The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1851-02-25
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bic character ~ an luAihefTs pHiiciaHi NhfNh
the hatcher Counef-coutfay 10 editorial eth
queits-has manufactured i0f us Bot We viii
defend ounelf no further than a free and foil
discussion Of the points at issue, will establish
our feciitude, and we wish TO stand or fall by
the Truth, when the reader shall have invesii-
gated fairly and imparially.
When we come to look at the present position
Of political parties In this State, and investigate
the doctrines upon which they are arayed, we
confess our utter astonishment, o. find in State
nights Mississippi 50 large a party, who are
willing TO abandon the time-honored doctrines
OF the Virginia and Kentucky resolutions, and
to merge the sovereignty Of the State into the
consolidated and arrogated authority Of the fed
ernl government. Mississippi has ever been
a strong advocate Of the State-rghts doctrine,
and in 1880, her legislature resolved, by an
overwhelming majority, to sustain and co-ope-
rate with Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia
in the position they assumed, that "the acts Of
Congress for the protection Of domestic manu.
features are unconstitutional, and should be re-
sisttdp She more than once declared, in sub
stance, that she viewed the power ofthe fed
eral government as resulting from the COM
pact, to which the States are parties, as limited
by the plain sense and intention of the instru-
ment constituting that compact as no further
valid than they arc authorized by the grants
enumerated in that compact and that in case
of a deliberate, palpable or dangerous exercise
Of other lowers, no, granted by the said COM
pact, the States, who are parties thereto, have
the right, aud are in duty bound, to interfere,
for arresting the progress of the evil, and for
maintaining within their respective limits, the
authorities, rights and limits appertaining to
them"
This was the position of Mississippi, in 1880,
when her rights were invaded by the federal
government, in the enactmen. of an unjust and
discriminating tariff; and now, when her rights
have been again invaded, by the enactment OF
, an adjustment bill no less v%iolative of the con-
s%titution, than Of State sovereignty, her position
is equally firm and explicit. By an act pass
cd on the 3Oth of November, last, her legisla-
ture declared:
"The Legislation of Congress, controlled as
il was, at its last session, by a dominant majo-
rity, regardless ofthe constitutions rights OF the
slave-holding States, and roaecting the will OF
f, a section whose population are hostile in feel
ings, and opposed in principle, to a long estab-
lished and cherished institution Of the States of
the South, affords alarming evidence Of the
settled purpose, on the part OF said majority, TO
destroy said institution, and subvert the sover-
power ofthis and other slave-holding States
Ii is becoming and proper that a sovereign
State should promptly resort TO the most eff
cient means for the maintenance of its sover-
eighty and the preservation Of its constitution
al rights, as a member of the confederacy when
assailed, by the exercise OF the highest power
recognized under our Republican form Of Co.
: vernment-the expressed will of the sovereign
people"
The Courier can not distinguish between
those who advocate the fright and duty' of an
interposition of the State, in d proper manner,
/, and those who think ii polite for a peaceful
secession-and in its haste of passion, it char
; ges all who do not bow upon the so-styled I'M
ion plo,form, as Disunienists, or i%nsincere poll
ticians. 1t pretends to have forgotten the ex.
istence OF Liberty and the Constitution, and 10
have made of the Union a breast-work, from
behind which, to hurl its maledictions againsI
allwho advocate State sovereignty and the right
e of States to i~nterpose in defence of the consti
o tuition. "Liberty-the Constitution-the Tn,
ion,n was the motto ofour c~onscript fathers; and
although they believed the Union to be forme;
for mutual good, yet they never regarded it il
If any other light than as the offspring of Liber
>>Ssvhe C~onstrntian, Theefeserved to til,
States the right of judging how far the fede
raj government should legislate under the con
e. s%titution, and made the States the proper guar
dams of their W sovereignty. They declar
cd that "the States composing the Unite'
States of America, were not united on the prin
ciple of unlimited submission to their genera
government; bu; that by compact, under tn,
ID style and title OF the constitution for the Unite,
r. States, and Of Amendments thereto, they con
i. stituteda general government, for special pun
poses, delegated to that government certai
l. definite powers, and reserving each State I
h, itself, the residuary mass of right to their ow
self-government" Experience has taught i
Ie the evils Of a consolidated government; an
tho voice of the patriarchs of Republicanisr
n admonishes us "That a notification, by III
l. States, of all unauthorized acts done under co
or of the constitution, is the rightlul remedy,
This 'rightful remedy has been applied o
d various occasions by several of the States, I
the unauthorized acts of Congress. In 1885,
Massachusetts became so iucensed at the FED
: eral government for the course it pursued o
the Northeastern boundary question, that he
Legislature declared
"That the adoption of the line recommend
ed by the King Of the Netherlands, would b
q wholly null and void, and in no way obligatC
7 ny upon the people"