The southern press., 1851-07-08

l Il.
sibility--but the responsibility Of altssinp the
!, form Of government belongs To the peor{e. and
cannot be delegated. Hencs we frequently heal
the remark, even 10 our own STATE that fbe re-
presentatves are behind the people on the oues
: ton of disuHion. Whiist our friends ID Con
, gress, therefore, very properly declined to coun.
} sci measure n regard to which they had no
authority to commit their commitments, know
that they will never be found in the ranks OF
, those who will denounce South Carolina IL she
secedes, but that in them we will always find
men whom we will delight to honor.
Lastly it Is urged that secession will be met
by coercion and its consequent difficulties.
Now, before proceeding to consider this objec.
ton. must be permitted to say that il were
contending for the mere triumph OF forensic
discussion should hold our friends precIuded
from bringing into the argument any of the
dangers or sacrifices Of secession, because the
highest authority amongst them, ono for whom
we all feel common veneration, (Judge Cheves,)
whilst opposing this measure on other grounds,
expressly says that no dangers and no sacrifices
can be too great ia such cause" But | am
seeking no such triumph. The subject forbids
it, am actuated, trust, by higher purpose.
will proceed then to consider this objection. 1t
opens, ladmit, most important inquiry.
The aspect in which this branch of the subject
presents itself to my mind has always been this :
Will the administration, with the powers they
now possess, undertake, on their own response
bility, to oppose the secession Of South Carolina
in any way; or, supposing Congress to be in
session, will thew ask for its authority TO coerce
us, and for an increase Of power for that pur-
pose! Now the answers TO these questions
must of course.be wholly conjectura doubt
very much if the cabinet itself is prepared to
answer them without qualification. Evens
must control the judgments and the actions of
all men. But still it is wise and proper, with
| the lights before us, to endeavOr to ascertain
what are the probabilities that be in our path
| No issue would ever be brought to an arbtra-
ment, ii each party waited to know, with GER
tainty, the plan of his adversarys operation
Whether the administration may think it pos
sesses the right and the power to coerce a
seeding State or not, cannot pretend to say.
We all know it did not think that it had suf-
ficent power to coerce Boston mob, and asked
for more, but did not obtain it, Now, | do not
intend to speak in terms of disrespect of the ad-
ministration, or to excite unfounded prejudces.
| Our cause is not to be strengthened by throwing
dirt at any one. II spurns the aid of such mis-
siles. Let them be used by those who have
taste for them. But in speaking of those who
now WELD the power of this government, and
|
to their known opinions. principles and conduct
The school of politicians, to which the admin
stration belongs, is the school of consolidation
lists Its most prominent members are thor
oughly anti-slayery in their feelings, their prnci
Piles and their policy. The President believes
that Congress has the power not only TO abolish
slavery in the District Of Columbia, but also the
slave trade between the States, and that this
power ought TO be exercised, at what he calls
proper time. His opinions are on record and
will be found to be extreme on this subject
Mr.. Webster believes slavery to be an evil, and
regrets exceedingly that it exists in the South
ern States" and whilst he admits that Congress
has no power TO act upon it there, still he sug-
gests, to use his own words: ''that in the dis
pensaation of Providence some remedy for this
evil may occur or may be hoped for hereafter"
The truth IL, that both the President and MIR.
Webster, like many other advocates Of the CON-
promise, are responsible for much of that very
agitation they are seeking to quell. They have
sown broadcast anti.slavery doctrine in the
Northern mind, and now behold the fruit "'rhe
engineers have been hosted by their own pc
tard." The Pope taught republicanisn at Rome,
and republicanism drove him from the Vatican
Mr. Webster taught anti slavery in Boston
and anti slavery drove him from FaneniI hall
French bayone.s opaned the way for the return
of his holiness Federal bayonets opened the
way for the coming of the compromise. Train
ed, then, in the school of the consoidationsts,
having as little respect in principle for the se-
cession Of State as the sedition of mob, with
all their feelings and opinions opposed to that
institution on which rests our happiness and
prosperity, and which no minister of State has
any right to denounce as an "evl" of such mag
nitude as to call for remedy" at the hands Of
s.n L H..l- y
opinions as these, say, it is altogether probable
that the administration, urged on too by "the
power behind the throne, greater than fhe throne
ITSELF" will be disposed to coerce South Caro-.
lima.
The extirpation of the "pestilent heresy' Of
secession, the subjugation of slave State out
of which, through the "dispensation Of Provi-
dence," the extinction ofslavery may be "hoped'
for are triumphs to tempt the ambition of better
men than live in these degenerate days. In such
a crusade il is not difficult TO foresee that MI
army with many banners might soon be enlisted;
but what fruits would victory bring TO them.
The administration would be compelled to say TO
their allies, like Pyrrhus of old "Such another
victory, and we must 90 home alone " But it
may be asked Is the power to coerce sove-
reign State so clear that the cabinet viii feel
authorized to exert it on their own resi onsi-
| bihty Are there not such grave doubts on the
subject to make them pause lefore proceed
ing to such an extreme have already said that
the cabinet belong TO the school Of the consoli-
dationists They denv the sovereignty of the
States; they contend that the States never were
sovereign; that at no period had they the powers
ofsoyereignty,o ifthey had they have transferred
them all to tn general government. They say that
"the doctrine Of republicanism is, that the major
tY can do no wrong, in the same sense iu which
il is said in England, that the King can do no
wrong, and for the same reason because there
is no legal remedy" With such doctrines as
these, it is easy to perceive that the administra
ton would not call it "eoercing" sovereign
State, but merely enforcing the laws on the dis
obedent citizens of an empire, who have no more
right to Justify their proceedings, under the au-
thorty of South Carolina, than under the author
ity Of their particular protege, Hungary, whose
recent attempt at a redress of grievances has