The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-11-13
MR.. CLAy.s LETTER.


Tho following is that portion OF MIR.
Claws letter 10 which he treats OF ihe Nul-
titiraton and Secession doctrines.
Qualification derived on ambiguous bp'
contested support from the memorable res
buttons of the states Of Virginia aud hea
lucky, adopted in 1852; but these teso-
buttons a!fnrd no enler or countensnce ~
the preteusions Of Sccessien
..Tne doctrine Of Secession assumes, lha'
any ono Of The thirty one states COMPOSING
the Union. wherever Or however snualeb,
whether in the interior or on the lfnhi'er.
has right, upon ils own separate viii, nnd
according to The dictates Of its exclusive
Judgment, to Withdraw from tho Union
whenever il pleases; TINT this act q seces
sion is peaceful, and not 10 DO coniroverted
Or obstruc,ed BY the rest OF tho states, or
by the application Of any force, within the
limits of the seceding state, to execute the
laws of the United States; and that there
upon, tho states and its citizens are absolv-
ed from all obligations and duties to the
Quilted States, and becomes power as H.
dependent and sovereign as any Of the M
tons Of the earth.
"The doctrine maintains that this right
of secession may be exercised whenever
the state deems il has sufficient cause; OF
al tines state Of profound peace and
prosperity, or in the midst Of furious war,
raging ia all our borders and that IN The
latter case, Transforming itself into DIS
,inct aud independent nation, i may es-
cape the calamilies Of war, make sepa
rate treaty of peace with the common enc
my, become neutral, or even ally itse.i
with that enemy, and take up arms against
the United States. II asserts this right,
although il may lead, in the process oil
time, to the promiscuons dotting over, upon
the surface Of the territory Of the U. States,
or petty independent nations, establishing
for themselves any form Of government.
free or despotic, known to mankind, and
in,errupting the intercourse and violaiing
or menacng the execution Of the Jaws Of
the dsmenbered confedcracy. II contends
Tor this right, as we'll Cor Louisian, as for
South Carolina, although the province oil
Louisiana cost US so much money, md was
nigh involving us IN foreign war; Tor
Texas; although il occasioned Us a war
with Mexico, the payment Of ten millions
of dollars TO arrange its boundaries. and to
acquire il many were wiling 10 risk a war
with England and for distant California,
although that was acquired By the double
tide of conquest and the payment Of IN
ample pccuniary consideration.
"ll, indeed, the Union, under which we
have so long. and generally SO happily llv
ed, be thus fragile, aud liable 10 crnmble
into pieces, we must cease 10 boast Of tie
wisdom OF our fnretaihefs who formed il,
tear from our hearts the sentiments of graf
itude aud venerition with which they Ind
inspired IS, and no longer expect an en-
frightened world IN bostalS the unbranded
praise which it has hitherto lavlshed on
Them. A doctrine so extranrdinsr, aud
| indeiensible. fraught with the destruction
Of the Union, and such other direial conse
qaenccs, finds no encouragement or sup.
port in the constitution of the United States,
II had none under the articles OF contedera
ton which formed, ia terms, perpetual
Union, however, otherwise weak md lncf
ficient the government was which they CO
iablished. Tint inetii.iency arose out Of
tho fact that il operated not on the people
directly, bu, upon the states, which might,
and often did fail 10 comply with the requi
sitions made on them by Congress To
correct that defect. and TO form a moro per.
feet Union. the present constitution was
ldopied. Il had been alleged that the Tn
ion Of the States, under the articles Of con-
federation, was held together only BY n
rope Of sand: but it was rope Of adamant.
compared with the cord which now binds
US, if the right Of secession is sanctioned
and sustained"