The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent., 1851-04-25
From the Nati'aai Intelligencer.
William Writ on Secession.

The following is an extract from a letter of
VIM. Writ. for twelve years Attorney General
uf the United States, and one of the most dis.
linguishpd constitutional lawyers nf the republic.
lie was attorney General nnder Mr. MADISON
throughout his second term; and throughout the
eight years of Mr.. Monroe administration. In
a letter TO Judge CARR. of Virginia, in 1893
during The excitement of South Carolina null
LITIGATION. he thus speaks Of "secession:'
"As 10 the right of a State To secede from the
Union, ! do not recnect TO have ever heard il
mad subject of discussion in the high times
of 1898. 1899. and 1900. and consequently new
or heard the denial of the right to secede treated
as high federal doctrine. ! cannot, however,
distinguish bflccen The right of SECESSION and ihe
right Of reuolution. No one, Ftderalist or 0em-
ocrai, or even Monarchist, has ever denied the
right Of Tevolntinn, WHEN the sorial compact is
violaiedio the infolerdble oppression Of part OF
the country. We, Who only became a nation
by the assertion of that right, ought to be the
last to dispute it, All viii agree that there are
extreme cases Of oppression Which may be i'm.
sgined. and in whirh revolution is not only
right bui duty. But who shall Judge when
| snch an extreme case has occurred-ihe op-
pressed or the oppressor? II the latter, it is
easy to see that no revolution will ever be per !.
mitfed; FOR the case will never be admitted to
have incurred. Il the former, the dangeris (as
| is row the case in South CarOlina) that passion
will Too often take the place of reason. and the
| case will be continually Thought or alleged 10
| have occurred. But in all revolution the OPP
pressed has necessarily taken il mon himself 10
| decide, and has brought on the struggle The
nppressor has never admitted the oppression, nor
let go his hold. War has ensned. and it has
| been subdued rebellion or a successful revoln'
| tim, according to the event. do
not know that we can come TO any satisfactory
conclusion 10 the right of secession. We
must admit the right in case of extreme up
pres ion When the question is one Of life and
| death. sell-dcience becomes the first law al ma
ture, and all will recognise The right OF State.
ia such a case, to save herselr, if she can. On
The other hand, if one State in the effort Ia save
herself :ciH destroy tcenythree others, the same
law of SeifdSfe7ce dmh0rize The latter 10 Sdrf
themselves, if they can. by preventing secession.
So. at last, il resolves itself into question oi
| force and comparative strength, and becomes a
| physical instead Of moral question.
Nevertheless. the abstract right of secession
rannoi he denied in theory in case where even
poltical death rOuid be preferable 10 eristence an
der extreme opposition But can scarcely con
ceive tho rase that can possibly arise in practice
under Governmef like ours, To justify resort
to secession. II looks exceedingly like desire
10 play the smuggler OF tie pirate for an At
lantr State TO talk of sereJing on the ground
taken by Carolina. am tar from considering
the other States hound to permit the tacli seces
sion of Carolina ON the ground taken by her
| think. with you, that it is question Of ritat er
istence 10. The rfst Of The Union. While ! an
forced, therefore, to admit an abstract right Z
secede for sufficient cause. on the theory Of hn-
man rights, ] am Obliged in Justice to the Other
States. so qualify il as TO render theory oil bu
little practical value, and indeed almost Il
amount 10 a reiraction nf he admission. Such
Iawever, seems to he The unavoidable result q
the complicated relations Of The States, or tbs
incompetpncy oI The human mind 10 exirac
consistent and harmonious system OF practica
rights nut Of sncll complex relations. IconfeS:
N, own inability to d,it And The proclamation
seems to he in the same dilemma; for II admit,
the right to serede in palpable case but daet
not attempt II define The case, nor to saw pho il
10 dsride whether il has occurred This right
indeed. seems rPSerred 10 ihe Federal Gorernmsni
,ohich is rirfttal rerGction Of The admission IN
palpdble case"