Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-09-01


impressed either upon its domestic or for
eigu policy. 1t has for more thnn half
century pursued the even tenor OF It's way,
growing in strength and increasing in use
fulness. taking deeper and deeper hold up
on the heats and affections Of the people,
llustratingthe great American principle of
free government, and rejecting upon its in
spired founders the highest and brightest
honor. Whilst do not propose to illus
tratc these views by detailed review of
the action ofthc government. cannot for
bear to refer to one portion Of our history.
which is strongly corroborative of the cor
rectness Of the position have assumed
When the people Of the United States de-
termined upon the purchase of the Louisi-
ana territory, and effected that desirable
object at the cost Of considerable amount
Of money, and by the exercise of ques-
tionablc constitutional power, it will not be
said that they did so for the benefit Of those
who then inhabited the country. not indeed
for those who might subsequently remove
there They were prompted to the ac-
QUESTION Of that vast and valuable territory
by considerations of public policy. affect
ing their interest and welfare as citizens Of
the various States Of the Union. The
commercial and military advantages to
to the United States from the possession of
that country were so great and important
that its acquisition was considered almost
an act of seif-protection. VIII it now be
said that the people Of Louisiana possess
the right to deprive the remaining States
of the Union Of all the interests and aJvan-
tages which they have bought and paid for
out of their own treasury, by Withdrawing
or seeding from the Union at will!
Louisiana is as free, sovereign, and in
dependent as any other State Of the Union,
and if this right exist in any one State, 1t
exists in all, without reference to the mode
by which the territory was acquired out Of
which the State is formed. l apprchend
that the people of the United States did
not for moment entertain the idea that
in admitting Louisiana into the Union they
had thus perilled all the advantages Of that
important acquisition, by placing it in the
power of single State to deprive the I'm
ion Of commercial and military advantages
and resources of inestinablc value, pur-
chased by the joint treasure of all the States,
and now held by them as beyond thereach
of any price or consideration that could
be offered in exchange for them. These
remarks apply with equal force to all the
territorial acquisitions made by the United
States where States have been or may
hereafter be formed and admitted into the
Union, and the same principle might be
forcibly illustrated by reference to the ac-
ton ofthe government on subjects Of kin
dred character; but it cannot be necessary,
and | will not extend this view to any great
length.
/ Whentho right of State to secede from
the Union at will is conceded, we have put
the existence Of the government at the dis
posal IF each State in the Union. The
withdrawal of one is a dissolution Of the
compact which holds the States together;
it is no longer the Union that the const-
tuition formed, and the remaining States are
! absolved from all moral obligation, because
the argument of the sccessiouisrs denies the
existence of any binding legal obligation n.
BY admitting the doctrine of the secession.
lists, we are brought to the concluson that
our federal government, the pride and
boast Of every American patriot, the won
der and admiration of the civilized world,
tion ,er6ororv in IT, cbar,ctor 81 ID
;nbcc;,e n Tho exe,c;se &c ;,s ro,,,ar. ;na.
nalle If se'enreserv.,;on cI,;,n;;nr e.
It's citizens ALLEGIANCE and dom,nJ;.r ' on
nuai tribute from their treasure ,n5 ua,
des,;,p,eo &c tho po,yor &c ,,ro,aa,;ar -
,;;oL,s or rro.or,;no, ,to;.l;tu,;ss 1c.t:
he tho trra ,Lanru e am r, ,, s, . W..
is the constitution of The Tinted STATE. ,h a
we should os,;m.,o !, 90 h;aLI,,9 WI
is ;,s binding force ,bat yye sIn.ld LolJ -
its provisions with such unvield;no ,cn,c;,
ty? individuals cannot violate their com
pac,., or set aside at pleasure their mutual
i obligations. without asse,, of tho che
ties Nations cannot recklessly disregard
their treaty stipulations without incurr;no
the consequences of violated faith. Bui
our constitution-tho revered monument of
revolutionary patriotism and wisdom. which
we have been taught to regard withrcvcr.
entail feeling-is doomed to fall below the
+ standard of national treaties and individual
contracts. It has formed a Union founded
upon mutual sacrifices and CONCESSIONS
made bv the several oomnon,nt ,,ar,s Co.
( the greater benefits TO he derived Inv c,cb
from the combined CO operat;on or al. and
now we are told that there i no obl;ya-
ton to observe thai Union bevopd Tho H.
sure of tie parties to il. and tLnt the ron.
sritution can be annulled bv tho a., or anu
State in the coufcderacv.
Idonot so understand our government 7
feel that owe nv ALLEGIANCE 10 a Govern.
men,possessed gilmore vitality and strength
than that which is drawn from volu,tsrv
obedience 10 lis laws. Ihold that no GOV.
eminent is entitled to anv allepiapce 1ba,
does not poss wise and ;,s, - ii -.