Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-08-07
INDIvISIBILITY OF THE UNION
From the National lntellipencer.

In preceding column will be found cores
pondence between Mr.. Webster and citizen of
North Carolina (whose letter is in our hands) on
the question OF the right of any State at its mere
Will and pleasure, 70 withdraw from the Union.
=, was the language of Washington, that the
UNION constitutes us one Government" Such
were tne doctrine and the language of all the Fa-
theirs of the Republic. The Government was %
years OLD before the notion was publicly avowed.
and then with general reprobation, of the RIGHT of
State to withdraw from the Union
The Letter OF Mr.. Webster to his North Caro-
INA correspondent reminds us that we have seen
the name OF the late Nathaniel Macon. of North
Carolina, cited as favorng the idea of the robt of
any State to break up the Union. He could have
held no such opinion. We have heard him on
different occasions express, in language as stronG
as ever flowed from the lips of man, opinions d.
rectly the reverse OF this.
One OF these occasions our memory enables ZIG
directly to refer to. 1t was that of a Debate in
the House of Representatives in March, 1872 on
the occasion of the reception and disposition of
Message from the President OF the United States,
transmitting to that body series of papers Che
commission and correspondence of John Henry,
brush agenD proving, in the language of Mr..
MADISON, that, at then recent period, whilst the
TWO countries were still at peace, ga secret agent
OF the British Government was employed in GER
tain States in omenting disaffecton to the consti-
tuted authorities of the nation, and in intrpues
with the dsaffected for the purpose Of bringing
ABOUT resistance to the laws, and eventually, in
concert with British force, OF destroying the
Union, and forming The Eas ern part thereofinto
a political connection with Great Britain" This
expositioa, as may well be conceived, produced
great excitement, in and out Of Congress No one
believed the persons in New England with whom
Henry held communication, had any thought OF
secession" from the Union, though some Of their
public writer's had made violent obtestations of
what they would do. Yet, from feeling that this
disclosure reflected upon them in some degree.
some OF the old Federal party in Congress resent
ed it, whilst others affected to ridicue the whole
matter; upon which demonstrations of feeling
old Mr.. Widgery-aoe then thought him old
from down East, quoted against those who made
mem, the old saying among gunners, that ''you
may. know the wounded pigeons by their futile r.
ing" Towards the close ofthis Debate, the vet
eran patriot from North Carolina took part in it
In speech reported in the National Integencer
OF March IL, 1872 from which we quote so much
as shows what was his opinion of the inviolabi-
ty oil the Union and of the conduct of those who
should conspire to dissolveit
MIR. Macon said this of those debates
which sometimes arose in the House. in which all were
on one side OF the question. N hing can be more true
than that these papers do prove that Great Britain has
not yet ceased her attempts to disturb the peace of this
nation: In this case, who had been in the ser
vice of this Government, preerring the British, was
whilst in Canada, engaged by Gov Craig to 90 into
part OF this county to endeavor procure division
Of the Union. Mr. said he had four years ago stated
that both Great Britain and France had agents in this
country. Had they not had them in other countries
They had; and he cited Holland as particular in
stance.
The Constitution (said Mr.. M is founded on the
Union of these Staes aud (it may be allowed to use
a word once fas hionable) the ndivsiblity of the
empire And what was the object OF Great Britain
For what did she employ this manl To separate The
Union to destroy the Constitution the greatest work of
the greatest men this country has produced Sir, |
was almost struck with horror, when such documents
were reading, to sse that any could laugh them
They expose an attempt, to stab individual but
to stab a nation,'
81 understood enough of the papers, as read to know
that he [Henryl was agent OF the British Govern
nent, sent here 10 disunon. and that was enough
tor me. So long as we are governed by interest mu-
tual wants. or by common sense, long shall we con-
llnue united We placed in such situation that
we ought to love each other, and we always should did
not our mad passions sometimes away with US -
One part OF the nation delights in using the sea;
other in agrculture supply each others wants; we
ought never TO dream of separation"