The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-05-28
From the Ntv Orleans Pieayans.

Charleston to the State Rights clubs of tho other
southern States, which we pubIished in our evening
edition Of yesterday, appears TO embody the sepi-
mcnts of the ultra portion Of the South Carolina
politicians, those who view secession as tho only
remedy for existing evils, and the most potent
means for future security. Inasmuch as the ad-
dress and accompanying resolutions were subse-
qucntiy adopted unanimously, may consider
that the platform of the dominant phrty in South
Carolina, that party which has hitherto swayed
the destnies Of the State. and which, with the ar
rogancs OF conscious power, stigmatizes opposi.
ton rs treason to the Commonwealth, is now def
nitely and definitivcy made up The issue is
fairly presented. There is no equiyocation Sc
cession with without the co operation Of the
other southern States, Of any of them, is boldly
| avowed the doctrine Of the convention. assumed
after mature consideration Of circumstances past
| and present. and of the momentous consequences
OF the act when consummatcd
In any other State the manifesto of an assem-
blhge OF political clubs. disconnected with the
Government and entirely irresponsible, could be
viewed as mere declaration of partisan opinion,
not by any means affecting, much less controlling
the ultimate policy Of the community. Even
though such declaration of opinion might be
thought an index Of popular sentiment, it would
not be looked upon decisive Of the final result
of the contest In South Carolina we are grieved
to DO forced to believe that the case is different
There are there no clubs but the sef-stylcd State
Rights clubs. Their members comprise all, or
almost all, of those politicians who have been ac-
customed to lead and control the politics of the
STATE against whose dctation scarcely voice has
been raised, and murmuring against whose fats
would be stigmatized rank rebellion against the
constituted authorities. Most Of the leading men
OF these clubs, and who consequently took an ac-
tive part in the proceedings of the Charleston con
vention, are members Of the State convention, re-
Gently chosen, and their address may be considered
published programme of the plan Of action upon
which thcyhave determined, and which the State
will be forced to adopt, unless fcrcer opposition
than we have reason to hope expect arise in the
mean time.
II ID not our purpose at present to discuss the DO
stions assumed by the Charleston convention in its
address. To scarcely one of them can the Union
mon OF the South assent-thosc men whose love for
the Union does not evaporate in idle expressions
OF attachment, but is manifested in acts as we'll az
words The main idea running through the whole
address, coloring every phrase, and giving dircc-
ton to every argument is the PRONUNCIATION of the
right of secession and all its arguments tend to the
proving of the necessity for the exercise Of the
right. In order to avoid the odium OF revolution,
which, under any other theory would be attached
TO disunon, the convention asserts the right OF any
State to secede from the Union whenever in its
opinion, such a course may be desirable. Notonly
oppressive and intolerable tyranny, but the mere
capricious desire for change, would therefore be
sufficient justification for the act; because il is one
which they say the General Government has no
right to question without attacking the inherent
sovereignty of the States The language Of the adj
dress is that the right of secession ssthe great
State right without which all others are nugatory
and incapable OF being enforced" and that "each
State must possess the right of judging for herself
as to the occasion and time for its exercise.''
Without advcrting to the wonderful change
which the South Carolina politicians have under
gone in giving up the doctrine Of notification,
once their great panacea for every evil, and pro-
claiming secession to be the only true remedy, we
cannot help comparing these sentiments with q
paragraph In another portion of the address, in
which they speak Of the lowering of the free white
population of the South to level with that ssagra-
ran rabble which seems destined to be the control
ling power in the northern States" 1t i'll becomes
that State to people of the North of agra
ranism and lcvcing tendencies, which, first under
plea Of exercising sacred right sets the example
ofrebellion against the laws and is itself the first
to conspire for the overthrow of existing and time
honored institutions.
The right of secession being assumed as incon-
tcsbie, it devolves on the authors of the address
to prove the existence of necessity for exercising
It, To effect this there 10 no lack Of assertion,
which we presume, for want Of something more
convincing, must be taken for argument Weare
told that the position of the southern States in this
Confederacy is degraded dAnd ruinous; that tho
North has entered upon = course of systematic ag-
grcssions tending ultimately to the abolition Of
slavery; that the Compromise measures were out
RACES to which sovereign States possessing the
spirit OF freedom should never submit that there
is no remedy or safety for the South in the present
Union; that South Carolina, with modesty we
suppose peculiar to herself, has hitherto been
backward in asserting her rights, having waited
to follow tho lead Of the venerable Virginia, the
experienced Georgia, or the impctuous Mississippi;
that though she would desire Co operation, she cam
not consider 1t absolutely necessary, and finally
that she ia determined to sccede alone. Solitary
and unaided she will commence her mournful
march out OF the Union; confident however that
should the General Government attempt to prevent
her exit, the other southern States, seeing their
own rights attacked in her, will be compelled to
come to the rescue and follow her example,
This is the plan of the dominant party in South
Carolina. Is it wise one? Will the result answer
their hopes? We believe not. II is true as the adj
dress says that the of one southern State il
the cause Of ALL but does not follow that they arc
oil bound to look through the eyes of South Caro-
lima.
The convention admits that the failure of the
South generally toaccept the doctrine of disunion
brings her to the alternative Of submission or soil
tary secession, yet she thinks that what the other
oouhern States will not do for themselves they will
do for her; that is, all the southern States standing
In the same position towards the General Govern
ment, all are equally injured by its acts, if any in
jury has been done. One State thinks the wrong
warrants disunon; the others do not think so. The
one State seccdes. and looks to the others to sup
port and initiate her, because she is enforcing
right which they do not consider ought to be en-
forced The idea is absurd, yet, notwithstanding
its folly, we have good evidence that il is seriously
entertained, and will be acted on, unless
looked for opposition among the people Of the State,