New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-10-18

MOT heeD Al lldfttntlNe OF li-lHcIchh
them. and with you deeply regret ihelI Adoption.
'sh Thai these respectable bodies could have ooen
less ambiguous and more explicit In decIarhs -,
determination 10 acqnesce In and ao'de -, q So So
! ,neasure of Peace and Compromise, WHICH, 'oi u
an enoch In the progress OF our country was lule
ed 10 reconcile and restore concoru an y -.
! feelings among our divided countrymen- lneIe 49,
no necessitv to reserve night 70 ulscuss' -
- 20 yer.ai tho obnoxious law. Such rlght ex-
lsted without any express reservation nos oN - -
that law but as 10 al laws anu q ~ .'.e -. -
non tse which has incorporated IN IL tae rShs Oi
sTnenfment and consequently that OF discussion.
Rnt there are occasions when spirit OF moderdilon
should prompt forbearance 70 exercise tha' ri5h'.
II more were intended than meets the eve more tlth
IN nroclam the theoreiic right of discussion. II Il
were designed to announce the right OF unrenlt'ed
agitation 70 continue the distractions Of the country
and finally, If possible 20 repeal the Fugitive SidYe
Law, patriotism and harmony must condemn the IN
wise course. as fraught with the most mische'ous
and perOus consequences
But We must make some allowances for human
frallty and lnOrdIIate pride OF opinion. Many per
sons al the North had ayowed an lnvlhcloie nosun-
~ to the fugitive law and even declared lheiI N,
tention forcoiy to obstruct us execution, anu t11
appealed 10 a higher law, which. As they contehdel'
US paramount to all human legislation Ihese
osreuslule positions were wholly rreconcAaoe WIN
natrotlsm or even with the existence OF regular
soverrment itself Obeying the dictates, Is 10 be
hnped of wiser and purer and more sOcidl couu>eis
the parties who, unoer the impulses OF passion anu
fanaticism. hac assumed. have now abandoned tneih
and arknOW leS, ed their unQueStlonaOle duy tosuo
mt 10 the law until 1t Is mOdhed or repealed uy
competent authority. In descending from the hlSh
and perlous ground, which they could not sttey
OCCUPY TO That OF connecting the oollgdlOh OF SUI
MISSION to the law, discern, hope, Just NOM
age to the dictates OF CIVILIZATION and To the outes
OF established government. III they nave coupieu
with this proper CONCESSION the useies sreserVaon OF
a ht OF scussion. and OF insisting upon repeal
or the amendment of a law 10 which they hfd TAKEN
exception may not hope that their purpose was
only TO secure a decent retreat, with secret ana
nairiot C determination to forOear from disturbing
that return TO harmony and tranquility, 50 necessary
TO the safety and prosperity .of The Union! ohould
Il turn out otherwise, should the reckless sprI OF
agitation continue 10 disturb and distract our coun
try TO array section against section and 70 threaten
the stability of the Government, my confidence IS
mistaken IN the great body OF our Northern fellow
citizens that they will IN due time and IN rlght man.
ner apply an appropriate and eifecual corrective.
In turning our attention to the south, ana 10 the
Slaveholdng States. We behold enough TO encourage
the friends Of the Union, and but little 70 excite So
licitude and alarm In all these states except
three there is acqueScence IN the terms OF the Com
promise, and "a firm attachment 10 the Jnion. In
Two of these three Georgia and Mi>slssppl.) We
have much reason 10 hope, from ther known patrot-
Ism and intelligence, that the same attachment exists
on ne part Of large maJortes of the people Al an
events, those among them OF whose deYouon ana
fidelity TO the Union serious apprehenslons were en-
teralnec have been constrained, In Difference 10 pub
lie opinion materially to change their principles ana
TO go TO the polls upon new Issue. ihey nave re-
nounced ana denounced the practical night OF Gees
sion al present, and taken shelter under the conye-
nient mask Ofthe mere abstract right. Whether tins
shifting of position will satisfy the people of these
two states remains to be seen. They Will, doubt
less seriously consider that there is but snort step
betw cen the theofetc assertion and the practical ex-
ercise of that night and IN contingency neither re-
mote improbable, il they affirm the right they
may be soon called upon to involve themselves IN
all she CalamltOus evils OF civil Wdr.
