Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1851-03-01
The Right of the States--Secession.

In the first number of the Standard we inserted a
portion of the Resolutions of 1889 and indicated as
clearly we capable, that the resolutions en-
braced and declared in plain and simple language the
doctrine it would inculcate. AS it is becoming some
what fashionable in certain quarters to give to the DO
siton of others constructive meaning, it is deemed
safe to put the position of this Press regard to the
right of the States beyond the cavng propensity of
word "construing pedants. In contending for prin-
cpe should be kept in mind that the pedant seeks to
conceal the end the labor by throwing over the eff
fort cloud of useless verbage and har-sptng dstnc-
tons about immateriaties 1t is laid down in the re-
solutions referred to, tha the several States compos
ing the United States of America are not united ON the
principle Of unlimited submission to their General Co..
ernent" and "that they constitute general govern
ment for special purposes and that they delegated to
that certain definite powers and that they
reserved each State to itself the resdary mass of
right to their own selfgovernment and that whenev-
the general government undeegated oaers,
its unauthoritative, void and ofno force In
our opinion language cannot be palmer and it is as
tonshing how find in it room for "construc-
tive" meanings that impairs its force. The position
them that the States not united the principle of
submission to the general government supposes the ex-
been aggression of the general government on the
States there surely must be arbter else the
era government is made the exclusive and final indge
of the powers delegated to it, and is in fact guided by
sits discretion, and the constitution as to the
measure Tor, in palmer terms extent of its powers
Suppose that the contrary doctrine true & that the
States united on the principle of unlimited SUBJ
mission, there would have existed no necessity for
defence ofwhat is termed the reserved rights of the
States-a right defended by all classes of mentor the
that the doctrine of unlimited submission rem
ders such defence useless because it admits at once
that the general government is the Judge of it's power
Now this is the doctrine held by the Natchez Courier
and the Aberdeen Independent the one advocates it on
principle and the other ignorance of the spirit of
republican form of government.
1t is said that the States constituted general gov
eminent for special purposes and that they delegated
to that government certain definite powers The spe
cial purposes of the establishment found in the pow
ers delegated and to suppose that among the special
purposes of establishing this general government was
to delegate to power Destroy degrade or ensave
the States or any ofthem is simply ridiculous
those who that the States have not the
right to secede deny that the general government
formed for special purposes and its powers delegated
for the denial makes the general governmentthe crea
ture OF the Statesthe sovereign of the States holding
in its hand the rod to chastise any who dare question
its authority. The general government is mere a.
gent for the States its powers being definite and den-
ed and whenever taggresses encroaches on one or
more of the States, they have manifest right to with
draw and exercise fer themselves the powers previous
exercised for them by their agent, the general gov
eminent.
The people of the States have never constituted the
general government the Judge Gifts own acts-hat is,
the people of the States have retained in their own
hands certain ofrghts, and it is for them to say
In what manner they will exercise these rights A
mong these rights that of Judging of infractions of
the constitution and the mode and means of redress is
also right they have reserved to themselves. AS
there is no common judge or arbiter appointed by them
TO meet and arrest entertainments is clear that thew
have not delegated it, and it equally clear that they