Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1851-11-08
No.le.

perpetual Union. When, ii tre6re, the thirteen
original States passed from uai'r h,se articles,
To The constitution, they pssset from less 10
more perfect union, and sgrrs4 ii further lina.
lions upon their sovereigutY,
Under the present constitution, among ibA
limitations and prohibitions upon the sovereignty
OF the States. il is expressly provided that I'M
State shall enter into any treaty, slliance, or
confederation, gran, letters of marque and re.
prisal. coin money, emit bills OF credit, uaks
ANYTHING but gold and silver coin tender in
payment Of debts !" and mo State shall. with
out the consent Of Congress, lay any du'l Of
tonnage, keep troops or chips Of war in time Of
peace. enter into any agreement or compact with
another State. or with foreign power, or en-
gage in war. unless actually invaded, or IN such
imminent danger as will admit of no delay
Il NAV BE- affirmed with entire Truth, that all The
attributes of sovereignty which relate TO peace
and war, commerce. navigation, friendship and
intercourse with, and, in short. all tina, relate TO
foreign powers, and several Of these attributes
which relate to the internal administration oflhe
States themselves. are voluntarily surrendered TO
the General Government, and canno, be exer.
cised by the States. The performance Of any Of
tho forbidden acts would be null and void, no
matter in what solemn and authentic form, nor
BY what State authority, the Legislature, con.
veatiou, or the people themselves OF the state.
in aggregate mass, il might he performed. The
cons tuition Of the Uutrd State would instantly
intervene, vacaic the act, and proclaim thu over.
ruling, supreme, and paramount authority OF the
constitution, laws, aud treaties Of the IT, States.
II 10 clear, therefore, that no State can d. any.
thing repNgnanI Ia the constitution, laws. and
treaties Of the United States. What Il might
do, If il were in possession OF all its absolute
sovereignty, and had never entered into this I'M
ion, i. a different question. But II we suppose.
conirar, u the historical fact. tina, the States
were absolutely sovereign Shcn The existing con.
.tiniion was adopted, could hey circumscribe and
conlrac, their altrhules Of sovereignty BY the
.,ipula,ions aud provisions which are contained
in il All history is full of examples OF tho to.
tai humiliation Of sovereignty or nationality, Of
tener by the power Of the sword and conquest,
but sometimes BY the voluntary act Of one naon
merging itself inro another. Of which We have
a striking instance In the case oil Texas in our
own country. Assuming that the constitution 10
mere compact between independent nations or
sovereign States, they are nevertheless hound by
all tho obligations which the compac, creates.
They are bound 10 al stain from all frbltden
acts, and to submit In the supremacy Of the con-
sttution and laws Of the United States. But. 4
will he asked. have they not also the right to
Judge Of the fidelity with winch the common
government has adhered TO the common compact
! Yes, mos, certainly. They have that right, aud
so has every citizen Of the United States snj 50
has the General Government also. The alleged
violation of the constitution may he exposed ard
denounced by all the weapons OF reason, OF ar.
gument, and oi rdlcule by Renaissance, pro-
test. appeals to the judiciary. and to the other
States; by The press, public opinion. and all lr'
climate means Of persuading or influencing il.
L, after the employment Of all or any a those
peaceful methods, the government Of the United
States, sustained by constitutional majority OF
the nation, persist in retaining the obnoxious
| law, there 10 no alternative but obedience 10 the
law, on The part Of the minority, or open, undls
guised, manly, and forcible resistance 10 10
execution.
The alleged right oil secession is, appre.
bend sometimes conounded with right OF rev.
olution. But it's partisans mean totally tlitrr'
ent thing. They contend that il isa peaceful,
| lawful and, IL not a consiuiona remedy. that II
! is not forbidden by the Constitution. hey in.
sist tina, it is a State right, TO be recognised and
respected, and that, whenever exercised by
State, far from being censured or condemned,
the State, IL necessary, il entitled to tho co OPP
Grafton of other States. The prudent valor OF
these pauisans, in imitation Of the pTey US CT
ample ofthe friends Of notification, disclaims the
purpose of using themselves, and protest agaius,
tho application TO them Of any physical force.
ma L Il. a. ,trht ,pbtnh
unjustly oppressed people. threatened with or
borne down by intoIcrahIe OF insupporiahie ty-
ranny and injustice, have of resortng TO iorcbe
! resistance to prevent or trdre's the wrongs with
which they are menaced or under which they
are suffering Il may aim simply at removal
| Of grievances, e it may srek totally 70 change
! the existing government. or TO estabIi'h within
/ ia imi,s new goycmmc,'. |, IL right not
confined by the boundaries "i State, (aihough,
being orrsnsrd political bodies, they may be
capable o; giving greater etfrrt 10 revolutionary
enous,) but It belongs 70 "pPres7"d man, what
ever may be bis condition. In I'll revolutions,
| however, there tie two pstl's-'hose who Te-
volt ard the government which hey torclbIy re-
sis, There are generally I"1 orpos te opinions
also, pntertainel OF the oHnsr nj rrslsiHnce--
! that Of those who rise in rehe!iioi, trll'vinK
| themselves to be wrDngcd, and that Of he exist.
| ing government, which d~nies having inflicted
any oppression or uju-urr. Is 10 unbct
upon wise md consdrr-fs nsu het"~ hey
hastily engage in a revolution c'1nrrs'ry to
consider the motives and eaas"' - revolt and
carefully 10 ca lcuIate lbr P'ohahIr r'ns"qnences
orio,cibl, resistance. lttn ucc.ssn, thpt know
,ha. they will be guilty OF ''sason, and incur tue
penalty loAiced upon iralIotS.
have thus. gentleman presented an impe'-
fec, sketch OF some Of the visws which tave
taken Of the existing topics OF the day. II
| would admit Of much enlargement and addion-
al Illustration. bur have already given TO ihis
| paper an il ordinate length. In contemplating
/ that sketch, We behold mm.h more to anins'r
the hopes and 10 encourage III" patriotism Of The
country than TO create regret and apprehension.
After such political storm az that which Uole l.
" ragged during The last Congress II vac not 10
he elpec'ed that the nation would Insisn'y set
Il. l. d.