Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-09-11

| conaHhfton y government Jor hemsHres
and post1ity."
These suggestions readily occur: Rhode
Island being one Of the parties to the pro-
posed government, must be presumed to
know the terms of admission, and the
effects oft. Ifshc could withdraw at any
time, or whenever she thought herself op-
pressed, why not try the experiment in
side, as well as outside, of the Union?--
But she gives the reason for the prudent
position she had taken; If her people rati-
fed it, they would have to adopt it as a
Constitution Of Government for themselves
and postclity The adoption was no
child's play, Of fast and loose 1t was the
moose matrimonial--in toto and forevcrl
The advocates for secession take the
ground note, that a state has right to Sc
ccdc whenever she plcases-that she has
the right to say, IL 30 because it is my
wish to co." and that is enough for her JUS
tification. This doctrine is as new as il
is absurd. Can it be supposed that the
states, especially the larger ones, could
have so unders,oodit! ,hatthey would have
surrendered the rightsand privileges which
they gave up, for such a government! Can
it be possible supposed that Virginia
would have given up the vast domain she
held west Of the Alleghanics, to the gene
raj government, if the Union could be dis
solved at any moment; at any rate, without
making some provision for its restitution in
that event! Was it ever supposed that
Louisiana could have left, with all the pub
lie land bought by the government, and
the mouth and control of the navigation, of
the Mississippi river, the day after she was
admitted as state, and give no other rca-
son than at is my willl'' What is the
meaning Of this language in "thc act TO en-
able the people Of the western part Of the
Mississippi Territory to forma constitution
and state government" &c., approved
March !, 1917: ''thc said convention" (of
the people of the territory "shall declare
that the people," &c, ado agree and de-
clare that they FOREVER disclalm all right
and title TO the land, &c, and that the same
remain at the sole and entire disposition of
the United States" "and that the river
Mississippi. and the navigablc rivers and
waters leading into the same, or into the
Gulf Of Mexico, shall be common high
ways and FOREVER free, as well to the 9TH
er CITIZENS or THE UNITED STATES, with
out any tax, duty, itnpost or toll therefore
imposed by the said s'atel" Docs this
look like perpetual union, or mere tenn
porary alliation; one that could be seeded
from at pleasure, or one cenentcd for
ever? And again: In the act, authorising
the people of Alabama to form consti-
tuition and state government, passed March
., 1919, it is provided, that the nayigablc
waters in said state shall FOREVER remain
free TO the citizens Of the United States"
These acts We're passed during the admin
istrations, and approved by the fathers,
Of the republican party: THey shoa0 that
NE pcop4eQfMc suites ,ccre hci& as citizens
of lie Tnitud States, and Mat fightS werc
guaranteed .torercr to the citizens Of tie
United States, and to tic government Of
the United States.
Other acts OF the same character have
been passed ever since the admission Of
Louisiana.
Ifths right existed, it is not strange the
constitution has provided no mode for its
exercise. SO important privilege would
not have been left by wise men, wholly
unrestraincd or unregulatcd in its exer-
else, by the parties so vitality interested In
its operation. Even a common indcnture
ofcommercial partnership usually provides
for the winding up the affairs ofthc firm,
the division Of the assets, &c: and, if not
limited as to duration, it usually provides
for notice Of dissolution. But here; in the
more important form Of government,
where rights, duties and relations are cs-
tablished by the new government, and the
connection Of the parties with each other;
where powers are surrendered, onerous
obligations incurred, the whole CONNER
cial system and all foreign relations altered
or fixed, and means Of defence against dan
gers at home and abroad given up, or un-
provided, III consequence Of the union, and
revenues and property surrendered, no Sc
curity ofthis sort is tak3n-no means of
restitution or of rcparaiion or indemnity
secured, no amIcable project Of division of
property or of debts among the members,
and no security furnished for or against
each other; and no measures proposed for
preventing a recession at such time or III
such manneras might be most injurious or
las in case of war; fatal TO the other States;
and, finally, after secession, so many dll
ficult and embarrassing questions remain
TO be settled, as make the pcaceable right
practically no right at all; but lead ncccssa-
rily to war.
Again, the right to sccedc at pleasure
Tor at ally docs not exist, because thcpar-
ties cannot respectively be placed in the
same condition in which they stood before:
and this was well known TO the trainers
Of the constitution and the people. They
must have the right lift exist, because, l,
it is just that they should have it, or, I'd,
the constitution provides for ii, (which it
cannotbe pretended it does, or, Sd, be-
cause they had it once, and have never
parted with it; because, in other words, it
is an act Of sovereignty, which sovereignty
they still, SO far,retain.
Now, it is not essential that this right
should be parted with in express terms; it
may be enforced from the nature Of the
act on the conduct of the parties, or may
be taken away by the new Obligations or
relations created thereby. If two parties
60 into country where there is no law,
and enter into certain stipulations and re-
lations there, they are bouud, not merely
by the letter of their contract, bat by what
is fair and Just: justice is the arbiter be-
tween them: and, if they have SO acted in
their relations to each other, and arc plac
cd in such condition, as that it would
be unjust 10 dissolve the connection Meth
cr has a right merely because he plcases,
to dissolve it to the prejudice of the other.
The moral obligation of a contract rests
ON Justice; and this same justice equally
requires the discharge Of duties and the
respect Of right, whether there be any
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