Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-09-15

may he not refuse TO do, or 10 suffer them
. impose on him. the Illegal act. without
quitting the concern Tire nulli6ers said,
they only refused TO Be hound by an act
they never authorized: they were willing
10 submit to jus, authority. but pot to un-
just and nsurpcd authority: the seceders
say 1--WE refuse to submit to asy authority.
because you hare usurpcdeutbority N some
thines--or tried to do it--or may do it,
or, generally, because we don't choose to
be bound any longerl And yet secession
Is better than nullihcationl
II 10 evident that whatever Mr.. Madison
said q to the constitutional right of null-
6caton apple. with aggravated force to
secession; and it is Tie right we are discus
sing. For the doctrinesis, the state ag-
gnevcd i, the judge and may determine for
herself the mode and measure Of redress:
what mode or measure she may take does
not determine the constitutionaliiy of the
intcrposition: that's merely the instrument
and sanction Of the assumed right.
There is much confused talk about the
sovereignty Of the states: as if the people
10 whom is all sovereignty primarly-had
not the same sovereignty when they made
the federal constitution as when they made
their respective state constitutions: and as
ifthe sovereign powers ofand over peace,
war, taxation, regulation of commerce,
punishment Of treason, passing and en-
forcing laws, and the like, were not as
high and as characteristic Of nationality as
any other Il is too plain for argument
that, within their respective spheres, both
the state and general governments are soy
creign; without them, neither is.
But how do the sccessionists get over
cotemporancous history connected with
the constitution Can they find any thing
in "thc secret debates" favoring the doc
trine; and how do they account for the
ounissioni Can they find any in Tie Fedc-
ralist. written to expouud the constitutions.
to that effect. Can they find any thing in
the debates of,he state legislatures or con-
ventions on the ratification of the constitu-
ton, in their favorl The danger to the ra-
,iication Of the constitution arose and was
apprehended from the pride and jealousy
of the great states. Henry and Mason at.
tackled the constitution in the Virginia con-
ven,ion with all their strength and clo-
quencc. Their objection was that it was
TOO strong; that it bore down the rights of
the statcs;-that il established great CEN
,ral tyranny or a government that wonld
I've perverted into one. Madison was there,
fresh from the composition of the work.
and from his own commentaries, and the
expositions and discussions Of the general
+ scheme and Of all its parts. How easy
for him to answer, "You are mistaken al
together: no fears need be entertained on
this subjcct:a state can never be oppressed;
for she has a right to withdraw whenever
she thinks the compact broken" But he
never so answered. On the contrary, he
commended that the constitution contained
in itself ample guarantees. and did hot and
t. could not lead TO the evils pointed out
How pregnant was this silence!
In our next number we shall endcavor
TO present some other views of this ques-
lion. OLD HICKORY.