The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-13
For The Southern Press.

The overbearng influence Of the public press,
when combined, and its capacity to enlighten or
delude, was probably never more clearly exhib-
tied in this country, than in making all classes
here in the North most religiously believe that
the people Of the South are responsible for all the
sectional difficulties which menace not only the
repose, but the existence of the Union. This
conviction is, in great measure, the work Of our
newspapers, which have all united, with scarcely
an exception, in denouncing that portion ofthe peo-
pie ofthe South which oppose the assaults Of abol-
ton and free-soilism, disunionists and traitors.
Nothing is so common in this quarter, az to hear
porty. church-going, law-abiding, newspaper
reading, Incorporating citizen, worth at least a
plum, and who has voted and acted with the Abo-
litionists s4rough thick and thin for fifteen or
twenty years, gravely denouncing those unreason-
able and wicked Southerners, who dare even to
talk about either repelng or getting out of the
way Of these conscientious freebooters. There is
no doubt he is perfsctly sincere in this The news
papers all hold this comfortable doctrine, and have
insted it into their disciples. They remind me
of a bully once saw who, after wantonIy attack
ing peaceable man, had him indicted for assault
and battery for presuming to make any resistance.
Ifthere was any use in arguing with fanatics or
politicians. l should like to ask these good folks
a few simple questions, which might possibly
throw some little light on the subject. if thought
one in thousand would see them. But the most
devoted disciple of the higher-law, would rather
even read the Constitution than the Southern
Press, which all believe, if not edited by Mephis
tophes HIMSELF must be under the immediate d.
rection Of his protegee, Doctor Faustus. There
are, however, it would seem, great many chv
alrous people in the Southern States, who chime
in with the North in its definition Of dsunionists
and traitors, and who may possibly venture to
touch this paper at arms length. To these, there
fore. ! will address my interrogatories, which
earnestly hope they will not "resist at all hazards
and TO the last extremity" but acquiesce in them
"honorably and gracefully" like the immortal
Georgia convention, whose shadow will doubtless
never become less, and which, it il hoped, will
never, as the Persians say be compelled to "eat
dirt" any more.
First: Do these exclusive friends Of the Union
hold, that this voluntary confederation Of States
have all equal rights under the Constitution which
forms the only bond by which they are held to-.
gether'
Second: Has not every State thus entitled to
equality in the confederation, a clear undoubted
right, nay, is it not its bounden duty,to resist,
counteract and repel every attempt, on the part oil
any other member or section of the Union, to vIo-
late this great fundamental principles and also ar
equal right to Judge when such resistance becomes
proper or necessary Or if from conviction de-
rived from actual experience such State becomes
convinced that argument, expostulations and
threats are equally vain, and desirous to AVOID
bloodshed. peaceably secedes from the confedera-
ton. has il not right to do so, just az much
as man when menaced by danger which he
cannot repe, is perfectly UNSUITABLE in getting out
of the way as soon as possible
Third: Who is to Judge of the necessity or pro-
priety Of secession Is it those who inaict, or
those that suffer the injury or wrong' Did they
ever hear read Of any despot becoming tired, or
relaxing his system Of oppression so long as peo-
pie submitted to it quietIy' Or do they know Of
any instance Of nation preserving or recovering
its rights by abject acquiesence in wrongs'
Fourth: Do they really believe that when
Messrp. Clay, Webster and Benton asserted in the
Senate Of the United States that species of op-
preston or grievance, no provocation. no circum-
stances whatever. could authorize or justify a
State or States in seeding from this Union, they
were in earnest in their decIarationsi DO they
really believe in the divine right of republics. as
people once believed in the divine right ofkings,
and that the doctrine Of passive obedience and
non-rssstance after being abandoned even in mon
arches, can find acceptance among free people,