet whatever be your judgment OF
the expedency of her course there cannot b,
two opinions among sensible men as to her sub
stantiye an absolute right Of seeding from tn,
onion, " she chooses.
She does II, no doubt, at her own peril. Blu
by so doing, she, after all. but exerts her un
doubted privilege rs one of the sovereign con
federatcs
The right 10 secede, is not right that has nc
Judgement any where II exists. II constitutes
the very essence Of sovereignty. 1t is sover.
eighty itself ID must be somewhere II i.
somewhere. Its assertion rent asunder the con.
nexion which bound the British American colo.
MES to their mother country. IL is fully and
most emphatically implied in the reservation
made in the second of the articles of confeder.
alton II was neither impaired or abridged, nor
main attribute Of sovereignty, inherent TO il, in
separable from II.
To the constitutional compact, each State ac-
ceded by their independent and sovereign capa-
city, each have her separate individual ratification
aud when any one of them chooses to withdraw
from il, she but does what in all federative
compacts, a confederate has an indisputable
right TO do. resume her independent and separate
action as a sovereign
The withdrawing Of one State, docs not of
necessi y break the Union as TO the other States.
As long as there remain nine States altering to
t. Il stands IL lives; and seeding State is in re-
gard tn those that remain united, but what North
Carolina and Rhode Island were when they with
held their ratification, that is to say, she is indie
pendent Of it. Such Is the doctr eI was taught
az the school of the fathers and opponents of
this system Of government; and | am prepared
70 show that TO deny the orthodoxy of that doc.
trine Is TO belle history and the great monuments
Of past tradition Of living wisdom.
Mr.. Madison, rs chairman OF committee of
the Virginia legislature in 1900, reporting on the
resolution Of 'aS, says: at appears to yonr
committee to be plain principle, founded on
common sense, illustrated by common practice,
and essential TO the nature Of oompacts, that
where resort can be had to no tribunal superior
to the authority of the parties the parties them
selves must be the rightful Judge, in the last
resort, whether the bargain made has been pre-
served or violated. The Constitution of the
United States was formed by the sanction of
the States, given by each in It's sovereign ca
pacity. II adds to the stability and dignity, as
well rs to the authority f that Constitution, that
il rests on this legitimate and solid foundation.
The States then being the parties to the Con-
sttutional compact, and in their sovereign ca
pacity, Il follows of necessity that there ian be
no tribunal above their authority, to decide in
the last resort whether the compact made by
them be violated, and consequently, as the par
ties to 1t, they must themselves decide, in the
last resort, such questions as may be of suffi
cient mag itude 10 require their interposition."
In the Declaration If Independence, Mr.. JEFF
ferson had already proclaimed the great political
axiom I" that whenever any form of government
becomes destructive Of the ends for which il
was organized, it is the right, nay the duty of
the people TO throw off such government !" and
in the resolutions of the Kentucky legislature
ia l798 drafted by him, ne further maintained
I" That the several States composing the United
States Of America are not united on the prHci
Pile CT unlimited submission to the general gov.
eminent" That Z" the government created by
this compact was not made the exclusive or final
Judge Of the extent of the power delegated to
itself; since that would have made its discre-
ton, and not the Constitution the measure of its
powers; but that, as in all other cases Of com.
pact among parties having no common Judge.
each party has an equal right to ia ge for itself,
rs well Of infracioB, as u The mod, aud measure
Of redress"
Mr.. Hamilton, in one Of his papers in the Fed.
eralist. admits that II the federal government
L.
ments should be ready TO cheek IL by virtue Of
their inherent power. [" The State govern.
ments," says he, will, in all possible contin.
gencies, afford COMPLETE SECURITY against in.
vasions Of the public liberties by the national
authority" John Randolph processes the same
identical views In that resolution which he
introduced before the people OF Charlotte
county, wherein he declares that Virginia II,
and OF right ought 10 be, n free. sovereign and
independent State; .. that she has never parted
with the right To recall the authority dele
gated by her for good and sufficient cause, nor
with the right 10 Judge Of the sufiiciency ofsuch
cause. ana 10 sEcEDE from the confederacy when
ever she shall find the benefit exceeded by It's
evils; union being u g means Of securing hap.
piness, AMI not an End b. which IL should be
sacrificed" Daniel Webster, IN hi. speech Mt
Capon Springs, Va, surenders h- former antip.
athies and scruples and avows that 10 preserve
the Uni, n. we must observe In good faith the
Consultation and all its parts. 1.-THE Consiitu.
ton says he " be not observed, and " It's pro.
visions be set aside, the whole Of Il ceases 10 BE-
binding. II would be SbSurd 10 suppose that
either the North or the South his the power or
the right 20 violate any part Of the Constitu
ton, and then claim from the other the observ.
nnce Of Il. provision II the South were 10 VIC.
late any part OF the Constitution, would the
North be any longer bound by Il, and II the
North were deliberately 10 violate any part OF
u, would the South be bound any longer n oh.
serve its obligations How absurd u would be-
70 suppose, wher' different parties enter into
compact for certain purposes, that either one
disregard any one provision and expect the other
10 observe H." And he add, " do not hesitate
N say and repeat that " the Northern States
refuse wilfaly ard deliberately 20 carry into
effect any part of The Constitution, the South
would no longer be bound by the compact "A
BARGAfs BRoKEs on ONE SIDE N RRoKEs ON ALL
SIDES"
General Jackson himaeIC In III. eouptc,.