The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-12-27

Charlotte, and, although unable to stand, ad
dressed the people from his chair and offered
the following rc-oiptions:
4 Resolrfd. That Virginia is, and ought to be, d
free so yeregn, and independent State that she
became so by her own separate act, which has
since been recognized by the civilized world, ard
has never been dlsavowed, retracted, or in any
wise impaired or weakened by any subsequent act
of hers.
/ g Resolved, That when, for purposes of common
defence and common welfare, Virginia entered
4 into strict league of amity ard alliance with the
other twelve colonies of British North America,
she parted with portion of her Sovereignty, IL
though from the necessity of the case, the au-
thority to enforce obedience thereto was in certain
cases. and for certain purposes, delegated to the
common agents Of the whole confederacy.
Rssoived, That Virginia has never parted with
the right 10 recall the authority delegated, for
good and sufficient cause, nor with the right TO
Judge of the suiclency Of such cause and to secede
I from the confederacy whatsoever she shall find
the benefits Of union exceeded by its evils-union
being the means of securing liberty and happiness,
and not an end to which these should be sacrificed.
g Resoired That the allegiance of the people OF
Virginia is due to her ; that to her their allegiance
is due, while to them she owes protection against
the consequences of such obedience"
But have another authority, which, with the
gentleman from Mississippi, am sure, will have
no light consideration. Sir, for his sake, anxious
as am that even he should believe the truth, /
will refer hin to the late venerable editor of the
! Uui0n. However much may have dissented
from this gentleman in his late course on the
Senator's compromise, respect him-I am
grateful to him, as the editor of the Richmond
Enquirer. For fifty years he, in that paper
maintained the sovereignty of the States, and
kept the fires of repubcaui,m burning on the
altar of liberty in Virginia. viii not the Sena.
tor heed the wisdom of his friend But there
is another authority, my last, but which, am
satisfied, the Senator from Mississippi will con
cede to be stronger than all have cited Sir.
Jefferson may be wrong, NJ adison may be untrue.
! Virginia and Kentucky may have been laboring
under strong decisions Randolph may have been
a raving lunatic, and Richie just nobody at all,
but certainly the Senator from Mississippi will
acknowledge the wisdom and authority of him
self. Secession must certainly now be trium,
phant since it has the high sanction of his illus
! trious name. hold in my hand speech Of the
Senator, delivered in the Senate on the 2lst of
March, 1850, in defence Of the resolutions passed
| by the Mississippi legislature. The National In
tetttgencer had attacked them with good deal OF
asperity, impung treason, and so forth, pretty
much in the strain the Senator now uses to-
wards South Carolina. Here is what he said
Mr. FOOTE. hope the Senator will do me
the justice to read the whole of what said.
I Mr.. RliEIT. The ach0ie speech Why,
there are four or five pages of closely printed
matter. This may be too much of good thing
After have read what proposed to read, the
Senator from Mississippi can state whether he
desires me to read further. If he is anxious to
extend the doctrines of his speech, as they are
so good, believe will pay half the expense
of a reprint for circulafion. Here is what he
says, repelling the accusations of reasonable
doctrine urged by the iateAigencer
alt was not thus that our noble forefathers
| thought and acted, under which non-resistance to
the most hdeous usurpation is the bounden duty
Of ali good citizens, and Of sovereign States.
Nor was it thus, that in purer and more high
! spirited generation, pubic men either wrote or
spoke 1t was not thus that Andrew Jackson eX-
pressed himself in that famous proclamation, in
which, although rebukng notification, he declared
secession 10 be just and proper Temedy-to be resort
| ed to In any case of intolerable oppression. II
was not thus that the honorable Senator from Mas
sachusetts Mr.. WEBsTERl spoke the other day
| IN our hearing, when he emphaticay declared
| the same doctrine. Such was not the doctrine of
| Philip Z. Barbour, who asserted secession to be
the political srsenIc Of system, TO be resorted
! to when all other remedies mIg ht fail. Such, final
ly, was not the ,ctrIne Of Jefferson, who often.
times declared secession Tor session, as he denon-
mated It) 10 be, in certain cases of enormous and
edy. find the opinion of Mr.. Jefferson on this
point very p ecisey set forth in the eulogy deliv-
cred some years since upon the life aud character
Of Mr.. Madison, by Mr.. John Quincy Adams
/ Here are Mr. Adams's own words, as printed in
the volume from which now read
! NConcurring in the doctrines that the separate
States have n right TO nterpose, in cases Of papa
| ble lnlractlons Of the Constitution by the govern
ment Of the United States, and that the alien and
sediton acts presented case of such nfracton,
! Mr. Jefferson considered them as ab, outely null
and void, and thought the State legislature com.
petent not only to declare but 10 make them so, TO
resist their execution within their respective Dor
ders 10y physical force, and 30 SGcede from The Union
/ rather than submit to them, IT attempted TO be
carried into execution by force"
! Here il the Senator from Mississippi quoting
Philip Barbour and Mr.. Jefferson, Asserting
! the right Of secession, in answer TO the NdtDna
! InteiiigeHcer charging treas enable designs on
| the part OF the people Of Mississippi agains:
the Union. lie defends resistance, and shows
! by these quotations what mode Of resistance
on the part Of a State, is constitutional That
mode, he shows by quoting Mr.. Jefferson, j.
! secession.
Mr.. FOOTE said he denied that the Constitu.
| ton sane Toned scce sion.
Mr.. RHETT. If the Senator means 10 sly
| that the right is not granted in The Constitution
] I dEfcb WIN Nun. IL ~ NOT uctlFtO from lIp
Constitution of the United States bot that j.
not alone constitutional which i derived from
the Constitution. Al acts are constitutional
/ which result from tue organization Of tie gov.
/ eminent The right Of a State TO lay taxes il
not derived from the Constitution Of the United
States. Yet il is constitutional. IL is a re-.
\ served right, not granted away bya State in the
! Constitution Of the United States. So a right
TO secede from the Union is constitutional, be.
cause the States have not surrendered their SOW.
ereignty-one Of the necessary incidents 20
which is the right TO Judge Of their compact, the
| Constitution, and to Withdraw from the associa.
ton it establishes with their co-States, in case
! they violate it. What did the Senator mean
when he quoted Mr.. Jefferson 20 the Senate
/ Did he not plainly say this by his quotations
! here is sound doctrine with which agree.
Mr.. FOOTE. stand by them now.
Mr.. RlIEFT. Well, then, the Senator, like
! Mr.. Jefferson, is a secessionist.
Mr.. FOOTE. A revolutionary secessioni.'.