South Carolina alone furnishes, at present, occa-
sion for profound regret and serious Apprehension,
not much for the security OF the Union as for her
peace and prosperity. We are compelled, pam
fully and reluctantly TO yield to the force OF concur
nng evidence, establishing that there exists IN that
State general dissatisfaction with, and general de-
10 withdraw from, the Union and that both par
ties-that which is for separate State action and
that which insists upon the necessity OF the coope-
ration of other States-equay agree as to the expe.
dlency OF secession, and differ only In the degree OF
rashBess or prudence which characterIzes them te
speciVeiy.
metaphysical school and the latter Is the ally,
# not the offspring of the former They both agree
that single State is invested with power to nullty
the laws of all the other States passed by Congress
but nullifcaton claims night 10 accomplish that
object and to remain at the same time in the Union
while secession asserts night 10 attain " by With
| drawing from the Union, and absolylRg the State
from all obligation to the Constitution and the laws
OF the United States They both MAINTAIN that re-
sort 10 either process Is peaceful and legitimate
| Notification derived an ambiguous but contested
support from the memorable resolutions OF the states
| OF Virginia and Kentucky. adopted m 1889 but
| these resolutions afford color or countenance 10
| the pretenslonS OF secession.
The doctrine of secession assume That any one Oithe
thlty-CDe States composing the mon, wherever or
! however situated whether IN th3 interior on the
frontier, has night, upon It's On separate WILL and
ACCORDING 10 the dictates OF lis exclusive judgment,
| to withdraw from the mon whenever II pleases
that tins act of secession Il peaceful and not to be
conroyerted DISTRACTED by the rest OF the states,
or by the application OF force, within the limits
of the seeding State. To execute the laws Of the
United States and that thereupon, the State and ITS
ciiZtns are ahSolyed from all obligations and duties
| to the United States, and become power as indie
pendent and sovereign as any of the nations OF the
earth The doctrine MAINTAINS that this night OF Sc
| cesslon may be exercised whenever the State deems
| II has sufficient cause at all umcs-ln a state OF
profound peace and prosperity. or IN the midst of
| furious war, raging IN all our borders and tnat
the latter case Transforming itself INTO distinct and
INDEPENDENT nation, II may escape the calamties OF
Wal, make a separate treaty OF peace with the COM
mon enemy. become neutral, or even ally Itself with
| that enemy, and take up arms against the nIted
States. II asserts this right although II NAV lie al, IN
the process of time to the promise dOttng
upon the surface OF The territory Of the unted states
| OF petty independent nations establishing FOR them
| selves fUIm OF government, free ~ tespOtlc,
known 10 mankind and lnerruptIng The intercourse
and violating menacing the execution of the laws
| OF the Clsmembeftd coniedeTacy. IL contends tor
this Iieht as well for Louisiana rs for South Caro-
lima, although the province of Louisiana cost Us SO
much money, ana was nigh involving us IN a foreign
| war for Texas, although II OccaSlOued Us W4r
with Mexico the payment of ten millions Of dollsrs
TO arrange as boundaries ana 20 acquire n. many
| were willing 10 rlsk a war wuh Ensiant. and for
distant California although that Mas acquired by the
| double TILE OF conquest ana the payment Of al
| ample pecuniarN consideration.
| Ii, indeed. the Union. under which have
long ana generally 50 happily lived, be thus fragile,
and liable 20 crulntle INTO pieces We must cease 70
boast OF the VISION of our iorefaihers who formed
II. tear from hearts the sentiments OF gratitude
| and yeneIaion with which they had inspired Us.
and 10 longer expect an enlightened ~oSt 10 oesoS
the UnbOuIded praise which II has hiiaertO lavlshed
on them. A doctrine SO extraordinary and lndetensi-
bic. iraught with the destruction of the Mon and
such other dlIeful consequences, finds no encour-
artmtnt or support IN the Constitution OF the United
States. IL had none under the ARTICLES OF couedera-
| uon which formed. IN terms, u perpetual Union,
| however otherwise weak and inefficient the Gov
| eminent was which they established That Inefi.
cheney out OF the fact that II operated not on
| the people cuectly, but upon the States, which
might and often cc. fan 10 comply With the requi-
| sluCns made on them by Congress. To correct that
ceect and 10 form more gsrfect Union. the pres
eat Constitution vas adopted. II had teen alleged,
% a.,.tl 81 Il